Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-26
2001-05-01
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S730200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224087
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a side impact protective device for vehicle occupants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A side impact protective device is disclosed in the German patent publication 3,422,263 C2. The device comprises a gas-filled supply container for the inflation of the head gas bag which is arranged in a longitudinal beam of the vehicle, i.e., in the door sill region and is connected by a duct with a head gas bag. In an accident the folded gas bag arranged underneath the cladding part on the roof frame either bursts open the cladding part or deforms it and upon inflation deploys to the side of an occupant between his head and the side window. The position of the inflated head gas bag and its direction of deployment are however not completely regular and controlled, something possibly leading to a delay in the inflation step and to safety risks, if the gas bag is not exactly arranged to the side of the head of such vehicle occupant or if during a side impact it can shift in relation to the head of the occupant.
The German patent publication 2,249,988 A discloses a side impact protective device comprising an inflatable head gas bag which together with a pressurized gas container is secured in a recess in a cladding part on the roof frame so that the cladding part does not surround the folded head gas bag and the bag is likely to be accidentally or otherwise damaged by same. Furthermore, the container extends along the entire length of the head gas bag and is made correspondingly large in size, which makes it more difficult to accommodate the gas bag in the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a side impact protective device with which the position of the head gas bag both in the deployed state and in the course of inflation itself is consistently controlled.
The side impact protective device according to the invention is arranged along a roof frame of a vehicle and includes a cladding part for covering the roof frame, a head gas bag and mounting means. The head gas bag is convertible from a folded state to an unfolded state and has, in its unfolded state, an upper part with two outer end portions. The head gas bag is arranged underneath the cladding part in the folded state extended in a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the roof frame and only folded in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction. The mounting means serve to attach the head gas bag at least at the outer end portions to the roof frame.
The head gas bag is accordingly arranged in a predetermined manner even in its unfolded condition for its full longitudinal extent in the vehicle, since it is not folded in the longitudinal direction. The unfolding operation must consequently take place principally only in the vertical direction and in the direction toward the head of the vehicle occupant. It is hence possible to avoid disordered unfolding. Furthermore, the position of the head gas bag is consequently defined and regular in the inflated state as well so that displacement of the head gas bag in relation to the vehicle may not occur with the side crash protective device of the invention.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment the head gas bag is provided on its ends attached to the roof frame with attachment eyes to facilitate fitting to the roof frame. Thus it is only necessary to provide hooks or screws on the roof frame.
In accordance with a further embodiment an associated elongated gas generator is arranged parallel to the folded head gas bag underneath the cladding part so that long gas ducting means as in the said German patent publication 3,422,263 C2 are not required.
The gas generator may have a cylindrical outline and may have gas outlet openings on its external peripheral surface with the result that there is a rapid inflation operation.
It is preferred for the gas generator to extend in the longitudinal direction of the folded head gas bag along the middle third of the head gas bag at the most to increase the compactness of the protective device of the invention.
The protective device of the invention is, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, adapted to be attached on the roof frame using a mounting plate on which the gas generator and the head gas bag are pre-mounted. This means that the protective device can be supplied as a completely pre-mounted module able to be rapidly installed in a vehicle.
If the gas generator is mounted in the interior of the head gas bag, the attachment of the gas generator to the head gas bag is simplified.
Furthermore, the mounting plate may be arranged in the interior of the head gas bag. Preferably at least one part of a screw
ut connection for attachment of the side impact protective device is fixed to the mounting plate in a non-rotatable fashion. An opening must be present at the associated point in the head gas bag through which the shank of a screw may extend. If a screw is welded to the mounting plate, for instance at its head, then the screw shank will extend through the opening in the gas bag to the outside, where the mating nut may be screwed on for attachment of the side impact protective device. If on the contrary a nut is secured to the mounting plate, it is then possible to drive a screw from the outside into the nut.
Furthermore, it is in some circumstances dependent on vehicle geometry an advantage to provide an adapter plate outside of the head gas bag, the adapter plate being able to be connected with the mounting plate and, furthermore, to be locked on the roof frame. Assembly is simplified by the adapter plate, for it can extend to readily accessible parts in the roof frame part.
A particularly simple and secure attachment of the gas generator on the mounting plate is achieved in accordance with an advantageous embodiment if the mounting plate is designed in the form of a clip and engages around the gas generator. The diameter of the clip-like mounting plate is reduced by a clamping means, such means serving at the same time as the means for the attachment of the mounting plate so that there is a saving in parts.
The mounting plate may, furthermore, naturally also be arranged outside the head gas bag.
In order to hold the head gas bag during shipping in its folded condition, the same and the gas generator are pre-mounted on the mounting plate with the aid of a foil surrounding them or of a plastic tube.
If in accordance with a further preferred embodiment the cladding part is a door which is opened by the unfolding of the head gas bag and which is defined, as a possible measure, by intentional points of weakness in the cladding part, the unfolding operation will take place more rapidly and the direction of unfolding will be under full control, since the head gas bag will not have to provide any great forces for deformation of parts.
The door can contribute to setting and holding of the direction of unfolding of the head gas bag, if it is provided with a means for limiting its maximum opening angle, such means for instance comprise a tethering tape attached on the one hand to the door and on the other hand to the roof frame.
The geometry of the door and its maximum opening angle are preferably so adapted to the head gas bag that the door steers the unfolding direction of the gas bag to be oblique in relation to the side window and the head gas bag assumes a position in front of the side window.
Moreover, in accordance with a further embodiment, the cladding part is so attached to the roof frame that the head gas bag may move into a position between the cladding part and the roof frame during unfolding so that a fish mouth-like opening results.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4911471 (1990-03-01), Hirabayashi
patent: 5062664 (1991-11-01), Bishop et al.
patent: 5480181 (1996-01-01), Bark et al.
patent: 5536041 (1996-07-01), Acker et al.
patent: 5540459 (1996-07-01), Daniel
patent: 5755457 (1998-05-01), Specht
patent: 5884937 (1999-03-01), Yamada
patent: 5899486 (1999-05-01), Ibe
patent: 5899489 (1999-05-01), Jost
patent: 5921575 (1999-07-01), Kretschmer et al.
patent: 224998
Eyrainer Heinz
Stutz Michael
English Peter C.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
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