WO2009033520A1

WO2009033520A1 - Airbag arrangement for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO2009033520A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/005458
Authority: WO
Inventors: Detlev Guthke; Helmut Maiwald; Ludger Meyenbrock
Original assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
Priority date: 2007-09-10
Filing date: 2008-07-03
Publication date: 2009-03-19
Also published as: EP2033853A1; ATE455682T1; EP2033853B1; DE502007002685D1

Abstract

The invention relates to an airbag arrangement for motor vehicles comprising at least one inflatable airbag; at least one gas generator for the inflation of the airbag, with the gas generator being arranged remotely from the airbag at least in the state installed at the vehicle; and at least one gas line, which is in particular of hose type, which connects the gas generator to the airbag and via which the airbag is inflatable, with the gas line being made, in particular being made flexible, ductile and/ or soft, such that it can move from an installation configuration into an inflation configuration with a flow cross-section enlarged with respect to the installation configuration under the influence of gas released by means of the gas generator and flowing through said gas line, wherein the gas line in the installation configuration has at least one change of direction between an ingoing entry section and an outgoing exit section including a deflection angle with the entry section, and wherein the change of direction is realized by a deflection fold of the gas line formed in the extent of the gas line.

Description

Airbag arrangement for motor vehicles

The invention relates to an airbag arrangement for motor vehicles comprising at least one inflatable airbag, at least one gas generator for the inflation of the airbag, with the gas generator being arranged remotely from the airbag at least in the state installed at the vehicle, and at least one gas line, in particular a hose-like gas line, which connects the gas generator to the airbag and via which the airbag is inflatable, with the gas line being made, in particular being made flexible, ductile and/ or soft, such that it can move from an installation configuration into an inflation configuration with a flow cross-section enlarged with respect to the installation configuration under the influence of gas released by means of the gas generator and flowing through said gas line.

It is known, for example, to fill so-called roof-rail airbags via flexible gas lines. The gas lines are able to bridge the distance between a gas generator serving for the inflation of the airbag and the airbag and are thus located at least partly outside the airbag.

The gas line must be laid inside the vehicle on the installation of such an airbag arrangement. The laying of the gas line can take place, for example, between the body roof and the associated internal trim. Previously, the aim has been to lay the gas line in a straight manner in as throughgoing a fashion as possible to avoid having to guide the gas line "around the corner", and indeed in particular against the background that the gas lines are usually installed at the vehicle in a shallow configuration in practice to achieve an installation height which is as low as possible. There is a fear that the gas flow will be impaired and an intended inflation of the airbag will be made impossible or at least more difficult if such a hose has to be kinked on being laid in the vehicle to give the hose a change of direction. The avoidance of deflection points on the laying of such flexible gas lines means relatively small flexibility in the design of airbag arrangements since the possibilities which are generally present on a "remote filling" of the airbag by means of a flexible gas line cannot be utilized to the full.

It is the object of the invention to provide an airbag arrangement of the initially named kind which can also be laid in a vehicle without impairment of the inflation behavior of the airbag when a non- throughgoing straight- line course of the gas line is required in the vehicle.

This object is satisfied by the features of claim 1.

In accordance with the invention, with an airbag arrangement of the initially named kind, provision is made that in the installation configuration the gas line has at least one change of direction between an incoming entry section and an outgoing exit section including a deflection angle with the entry section and that the change of direction is realized by a deflection fold of the gas line formed in the course of the gas line.

It was found in a manner completely surprising for the skilled person that the inflation of an airbag is not impaired when the gas line connecting the airbag to the gas generator has one or more deflection folds which each provide a change in direction in the course of the laid gas line, i.e. of the non-inflated gas line, so that the principle of a "remote filling" of the airbag by means of a flexible gas line connecting the airbag to a remotely arranged gas generator can also be utilized when a throughgoing straight- line laying of the gas line between the gas generator and the airbag is not possible or is not desired in the state installed at the vehicle, but the gas line must or should rather be subjected to one or more changes of direction.

The inventors assume that the problem-free unfolding of the defection fold on the inflation of the airbag which does not impair the inflation of the airbag in any way has its cause in the special conditions of such an inflation process. The gas line provided with the deflection fold behaves differently than expected due to the highly dynamic procedure of such an inflation process and due to the high gas pressures which are effective therein. The flow resistance initially formed by the deflection fold namely actually does not result in a "self-locking" of the gas line such that the gas line closes or is pinched off in the region of the deflection fold itself. It has rather been found that a brief opening of the deflection fold which occurs directly after the action of pressure on the gas line is sufficient to unfold the deflection fold and to inflate the airbag in the intended manner. The deflection fold admittedly results in a specific time delay on the inflation of the airbag, but this can easily be tolerated.

Due to the possibility provided by the invention of giving the gas line one or more changes of direction between the gas generator and the airbag, the airbag arrangement in accordance with the invention can be matched to the respective conditions in the vehicle in that a respective deflection fold is formed at the respective points of the gas line on the manufacture of the airbag arrangement. In accordance with the invention, in an advantageous manner, no consideration has to given to changes of direction required for the gas line when selecting the location for the gas generator or when selecting the course of the gas line in the vehicle. The airbag and the gas generator can thus be positioned ideally irrespective of whether a throughgoing straight-line laying of the gas line between the gas generator and the airbag at the vehicle is possible or not and the course of the gas line itself can also be optimized without taking account of any possibly required changes of direction.

It must be mentioned in this connection that, with the airbag arrangement in accordance with the invention, the deflection fold is not only formed on the installation of the airbag arrangement in the vehicle, i.e. it is not the fitter of the vehicle manufacturer who provides the gas line with the deflection folds. It is rather demanded in practice that the airbag arrangement is present in a preconfigured state ready for installation in which the gas line is already provided with one or more deflection folds at the respective points provided for this purpose in accordance with the laying planned for the respective vehicle. The deflection folds are therefore already formed in the gas line on the manufacture of the airbag arrangement.

To ensure that the deflection folds are maintained up to the final installation of the airbag arrangement at the vehicle, the deflection folds can be fixed. This can take place, for example, by adhesive bonding, by sewing, by enveloping or enfolding and/or by holding together the deflection fold itself and/ or the entry section and the exit section close or in proximity to the deflection fold, preferably by means of at least one fixing element, in particular a clamp-type or cuff-type fixing element. Such a fixing is in particular designed such that it can be released or broken open by acting on the deflection fold by means of the gas released by the gas generator to enable an intended unfolding of the deflection fold.

To envelope or enfold the deflection fold, it can e.g. be closely surrounded by means of an envelope in the form of a foil, for example. The envelope can be perforated if necessary to allow a breaking open. The use of separate fixing elements, e.g. in the form of clamps, clips or cuffs, for the holding together of the deflection fold has the advantage that these fixing elements can cooperate with corresponding mating elements attached to the vehicle to fasten the gas line to the vehicle on the laying. The positions of the mating elements at the vehicle can be preset so that the gas line is already provided with the extent exactly matched to the respective vehicle on the manufacture of the airbag arrangement in accordance with this preset laying by a corresponding design of one or more deflection folds. The laying of the gas line and thus the installation of the airbag arrangement as a whole is herby substantially simplified.

The fixing elements can be operative directly at the deflection fold, i.e. can hold the deflection fold itself together. Alternatively or additionally, the entry section and /or the exit section can be held together by means of one or more fixing elements, and indeed close to or directly at the deflection fold. Such a "pinching off of the gas line at the "inlet" and/or "outlet" of the deflection fold likewise effects a sufficient fixing of the deflection fold which then no longer needs to be fixed or brought into a shallow installation configuration (cf. explanations on the embodiment in accordance with Fig. 3).

It must generally be noted that the term "deflection angle" is primarily to be understood with respect to the laying of the gas line, i.e. with respect to the installation configuration of the gas line since, due to the inflation, the gas line endeavors to move into a state which is as low in tension as possible, i.e. to extend in the region of the deflection fold. If space is available at the vehicle for the laid gas line, the gas line will use it and adopt an ideal line in dependence on the conditions on inflation. Any desired change of direction deviating from the deflection angle and in particular no direction change at all can therefore be provided in the inflation configuration in the region of the previously provided deflection fold. The deflection fold in accordance with the invention nevertheless generally also permits a proper inflation when the gas line is forced to maintain its deflection angle preset by the deflection fold, that is its laying extent, in the inflated state, due to the conditions at the vehicle, i.e. the deflection fold does not necessarily require any clearance at the vehicle. However, based on findings in particular gained by experiments of the inventors, an endeavor will be made to lay the gas line in the vehicle such that the gas line at least has some space on inflation, whereby the deflection angle can vary.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are also set forth in the dependent claims, in the description and in the drawing.

Provision is made in a possible embodiment for the deflection fold to be designed such that the deflection fold is unfoldable by gas released by means of the gas generator and flowing through the gas line.

Provision can furthermore be made for the gas line to be made shallow in the installation configuration and for the deflection fold to be formed starting from the shallow installation configuration. Provision is in particular made for the entry section to run into the deflection fold in a shallow installation configuration and for the exit section to run off from the deflection fold in a shallow installation configuration.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the deflection fold has a plurality of shallow line sections which are disposed over one another at least regionally. The number of line sections disposed over one another in particular amounts to two, three or four. The deflection fold is therefore here not an irregular or "chaotic fold of some type or other, but an ordered fold in which the "surplus" material of the gas line present due to the change in direction is laid in folds such that the deflection fold has a shallow installation configuration of a plurality of shallow line sections lying over one another.

In accordance with the invention, the gas line does not necessarily have to have two layers, that is to have only one single vertical unit, in the shallow installation configuration. It is thus possible in accordance with a further development of the invention for the entry section and /or the exit section of the gas line to be folded at least in the region of the deflection fold itself. The entry section's and/or of exit section's own fold can be U-shaped in cross-section, for example while halving the width. The thickness of the entry section or of the exit section thus amounts to two vertical units due to their own folds. A plurality of folds of their own can be provided such that the original width of the gas line reduces by more than half, e.g. to a quarter or to an eighth.

It was found that, depending on the manner of the design of the deflection fold, the gas line is either rotated, that is twisted, around the central axis of the gas line or does not have any such rotation in the inflation configuration - that is after the unfolding of the deflection fold by the gas released by means of the gas generator and flowing through the gas line. Accordingly, in further embodiments of the invention, the deflection fold is designed such that the gas line is either twisted or not twisted in the inflation configuration.

It has been found in this connection that - again in dependence on the manner of the design of the deflection fold - a torsion is achieved by either 90° or 180°. If the conditions at the vehicle permit it, this rotation is distributed over the length of the gas line, in particular over its total length, between the gas generator and the airbag.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the gas line comprises a fabric, in particular a fabric manufactured from plastic threads or from plastic fibers. A fabric is used, for example, of PA 6.6 having 470 dtex. Such a fabric can, as is known, in particular also be used for the envelope of the airbag itself. Alternatively, the gas line can be formed by a foil.

In this connection, the gas line can have a coating applied to the fabric, with the coating being provided on the inner side and /or on the outer side of the fabric.

The same material or a similar material can be provided for the coating as for an adhesive bond which is provided for the gas tight closing of the gas line on its manufacture. This material is in particular a silicone material. As is known, silicone is used for the coating of the fabric used for the manufacture of airbags and is also used as an adhesive for the manufacture of adhesive bonds provided at airbags.

The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawing. There are shown:

Figs. 1 - 6 different embodiments of a deflection fold in accordance with the invention which is formed in a gas line of an airbag arrangement for motor vehicles in accordance with the invention. The embodiments in Figs. 1 to 6 differ by the manner of the design of a deflection fold 21 which is formed in a gas line 15. It is only shown schematically for reasons of simplicity in Fig. 1 that the gas line 15 connects a gas generator 13 and an airbag 11 to one another. In the event of a crash, gas is abruptly released by means of the gas generator which flows under higher pressure into the gas line 15 and via the gas line 15 into the airbag 11 to inflate said airbag for the protection of the respective occupant or occupants of a vehicle not shown here.

In Figs. 1 to 6, the gas line 15 is in each case shown in the top representation in a shallow installation configuration in which the gas line is installed in a vehicle as a component of an airbag arrangement additionally comprising the gas generator 13 and the folded airbag 11. The lower representation shows the gas line 15 in each case in an inflation configuration in which the gas line 15 is acted on, i.e. "inflated", by gas released by the gas generator 13.

In the inflation configuration, the gas line 15 has a circular free inner cross-sectional surface with a diameter d. The central axis 23 of the inflated gas line 15 is shown by a chain-dotted line.

In the installation configuration, the shallow gas line 15 has a width b. The height or thickness of the shallow gas line 15 in the region of an entry section 17 and of an exit section 19, which will be looked at in more detail in the following, is given by s. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the thickness of the shallow gas line 15 results from the sum of the thicknesses of two material layers forming the envelope of the gas line 15. This thickness of the shallow gas line 15 will also be called a vertical unit (Is) in the following. In the following, so-called deflection folds 21 will be explained which are each formed in the shallow gas line 15 to be able to supply the gas released by the gas generator 13 to the airbag 11 on a path differing from a straight-line course in the state of the airbag arrangement installed at the vehicle. The deflection folds 21 are made in each case in the examples of Figs. 1 to 6 such that a deflection angle α of 90° results. It must be emphasized at this point that each of the deflection folds 21 shown here can be varied without problem such that a deflection angle α differing from 90° is given while maintaining the respective fold characteristics. The deflection angles α of 90° shown here are consequently each only to be understood as an example.

It furthermore applies to each of the deflection folds 21 shown here that the function of the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 can also be swapped over. The deflection folds 21 or the gas lines 15 provided with the deflection folds 21 can therefore so-to-say be used in both directions. The deflection folds 21 are therefore so-to-say bidirectional, i.e. the unfolding capability of the deflection folds 21 by the gas released by the gas generator 13, is independent of the direction in which a flow takes place in each case through the deflection folds 21.

It must furthermore be emphasized that the deflection folds 21 in the embodiments shown here are each formed in a throughgoing section of the gas line 15, i.e. a one-piece section viewed in the axial direction. It is therefore e.g. not the case that free ends of two part sections of the gas line are folded together in any sort of manner for the formation of the deflection fold and are e.g. connected to one another in a gas tight manner by sewing or adhesive bonding. The gas line 15 rather represents a hose which is throughgoing at least in the region of the deflection fold 21 and which is provided with a fold formed in a specific manner in its extent for the establishing of a "kink" or of a "curve", that is generally of a change in direction.

The deflection folds 21 shown here in Figs. 1 to 6 also have the common feature (with the exception of the variant of Fig. 3) that the "surplus" material of the gas line 15 resulting from the change in direction, that is by the angle α different from 180° between the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 is folded in an ordered manner, and indeed such that a plurality of shallow sections of the gas line are disposed over one another at least regionally. The specific embodiment of the deflection fold 21 determines the maximum height or thickness of the gas line which is given by the height or thickness in the region of the deflection fold 21. This maximum height is marked by t here.

Furthermore, the deflection folds 21 shown in Figs. 1 to 6 are characterized in that the width of the gas line 15 is not larger in the region of the deflection fold 21 than the largest width occurring at the entry section 17 and at the exit section 19. A particularly small space requirement hereby results for the gas line 15.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 are themselves not folded so that the thickness of the gas line 15 here amounts to one vertical unit (t = Is). The entry section 17 is simply folded over the exit section 19 to establish the deflection fold 21 while forming a deflection angle of 90°. A maximum height of the shallow gas line 15 hereby results in the region of the deflection fold 21 of two vertical units (t = 2s). As can be seen from the extent of a surface line 25 represented by a double chain dotted line at the inflated gas line 15, the inflated hose undergoes a torsion by 180° which is distributed over the length of the hose. The surface line 25 extends on the envelope of the gas line 15 parallel to its central axis 23 with a non- twisted gas line 15.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the starting point for the establishing of the deflection fold 21 is a shallow installation configuration of the gas line 15 in which the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 are each themselves folded, and indeed around the longitudinal axis of the gas line 15 such that a U-shaped fold arises in cross-section while halving the original width of the shallow gas line 15. The thickness of the shallow gas line 15 thus amounts to two vertical units (2s) both in the entry section 17 and in the exit section 19. The deflection angle α in turn amounts to 90°. A thickness of the gas line 15 of our vertical units (t = 4s) results in the region of the deflection fold 21 due to the entry section 17 and of the exit section 19 of the shallow gas line 15 having their own folds before forming the deflection fold 21. Different than in Fig. 1, the formation of the deflection fold does not take place by placing over one another, but rather by placing into one another of the entry section 17 and the exit section 19, and indeed similar to a manner as is known from the folding of the nose or of the rear of some paper airplane. In the region of the deflection fold 21, the extension of the entry section 17 here does not lie on or beneath the extension of the exit section 19, but inside it, i.e. between its two U limbs. It must moreover be noted that the open side of the entry section's/ exit section's own fold, which is U-shaped in cross-section, faces outwardly in the entry section 17 and inwardly in the exit section 19. As the lower illustration in Fig. 2 shows, the inflated gas line 15 does not undergo any torsion in this type of design of the deflection fold 21. The surface line 25 extends parallel to the central axis 23 of the inflated gas line 15. The embodiment of Fig. 3 corresponds to the embodiment of Fig. 2 as relates to the inherent fold explained above of the entry section 17 and of the exit section 19, that is the inherent fold of the shallow gas line 15 before forming the deflection fold 21. In contrast to the embodiments of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, however, here the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 are not folded over one another or into one another while establishing the deflection angle α. The shallow gas line 15 is rather increasingly- pushed together on the formation of the deflection angle α at the inner side, whereby the material stands up, as can be seen from the upper representation in Fig. 3. The height of this material bulge depends on the starting width b of the shallow gas line 15 provided with its own fold and on the magnitude of the deflection angle α. The explained material bulge can thus be maintained in this manner, as is shown in Fig. 3, in dependence on the space conditions at the vehicle in which the gas line 15 should be laid. As mentioned in the introduction part, this material bulge, and thus the deflection fold 21 , can be fixed by clamps or clips 31 , which are only shown schematically here and which hold together the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 directly at the deflection fold. Alternatively, the bulged material can be folded over in the direction of the entry section 17 or of the exit section 19, that is so-to-say "pressed flat". A releasable fixing of the deflection fold 21 in this shallow configuration can take place e.g. by the initially mentioned methods. As the lower illustration in Fig. 3 shows, the inflated gas line 15 does not undergo any torsion in this type of design of the deflection fold 21.

Fig. 4 shows a variant in which only one of the line sections adjoining the deflection fold 21 - here the entry section 17 - is provided with its own fold corresponding to the embodiment of Fig. 2 or of Fig. 3. Consequently, the entry section 17 has a width bl which is half the size of the width b2 of the exit section 19. The formation of the deflection fold 21 basically takes place as in the embodiment of Fig. 1. The entry section 17 provided with its own fold and thus having a thickness of two vertical units (2s) is laid over the exit section 19 not provided with its own fold while forming a deflection angle α of 90°. Unlike the embodiment of Fig. 1, an additional material section 27 arises due to the different embodiment of the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 which is disposed between the entry section 17 provided with its own fold and the exit section 19 not having its own fold in the completed deflection fold 21. The deflection fold 21 thus has a maximum thickness of four vertical units (t = 4s). As the lower representation in Fig. 4 shows, the inflated gas line 15 undergoes a torsion by 90° in this manner of the deflection fold 27, with this rotation being distributed over the length of the hose formed by the gas line 15.

The embodiment of Fig. 5 can basically be due to the embodiment of Fig. 3 with respect to the design of the deflection fold 21. The entry section 17 and the exit section 19 do not have their own folds here, as are provided in the embodiments of Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The material section which stands up by forming the deflection angle α between the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 is here folded onto the entry section 17. Alternatively, this material section can also be folded onto the exit section 19. In both cases, a maximum height of the shallow gas line 15 of three vertical units (t = 3 s) results in the region of the deflection fold 21. This manner of the deflection fold 21 does not result in any rotation of the inflated gas line 15, as the lower representation in Fig. 5 shows.

The embodiment of Fig. 6 can basically be due to the manner of the fold in the embodiment of Fig. 1. To realize a total deflection valve of α = 90°, not one single fold is provided between the entry section 17 and the exit section 19 - unlike in the embodiment of Fig. 1 - but rather two part folds 21a, 21b with which in each case an angle is formed of less than 90,° and, for example, of 45°, between the respectively involved line sections, with the two angles being able to be of different magnitudes. More than two part folds can also be provided per deflection fold. Depending on the specific embodiment of the deflection fold 21 , it can be provided - as shown in Fig. 6 - with an intermediate section 29 between the two part folds 21a, 21b, in which the thickness of the shallow gas line 15 only amounts to one vertical unit as in the entry section 17 and in the exit section 19. The maximum thickness of the shallow gas line in the region of the deflection fold 21 in turn amounts to two vertical units (t = 2 s). The two part folds 21a, 21b are made in opposite senses. As the lower representation in Fig. 6 shows, the gas line 15 does not undergo any torsion in the formation of the deflection fold 21 described here.

Reference numeral list

11 airbag

13 gas generator 15 gas line

17 entry section

18 exit section

21 deflection fold

21a part fold 21b part fold

23 central axis

25 surface line

27 additional material section

29 intermediate section of the deflection fold 31 clamp

α deflection angle b width of the shallow gas line s thickness of the shallow gas line, vertical unit t maximum thickness of the shallow gas line in the region of the deflection fold d diameter of the inflated gas line

Claims

1. An airbag arrangement for motor vehicles comprising at least one inflatable airbag (11); at least one gas generator (13) for the inflation of the airbag (11), with the gas generator (13) being arranged remotely from the airbag (11) at least in the state installed at the vehicle; and at least one gas line (15), which is in particular of hose type, which connects the gas generator (13) to the airbag (1 1) and via which the airbag (11) is inflatable, with the gas line (15) being made, in particular being made flexible, ductile and /or soft, such that it can move from an installation configuration into an inflation configuration with a flow cross-section enlarged with respect to the installation configuration under the influence of gas released by means of the gas generator (13) and flowing through said gas line, wherein the gas line (15) in the installation configuration has at least one change of direction between an ingoing entry section (17) and an outgoing exit section (19) including a deflection angle α with the entry section (17), and wherein the change of direction is realized by a deflection fold (21) of the gas line (15) formed in the extent of the gas line (15).

2. An airbag arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the deflection fold (21) can be unfolded by the gas released by means of the gas generator (13) and flowing through the gas line (15).

3. An airbag arrangement in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the gas line (15) is made shallow in the installation configuration and the deflection fold (21) is made starting from the shallow installation configuration.

4. An airbag arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the entry section (17) runs into the deflection fold (21) in a shallow installation configuration and the exit section (19) runs out of the deflection fold (21) in a shallow installation configuration.

5. A gas line arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection fold (21) has a plurality of shallow line sections, in particular two, three or four line sections, which lie over one another at least regionally.

6. A gas line arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the entry section (17) and/or the exit section (19) is/ are folded at least once in U shape in cross-section, in each case while reducing in size, in particular halving, the width at least in the region of the deflection fold (21).

7. A gas line arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection fold (21) is made such that the gas line (15) is twisted in the inflation configuration.

8. An airbag arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the deflection fold (21) is made such that the gas line (15) is not twisted in the inflation configuration.

9. An airbag arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection fold (21) is fixed in an installation position which is in particular shallow, in particular by adhesive bonding, by enveloping or enfolding and/ or by holding together the deflection fold (21) itself and/or the entry section (17) and the exit section (19) close to or directly at the deflection fold (21), preferably by means of at least one fixing element (31) which is in particular of a clamp or cuff type.

10. A gas line arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the width of the gas line (15) in the region of the deflection fold (21) is at most as large as the largest width occurring at the entry section (17) and at the exit section (19).

11. A gas line arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas line (15) includes a fabric, in particular a fabric made of plastic threads or plastic fibers, or a foil.

12. An airbag arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas line (15) comprises the same material as or a similar material to the envelope of the airbag (11).

13. A gas line arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas line (15) has a coating applied to a fabric, with the coating being provided on the inner side and/ or on the outer side of the fabric.

14. An airbag arrangement in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that the same material or a similar material, in particular a silicone material, is provided for the coating as for a adhesive which is provided for the gas tight closing of the gas line (15) on its manufacture.