Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-09
2001-05-01
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S749000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224091
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an inflatable vehicle occupant protective means for head and thorax side impact protection. A protective means of this kind is already known from German utility model 296 05 896.3 comprising a gas bag extending in the activated condition between the A pillar and the C pillar of a vehicle and covering the majority of the side panes thereof.
The present invention involves efficient series production, expedient accommodation and functional optimization of such a protective means in the vehicle. In accordance with the invention the protective means comprises an elongated receiving housing of channel-shaped cross-section and at least one inflatable gas bag stowable folded in the receiving housing. Extending within the gas bag over at least a substantial part of its length is a gas inlet tube connected to a source of compressed gas. This gas inlet tube is provided with a plurality of gas exit ports distributed over its length. The channel-shaped cross-section consists of a first flat leg, a second leg consisting of two flat, angled strips, and a web joining the two legs to each other. Furthermore, the first strip of the second leg has a lesser width than the first leg, and the second strip is oriented obliquely relative to the free longitudinal edge of the first leg. The elongated receiving housing can be accommodated in the vehicle along the roof edge under a cladding. The folded gas bag is held together in the folded condition in the interior of the receiving housing. The longer, flat leg of the receiving housing adjoins the vehicle body; the second strip of the second leg oriented obliquely to the free longitudinal edge of the first leg forms a closure flap which can be spread open, need not be connected to the first leg and which solely by its stiffness holds the folded gas bag in the interior of the receiving housing. For introducing the folded gas bag into the interior of the receiving housing the legs thereof can be spread apart, these moving elastically back into place to encompass the gas bag after it has been introduced into the receiving housing. When the gas bag is inflated the legs of the receiving housing are spread apart by the expansion pressure of the gas bag to allow the gas bag to emerge. In this action the second strip of the second leg serving as the elastic closure flap forces the gas bag downwards, preventing it from expanding towards the vehicle occupant into the interior of the vehicle. Accordingly, due to the configuration of the receiving housing an orienting effect is achieved which is of major significance for the expansion behaviour of the gas bag.
The receiving housing is fabricated preferably as an injection molded part of a thermoplastics material, permitting efficient series production whilst ensuring good mechanical properties, more particularly also as regards the spreading behaviour of the two legs of the receiving housing and the thereby achieved orienting effect.
In a particularly advantageous further embodiment of the invention a flat profile part is provided in the elongation of the receiving housing, a slot-shaped receiving conduit being formed in this flat profile part for a folded projection of the gas bag and/or a tensioning strap. The profile part may be configured flat, because the sail-type (non-inflatable) projection on the gas bag can be folded together in a few layers. It is especially of advantage when the flat profile part is integrally formed with a receiving conduit having a generally U-shaped cross-section. Wiring, cable pulls, water drain tubes and the like can be installed in this receiving conduit.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5791683 (1998-08-01), Shibata et al.
patent: 5884937 (1999-03-01), Yamada
patent: 5921575 (1999-07-01), Kretschmer et al.
patent: 5924723 (1999-07-01), Brantman et al.
patent: 5957487 (1999-09-01), Stutz
patent: 6042141 (2000-03-01), Welch et al.
patent: 6079732 (2000-06-01), Nakajima et al.
patent: 6082761 (2000-07-01), Kato et al.
patent: 19647679 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 2278812 (1994-12-01), None
Eyrainer Heinz
Stutz Michael
Jasmin Lynda
Mai Lanna
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
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