CN113573952A

CN113573952A - Support system with a seat and an airbag module integrated into the seat and method for operating the support system

Info

Publication number: CN113573952A
Application number: CN202080021982.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: S·博格达诺维奇; R·迪萨姆; C·霍夫曼; A·卡滕伯格; F·罗森; M·瓦尔; G·齐希卡
Original assignee: Audi AG; ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
Current assignee: Audi AG; ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
Priority date: 2019-03-22
Filing date: 2020-03-19
Publication date: 2021-10-29
Also published as: DE102019107365A1; WO2020193359A1

Abstract

A support system has a seat (12) and an airbag module (14) integrated into the seat (12), the airbag module having a lateral airbag (22) and an airbag control device (23). The seat (12) is adjustable between at least a first seat position and a second seat position, and the side airbag (22) has a first inflated state and a second inflated state. The airbag control device (23) is configured such that: -when required, the side airbag (22) adopts a first inflated condition when the seat (12) is in the first seat position; and the side airbag (22) occupies a second inflated state when the seat (12) is in the second seat position. Furthermore, a method for operating a support system (10) is shown.

Description

Support system with a seat and an airbag module integrated into the seat and method for operating the support system

The invention relates to a support system having an adjustable seat and an airbag module integrated into the seat. The invention also relates to a method for operating a support system.

Support systems with airbag modules are known and are often used in motor vehicles in order to intercept or support a vehicle occupant in a support situation, for example in an accident, thereby reducing the risk of injury and thus increasing the safety of the vehicle occupant.

In the future, the demands on the flexibility of the support device will increase, since with increasing popularity of autonomous driving and/or autonomous driving, the seat position occupied by the vehicle occupant can be varied considerably more depending on the driving situation than is currently the case.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a support system which can provide an improved protective effect.

In order to achieve the object, a support system is proposed, which has a seat and an airbag module integrated into the seat, which has an airbag and an airbag control device. The seat is adjustable between at least a first seat position and a second seat position. Further, the airbag has a first inflated state and a second inflated state. Here, the airbag control apparatus is configured such that: when required, the airbag assuming the first inflated condition when the seat is in the first seat position; and the airbag occupies the second inflated state when the seat is in the second seat position.

The presence of the first seat position or the second seat position may be determined by a backrest inclination, wherein the backrest inclination may be determined by an inclination angle corresponding to an angle between a backrest of the seat and a seat surface. The first seat position exists when the reclining angle is equal to or less than a certain threshold, and the second seat position exists when the reclining angle is greater than the certain threshold. Thus, according to the invention, the first seat position describes a first seat adjustment range and the second seat position describes a second seat adjustment range, which can be distinguished from one another by a threshold value of the backrest inclination. The threshold value can be selected in particular as a function of the respective installation situation of the seat, the vehicle geometry and/or the positioning of the further supporting element.

With this design, the state of the airbag is linked to the seat position, so that the airbag provides a protective effect adapted to the seat position in the event of support (for example in an accident), in particular wherein the protective effect provided is adapted to the seat position of a vehicle occupant sitting on the seat. In this way, the protective effect provided by the support system and thus the safety, in particular the safety of a vehicle occupant sitting on the seat and whose relative position to the airbag depends on the respective seat position, can be increased. In particular, a relative displacement between the occupant and the backrest of the seat, which occurs in the second seat position relative to the first seat position and thus causes a relative displacement of the airbag module relative to the occupant, can be compensated in this way.

Within the scope of the present disclosure, an inflated state is a state of the airbag in a supported condition after activation of the airbag, in which state the airbag is inflated to the maximum, i.e. the volume of the airbag is at its maximum.

According to the present invention, the airbag is a side airbag integrated with a seat so that a vehicle occupant can be laterally supported. A lateral airbag is an airbag which is arranged laterally, in particular perpendicularly, to the seat direction and/or driving direction with respect to a vehicle occupant.

In one embodiment of the invention, the first and second inflation states differ from one another by different geometries, different volumes, different orientations, and/or different shapes of the side airbags, in particular wherein the volume of the airbags is greater in the second inflation state than in the first inflation state. In this way, various protective effects can be achieved.

For example, the orientation is determined relative to the seat, relative to the backrest, or fixed locations at the seat or backrest.

In particular, the airbag can extend in the second inflation state further in the direction of the seat surface in order to compensate for the relative displacement between the occupant and the backrest occurring in the second seat position. Alternatively, the airbag may extend in the second inflated state further in the direction of the headrest of the seat, in order to additionally protect the head of the occupant in the second seat position. In addition, it can be provided that the airbag has a greater expansion in the second inflation state both in the direction of the seat surface and in the direction of the headrest of the seat.

In order to reliably achieve the desired inflation state, the airbag control device can have a release device for releasing the second inflation state.

For example, the airbag has at least one restraining strap permanently connected with a wall of the airbag, wherein the restraining strap is fixed to the release device in the first inflation state and released from the release device in the second inflation state, and wherein the release device is configured to selectively release the restraining strap. The first inflation state can be reliably modeled by means of the limit band.

Furthermore, the airbag module can comprise an outflow opening which is preferably adaptively controllable, so that the internal pressure of the airbag can be influenced. In particular, it is proposed here that the outflow opening is open in a first inflation state of the airbag and is closed in a second inflation state.

According to a preferred embodiment, the outflow opening is arranged in the airbag outer wall, wherein the outflow opening in the airbag outer wall corresponds to a further outflow opening in the release device, which is released/opened if the restraining band is not released and fixed to the release device. Thus, gas can flow out of the airbag via the further outflow opening of the release device and the outflow opening in the outer wall of the airbag. If the restraining band is released and released from the release device, the further outflow opening of the release device is closed. The closure of the further outflow opening of the release device can be achieved, for example, by a displaceable pin element. Thus, no gas can flow out of the airbag via the outflow opening.

Alternatively, the outflow opening can be arranged in the airbag outer wall, wherein the outflow opening is provided with a closure element which is connected, for example, by a closure element restraining strap to a closure element release device, wherein the closure element release device releases the closure element restraining strap when the first seat position is present, so that the closure element releases the outflow opening in the airbag outer wall. In the second seat position, the closing element restraint strap remains fixed to the closing element release device, so that the closing element is held in the position closing the outflow opening or is pulled into the position closing the outflow opening by the closing element restraint strap.

In order to simply change the seat position, the seat may have a seat surface and a backrest which is adjustable relative to the seat surface, the backrest being inclined by an adjustable inclination angle relative to the seat surface, in particular wherein the inclination angle between the backrest and the seat surface is smaller in the first seat position than in the second seat position.

In order to reliably determine the seat position, the seat can have an angle sensor which is connected to the airbag control for signal transmission and which is configured to determine the angle of inclination.

In one embodiment, the airbag is at least partially, in particular completely, integrated in the backrest, as a result of which a compact construction can be achieved.

The airbag module, in particular the airbag control device, can have a gas generator in order to inflate the airbag.

The object is also achieved by a method for operating a support system, in particular the aforementioned support system, having a seat and an airbag module integrated into the seat, which has an airbag and an airbag control device. The method has the following steps:

a) learning whether the seat is in a first seat position or a second seat position; and

b) deploying, by the airbag control device, the airbag to the first inflated state when needed while the seat is in the first seat position; and deploying the airbag to the second inflated state when the seat is in the second seat position.

The features and advantages described for the support system apply equally to the method and vice versa.

For example, at or before deployment, when the seat is in the second seat position, the release means for releasing the second inflation state is activated so that the inflation state can be selected.

In order to achieve the desired second inflation state, the activated release device releases a restraining strip permanently connected to the wall of the airbag, wherein the restraining strip is fastened to the release device in the deactivated state of the release device.

In a preferred embodiment, in order to achieve the desired second inflation state, in addition to the release of the restraining strip, a further outflow opening of the release device is closed, which further outflow opening corresponds to an outflow opening in the outer wall of the airbag, so that the gas generated by the gas generator is substantially completely available for filling the airbag.

In the first seat position, however, the release device is not activated and the restraining strap remains secured to the release device to achieve the first inflation state. The further outflow opening of the release device is thereby kept open, so that gas can flow out of the airbag via the outflow opening in the outer wall of the airbag and can adapt to the internal pressure of the airbag.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description and the drawings, and reference is made to the following description and to the drawings. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1a and 1b show a support system according to the invention with a seat in a first seat position or in a second seat position,

FIGS. 2a and 2b show the airbag of the support system according to FIG. 1 in a first inflated state or in a second inflated state,

fig. 3a and 3b show the support system according to fig. 1a or 1b in the supported condition, an

Fig. 4 shows a flow chart of the method according to the invention.

In fig. 1a and 1b, a support system 10 having a seat 12 and an airbag module 14 is shown.

The support system 10 is used to support a vehicle occupant seated in a seat 12 in a support situation (i.e., typically in the event of an accident).

The seat 12 can occupy two different seat positions, which are illustrated in fig. 1a or 1 b.

The seat 12 has a seating surface 16, a backrest 18 adjustable relative to the seating surface, and an angle sensor 20.

The seat 12 or the seat position of the seat 12 can be adjusted in such a way that the backrest inclination, i.e. the angle of inclination α between the backrest 18 and the seat surface 16, can be adjusted.

In the first seat position shown in fig. 1a, the inclination angle α is smaller than in the second seat position shown in fig. 1 b.

The angle sensor 20 determines the angle of inclination α and is connected to the airbag module 14 and/or the airbag control device in order to transmit the angle of inclination to the airbag module 14 and/or the airbag control device.

The first seat position according to fig. 1a is a stand-up position (e.g. when the vehicle occupant controls the vehicle himself). The second seat position (visible in fig. 1 b) is a lying position, which is used, for example, when the vehicle is travelling autonomously and the vehicle occupant does not have to control or monitor the vehicle. Furthermore, the second seat position according to fig. 1b can also be occupied, for example, by a vehicle occupant in the front passenger seat or in the rear seat, not only in the case of autonomous driving/automatic driving but also when the vehicle is controlled by a vehicle occupant in the driver seat.

The airbag module 14 is integrated into the seat 12, and is thus a seat-integrated airbag module 14 or a so-called side airbag module.

More precisely, the airbag module 14 and thus also the airbag 22 are integrated in the backrest 18 and thus move together when the inclination angle α is adjusted. The airbag 22 is thus a side airbag integrated with the seat.

The airbag module 14 has an airbag 22 and an airbag control device 23, which in the illustrated embodiment has a gas generator 24, a release device 26 and a control unit 28.

Of course, the gas generator 24, the release device 26 and the control unit 28 may also be implemented separately from one another.

In fig. 2a and 2b, the airbag module 14 is shown in an activated state in a supporting situation (i.e. the airbag 22 is inflated) in two different situations.

The gas generator 24 is used to deploy the airbag 22 once it has obtained a corresponding signal from the control unit 28.

The control unit 28 is connected to the gas generator 24 and the release device 26 and to the angle sensor 20 for data exchange.

The airbag 22 has a wall 30 and at least one restraining strap 32 (in the illustrated embodiment, two restraining straps 32).

The restraining strap 32 is permanently fixed at its front end at different locations on the wall 30, and the restraining strap 32 is connected at its rear end to the release device 26.

The release device 26 for the restraining strap 32 is known and can securely hold or release the restraining strap 32 during deployment of the airbag 22 such that the restraining strap 32 is released from the release device 26.

The airbag 22 can thus occupy a first inflated state and a second inflated state depending on whether the release device 26 releases or fixedly retains the restraining strap 32.

The inflated state is a state after activation of the airbag 22 in which the airbag 22 has reached its maximum possible volume for this inflated state.

The airbag 22 is shown in a first inflated condition in fig. 2 a. It can be seen well that the tether strap 32 is connected not only to the wall 30, but also to the release device 26, such that the airbag 22 has a height h in the first inflation state₁。

In fig. 2b, the airbag 22 is shown in a second inflated condition in which the restraining straps 32 have been released by the release device 26 during inflation. The restraining straps 32 may no longer be interconnected.

It is well recognized that the limit band 32 is no longer connected to the release mechanism 26.

Thus, the wall 30No longer fixed relative to the release device 26 so that the wall 30 can move further than in the first inflated position. Thus, the airbag 22 has a height h in the second inflated state₂Greater than the height h of the first inflation state₁。

Height h₁、h₂Extending substantially parallel to the backrest 18.

Further, the volume of the airbag 22 is greater in the second inflated state than in the first inflated state.

Of course, the airbag 22 in the first and second inflated states may differ in other characteristics, such as other different geometries (which include not only different heights), or also in different orientations relative to the seat 12 or the backrest 18.

The operation of the support system 10 is described with the aid of fig. 3a and 3b, in which the support system 10 is shown in the activated state. A flow chart of a method for operating the support system 10 is shown in fig. 4.

In a first step S1, the inclination angle α is measured by means of the angle sensor 20 and transmitted to the control unit 28.

In step S2, the control unit 28 knows, based on the inclination angle and, if necessary, by means of further information (for example an image of an interior camera, a belt draft and/or an occupancy detection of the seat): whether the seat 12 is in the first seat position or the second seat position.

In the simplest case, this can be achieved by comparing the measured tilt angle α with an angle threshold (separating the two seat positions).

When the reclining angle α is equal to or less than the angle threshold, it is known that the seat 12 is located at the first seat position; and in the event that the angle of inclination a is greater than the angle threshold, it is known that the seat 12 is in the second seat position.

In step S3, the control unit 28 determines whether the airbag 22 should be inflated to the first inflation state or the second inflation state under support conditions, depending on whether the first seat position or the second seat position exists.

If the seat 12 is in the first seat position, the vehicle occupant is seated upright. In the illustrated embodiment, the head of the vehicle occupant is thus protected in the event of an accident by the airbag integrated in the roof frame, so that the airbag 22 only has to have a height h in the supported state₁To optimally protect the vehicle occupants.

Thus, the control unit 28 determines: the airbag 22 should be deployed to a first inflated state.

However, if the seat 12 is in the second seat position, it is assumed that the vehicle occupant, in particular the head thereof, is in a lower position, so that the airbag integrated in the roof frame does not completely cover the head.

In this case, the airbag 22 must also reliably cover the head of the vehicle occupant, and therefore needs to have a height h₂The airbag 22.

Thus, the control unit 28 determines: in the support condition, the airbag 22 is inflated to a second inflated condition.

If a support situation occurs in step S4, the gas generator 24 is now activated by the control unit 28, as a result of which it generates a large amount of gas, which is introduced into the airbag 22.

Depending on which inflation state the airbag 22 should be inflated to, the control unit 28 operates the release device 26.

The release means 26 may also be suitably set beforehand.

If the first inflation state is to be reached, the control unit 28 actuates the release device 26 accordingly or, however, does not actuate it at all. In this case, the release device 26 is not triggered, so that the restraining band 32 is not released. The restraining band is thus also fixedly connected to the release device 26 to achieve the first inflation state as previously described.

As can be seen in fig. 3a, in the illustrated embodiment, the shoulder region and the thorax region of the vehicle occupant are protected by the first inflation state. The head is protected by an airbag integrated in the roof frame, which airbag is indicated in fig. 3a and 3b with a dashed line.

Interaction of the airbag 22 with an airbag integrated in the roof frame can thus be reliably avoided.

However, if the second inflation state is to be reached, the control unit 28 actuates the release device 26 in such a way that the restraining band 32 is released and released from the release device 26. The airbag 22 is now deployed to the second inflated condition.

As can be seen in fig. 3b, in the illustrated embodiment, the chest region, the shoulder region, but also the head of the vehicle occupant is thus protected.

Alternatively or additionally (not shown), the geometry of the airbag 22 can be adapted, in particular increased, towards the seat surface 16 of the seat 12 by releasing the restraining strip 32 by the release device 26. By means of this adapted geometry of the airbag 22 toward the seat surface 16 of the seat 12, a relative displacement between the occupant and the backrest 18 of the seat 12 can be compensated in particular, as a result of which the covering region of the airbag 22 can be adapted relative to the pelvic region, the thorax region and/or the shoulder region of the occupant.

In this way, a flexible support system 10 is provided which reliably protects vehicle occupants in different seat positions.

Claims

1. Support system having a seat (12) and an airbag module (14) integrated into the seat (12), the airbag module having a seat-integrated lateral airbag (22) and an airbag control device (23),

wherein the seat (12) is adjustable at least between a first seat position and a second seat position,

wherein the side airbag (22) has a first inflated state and a second inflated state, and

wherein the airbag control device (23) is configured such that: -the side airbag (22) adopts the first inflated condition when the seat (12) is in the first seat position, if required; and the side airbag (22) occupies the second inflated state when the seat (12) is in the second seat position.

2. The support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second inflation states differ from each other by a different geometry, volume, orientation and/or shape of the lateral airbag (22), in particular wherein the volume of the lateral airbag (22) is larger in the second inflation state than in the first inflation state.

3. A support system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the airbag control device (23) has a release device (26) for releasing the second inflation state.

4. A support arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that the lateral airbag (22) has at least one restraining strap (32) which is permanently connected with a wall (30) of the lateral airbag (22), wherein the restraining strap (32) is fixed on the release arrangement (26) in the first inflation state and is released from the release arrangement (26) in the second inflation state, and wherein the release arrangement (26) is configured for selectively releasing the restraining strap (32).

5. A support system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the lateral airbag (22) has an outflow opening in an airbag outer wall, which outflow opening is arranged to correspond to a further outflow opening of the release device (26), wherein the further outflow opening of the release device (26) is released in the first inflated state and closed in the second inflated state.

6. The support system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seat (12) has a seat surface (16) and a backrest (18) adjustable relative to the seat surface (16), the backrest being inclined by an adjustable inclination angle (a) relative to the seat surface (16), in particular wherein the inclination angle (a) between the backrest (18) and the seat surface (16) is smaller in the first seat position than in the second seat position.

7. The support system according to claim 7, characterized in that the seat (12) has an angle sensor (20) which is connected with the airbag control device (23) for signal transmission and which is configured for determining the inclination angle (a).

8. The support system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the lateral airbag (22) is at least partially, in particular completely, integrated in the backrest (18).

9. The support system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the airbag module (14), in particular the airbag control device (23), has a gas generator (24).

10. Method for operating a support system (10), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, having a seat (12) and an airbag module (14) integrated into the seat (12), which has a lateral airbag (22) and an airbag control device (23), wherein the method has the following steps:

a) -knowing whether the seat (12) is in a first seat position or in a second seat position; and

b) -deploying, by the airbag control device (23), the side airbag (22) to the first inflated state when the seat (12) is in the first seat position, if required; and deploying the side airbag (22) to the second inflated state when the seat (12) is in the second seat position.

11. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that a release device (26) for releasing the second inflation state is activated at or before the deployment when the seat (12) is in the second seat position.

12. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the activated release device (26) releases a restraining strap (32) permanently connected to the wall (30) of the side airbag (22), wherein the restraining strap (32) is fixed to the release device (26) in a state in which the release device (26) is not activated.