Vehicle gas bag providing lateral protection

Details Vehicle gas bag providing lateral protection Vehicle gas bag providing lateral protection

1997-09-24

2001-01-23

English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Attachment

C280S730200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06176513

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection means comprising an inflatable head-side gas bag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A protection means with a gas bag intended to protect the head of a vehicle occupant from coming into contact with the side window in the case of vehicle side impact is known from DE 296 05 896. The head-side gas bag provided in this case is secured by its front and rear end to the A-pillar and C-pillar, respectively, and covers the two side windows and the B-pillar.
Side-impact protection means offer protection, however, only in the case of a collision occuring in a direction of 90°±30° to the vehicle longitudinal axis. In the case of a head-on collision or a collision at an angle of 0°±60° to the vehicle longitudinal axis the conventional gas bag on the driver's side or at the front passenger side is intended to offer protection. In the case of an offset head-on collision in which the shock affecting the vehicle is not introduced into the vehicle in the region of the vehicle center line, or in the case of a skew front-end collision it is, however, possible that the vehicle occupant slides along the driver or front passenger gas bag so that his head comes into contact with the A-pillar.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a vehicle occupant protection means which considerably reduces the risk of head injuries in the case of an offset head-on collision or skew front-end collision. The vehicle occupant protection means according to the invention is incorporated into a vehicle with at least an A-pillar and a B-pillar and comprises an inflatable head-side gas bag extending from the A-pillar up to at least the B-pillar of the vehicle and a gas generator. The gas bag has a front section which covers the A-pillar at least to a major extent in the inflated condition of the gas bag and in the case of an offset head-on collision and a skew front-end collision prevents head contact with the A-pillar.
The A-pillar, which in the case of side-impact protection means known hitherto merely serves as an anchoring means for the side gas bag, is in the case of the protection means in accordance with the invention covered at least to a major extent by the head-side gas bag.
In the preferred embodiment the gas bag is a multi-chamber gas bag and the front section is formed by a separate chamber which may be flowingly connected to the one or other remaining chamber or chambers of the gas bag or separated therefrom so that accordingly a multi-stage gas generator for inflating the chambers or a separate gas generator for the chamber covering the A-pillar is provided. If several gas generators are provided there is the advantage that depending on the nature of the collision either the chamber covering the side window or that covering the A-pillar is inflated. In borderline cases, particularly in the case of a collision at an angle of approx. 60° to the vehicle longitudinal axis both chambers are inflated.
Furthermore, it is provided for in a preferred embodiment that the inflated head-side gas bag extends up to the C-pillar of the vehicle, thus providing protection means for front and rear occupants equivalently.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 5470103 (1995-11-01), Vaillancourt et al.
patent: 5480181 (1996-01-01), Bark et al.
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patent: 2297950 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 6-227340 (1994-08-01), None

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