Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-27
2002-09-03
English, Peter C. (Department: 3616)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S728300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443486
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an occupant protection device having a steering wheel airbag for a motor vehicle.
An occupant protection device having a steering wheel airbag for a motor vehicle generally includes an airbag module. The airbag module has at least one gas generator and at least one steering wheel airbag connected thereto. The airbag module is accommodated in a steering wheel hub of the steering wheel. An airbag outlet opening for the deploying airbag is provided in the hub region of the steering wheel and, in the event of a crash, the airbag at least partially emerges through this outlet opening and can be inflated in front of the steering wheel. In addition, a cover is provided which, in a closed position, i.e. covering position, when the airbag is not activated, is positioned in the hub region such that it covers the airbag outlet opening and such that it is secured in place. More specifically, the cover is configured as an airbag flap. An edge of the airbag flap is hingedly connected at the outlet opening and, in the event of a crash, can be moved by the inflating airbag into a release position in order to release the airbag outlet opening.
Despite the fact that the airbag flap, when in the release position, remains connected to the hub region of the steering wheel and therefore cannot be hurled in an uncontrolled manner into the vehicle interior when the airbag is activated, there is nevertheless the possibility that the airbag flap, when moving to the release position or when protruding toward the driver, may interfere with the driver and exhibit a so-called “aggressiveness.” This aggressive behavior of the airbag flap may in particular be a problem if the driver is sitting too close to the steering wheel. The aggressive behavior of the airbag flap may also be a problem when, during a crash impact, the volume of the airbag is reduced and the driver comes into contact with the protruding airbag flap.
Furthermore, conventional occupant protection devices are configured such that the steering wheel airbag, when being filled and unfolded, deploys in a direction toward the driver without being guided in any way. As a result, the airbag exhibits a level of aggressiveness that, in particular when the airbag is inflated rapidly, may harm the driver. Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application No. DE 42 17 177 A1, discloses an occupant protection device of the type described above. The occupant protection device includes an airbag configuration with at least one steering wheel airbag, which is folded up in the normal state, and at least one associated gas generator. Furthermore, an airbag outlet opening is provided for the deploying airbag. The outlet opening is covered with a cover which is formed of two relatively rigid airbag flaps. The airbag flaps can be moved from a covering position, in which the airbag flaps are secured by a holding device, into a release position for releasing the airbag outlet opening to let out the airbag. The two airbag flaps are each connected to the edge region of the airbag outlet opening by two spaced apart pivoting levers in such a manner that, in the release position, the airbag flaps clear the airbag outlet opening.
The positioning and the length of the pivoting levers connected to the airbag flaps are identical for both airbag flaps. This results in identical kinematic properties for both airbag flaps so that, during the opening movement, both airbag flaps perform an essentially translatory movement close to the plane defined by the opening of the housing. In the release position, the airbag flaps are shifted completely away from the airbag outlet opening, with the result that they cannot come into contact with the deploying and inflating airbag. A structure of this type is used with the intention of avoiding that the opened airbag flaps point with a free edge in the direction of the vehicle occupant. A radial pivoting of the airbag flaps is neither performed nor desired. In addition, the airbag is inflated without any device for guiding the airbag.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,682 discloses an occupant protection device having a steering wheel airbag for a motor vehicle. When the occupant protection device is activated, a cover, which caps an airbag outlet opening, is raised completely from the hub region. The cover is then held back by two straps of identical length and the airbag is inflated around the raised cover which is held at a given distance from the hub.
Furthermore, German Utility Model No. DE 297 10 745 U1, Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application No. DE 195 30 346 A1, European Patent Application No. EP 0 415 362 A2 and Patent Abstracts of Japan for Japanese Patent Application No. JP 05338513 A each disclose structures having flaps or covers which are retained via conventional catch straps. A disadvantage of these structures is, as can be seen for example in European Patent Application No. EP 0 415 362 A2, the fact that the catch straps are connected at the edge of each airbag flap and are in each case at the same distance from the border region of the two airbag flaps, with the result that the airbag flaps pivot over their full length into the interior of the vehicle. As a result there is the risk of harm being caused to the vehicle occupants. Here too, the airbag is deployed and filled without any kind of guiding.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an occupant protection device which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known occupant protection devices of this general type and with which an airbag deployment from a hub region can be performed such that the airbag can be guided in a simple manner and such that the risk of harming a driver with the opening airbag flaps is reduced.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an occupant protection device for a motor vehicle, including:
an airbag configuration including at least one steering wheel airbag and at least one gas generator assigned to the at least one steering wheel airbag, the at least one steering wheel airbag being folded up when in a normal state and unfolding when in a deploying state, the airbag configuration defining a steering wheel hub region and a hub axis and being formed with an airbag outlet opening in the steering wheel hub region, the airbag outlet opening having a peripheral region;
a cover including two airbag flaps for covering the airbag outlet opening, the two airbag flaps being substantially rigid and being held in place when in a covering position, the two airbag flaps being movable from the covering position to a release position for uncovering the airbag outlet opening and for letting out the at least one steering wheel airbag;
at least two links assigned to each one of the two airbag flaps, the at least two links being selected from the group consisting of connecting straps and pivoting levers, the at least two links having respective flap-side fastening locations and respective hub-side fastening locations, the flap-side fastening locations being disposed at a respective one of the two airbag flaps, the hub-side fastening locations being disposed at the peripheral region of the airbag outlet opening, a first one of the flap-side fastening locations being closer to the hub axis than a further one of the flap-side fastening locations; and
at least one of the two airbag flaps being a radially pivotable airbag flap, the at least two links for the radially pivotable airbag flap having respective structural properties selected from the group consisting of respective link lengths, respective hub-side fastening locations and respective flap-side fastening locations configured such that the radially pivotable airbag flap is substantially radially pivotable from the covering position to the release position and such that the radially pivotable airbag flap guides the at least one steering wheel airbag into a given deployment direction.
In other words,
Sinnhuber Ruprecht
Wohllebe Thomas
English Peter C.
Greenberg Laurence A.
Ilan Ruth
Locher Ralph E.
Stemer Werner H.
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