WO2023006638A1

WO2023006638A1 - Vehicle occupant restraint system

Info

Publication number: WO2023006638A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/070735
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nico Maier
Original assignee: Zf Automotive Germany Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-07-26
Filing date: 2022-07-25
Publication date: 2023-02-02
Also published as: CN117642312A; DE102021119335A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprising at least a vehicle seat (12) and at least an inflatable airbag (14) associated with the vehicle seat (12). The airbag (14) and has, when inflated, a main part (16) the envelope of which in the vertical direction is wedge-shaped, the main part extending, when inflated, over at least 70% of the vertical height of a backrest of the vehicle seat, preferably at least over the entire vertical height of the vehicle seat (12).

Description

vehicle occupant restraint system

The invention relates to a vehicle occupant restraint system with a gas bag.

Vehicle occupant restraint systems with gas bags are known and are typically used in motor vehicles to support a vehicle occupant if necessary.

In the future, the demands on the flexibility of vehicle occupant restraint systems will increase, since with the increasing spread of autonomous driving, the seating position assumed by the vehicle occupants can vary significantly more depending on the driving situation than is currently the case. In addition, alternative vehicle concepts, such as self-propelled people movers, are provided, in which the vehicle seats or vehicle bench seats are aligned in such a way that the vehicle occupants sit opposite one another. Due to the more varied seating positions of the vehicle occupant, a movement path that a vehicle occupant travels when necessary can be different and in particular significantly longer than is the case with a conventional driving style.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle occupant restraint system that can support a vehicle occupant particularly securely in different seating positions.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a vehicle occupant restraint system with at least one vehicle seat and at least one inflatable gas bag assigned to the vehicle seat, wherein the gas bag in the inflated state has a base body, the envelope of which is wedge-shaped in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction in the inflated state at least over a height which corresponds to a vertical height which is 70% of the height of a backrest of the vehicle seat, in particular in an upright position Sitting position, corresponds. In a preferred embodiment, the base body extends over at least 90% of the vertical height of the vehicle seat, in particular over the entire vertical height of the vehicle seat.

The gas bag is particularly stable due to the wedge shape of the base body. According to the invention, the gas bag is self-supporting, which means that the restraint of a vehicle occupant can be guaranteed from the inherent stability of the inflated gas bag.

The base body or the envelope of the base body tapers upwards, for example in the vertical direction of the vehicle seat.

Viewed from the side, the base body has the contour of a triangle, in particular a right-angled triangle. The side of the base body facing the vehicle seat can be at right angles to a vehicle floor. However, the angles can also deviate from the right-angled shape or the vertical orientation.

In addition, the side surfaces of the base body or the casing do not have to be flat, but one or more of the surfaces can also be curved.

The base body is preferably attached to the vehicle floor and extends upwards from the floor when inflated. The base body can thus be supported on the vehicle floor, which also contributes to the high stability of the gas bag.

According to one embodiment, the base body is formed by a plurality of fabric hoses, which form the side edges of the base body when the airbag is inflated. In this way, the advantage is achieved that less gas is required to inflate the gas bag and that the gas bag unfolds particularly quickly. Alternatively, the base body can be formed by a mat-shaped body that has a plurality of tubular Includes chambers that are created, for example, by connecting the two outer walls. Furthermore, the base body can also be formed as a mat-shaped body whose outer walls are connected to one another, for example via sewn-in tethers or in the case of a one-piece woven airbag via woven-in tethers, in order to produce a base body with the smallest possible volume.

A wedge that can be fully inflated with gas requires a large amount of gas and takes a correspondingly long time to deploy. A corresponding number of gas generators are required for rapid development.

A plurality of parallel channels are preferably formed in the gas bag on the side of the gas bag facing away from the vehicle seat. The channels can also be formed by fabric hoses. The channels ensure additional stabilization of the basic body when inflated. More precisely, the channels prevent or reduce buckling of the airbag under load.

The channels run, for example, from the floor to an upper end of the gas bag.

An expansion chamber can be arranged on the base body of the gas bag, which is in flow connection with the base body and unfolds when the gas bag is inflated at head level and/or trunk level of a vehicle occupant towards the assigned vehicle seat. Due to the expansion chamber, the gas bag has a particularly large range, that is, a distance from the base body to a vehicle occupant can be bridged at least a little by the expansion chamber. In this way, the head and torso of a vehicle occupant can be supported particularly well.

Alternatively, an expansion chamber can be arranged on the base body of the gas bag, which unfolds when the gas bag is inflated at head height and/or torso height of a vehicle occupant toward the associated vehicle seat, which is not flow-connected to the base body. In such an embodiment, the base body is preferably connected to a first gas generator for filling the base body and the Extension chamber is connected to a second gas generator via a filling channel. In this way, for example, it can be achieved in a simple manner that the base body and the expansion chamber have different internal pressures in the inflated and filled state.

In a non-inflated state, the gas bag preferably has a rolled fold, with the gas bag being rolled in the direction away from the associated vehicle seat. This rolling direction of the rolled fold prevents the feet of a vehicle occupant from slipping over the gas bag when the gas bag is unfolded. Instead, the advantage is achieved that the feet of a vehicle occupant are pushed towards the vehicle occupant when the gas bag inflates from bottom to top during unfolding, provided the vehicle occupant's feet are standing on the gas bag. Additionally or alternatively, the airbag can at least partially have an accordion fold.

In the inflated state, a pocket for receiving the feet of a vehicle occupant can be formed in the base body. The pocket is formed, for example, by a fabric sail that is attached to fabric tubes. The pocket can prevent overstretching and/or a pendulum movement of the feet or legs of a vehicle occupant. A heel impact point can thus be formed through the pocket of the gas bag. In addition, when the gas bag is inflated, excessive collision of the feet with the gas bag is avoided, as a result of which the joints of a vehicle occupant are relieved.

Furthermore, on a side of the gas bag directed toward the vehicle seat, there can be a transverse strut formed by a fabric tube, which is spaced apart from a floor of the gas bag. The cross strut runs, in particular, transversely to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The cross brace can also serve to limit an upward movement of the feet or legs of a vehicle occupant and to prevent the legs from swinging out too much.

According to one embodiment, the cross brace is combined with the pocket for holding the feet, with the cross brace running on an upper edge of the pocket and serving to attach a fabric sail. According to one embodiment, at least one restraining means is provided which is fastened to the gas bag at one end and can be fastened to a vehicle structure at another end, the gas bag being stabilized in a restraining position by the restraining means in the inflated state. The airbag can be additionally stabilized by the at least one restraint means. The restraining means is, for example, a drawstring or a gas-filled tube.

According to one embodiment, there are two vehicle seats which are opposite one another at least in one seating position, and each vehicle seat is assigned its own airbag, with the airbags being arranged between the two vehicle seats. Thus, when the vehicle seats are aligned opposite one another, vehicle occupants on both seats can be stabilized by an associated, self-supporting gas bag.

According to one embodiment, an expansion chamber is arranged on a side of the base body facing away from the vehicle seat. This also ensures improved stabilization of the gas bag.

The vehicle seat is, for example, mounted such that it can rotate about a vertical axis, in particular by at least 160°, in particular by at least 180°. As a result, a seating position is particularly variable. In particular, the so-called "campfire" position is possible in this way, in which all vehicle seats of a vehicle are aligned to a vehicle center and/or in which the vehicle seats or vehicle seat benches are aligned in such a way that the vehicle occupants sit opposite one another.

Further advantages and features of the invention result from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made. In the drawings show:

Figure 1 shows schematically a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention, Figure 2 shows schematically a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention according to a further embodiment,

FIG. 3 schematically shows a gas bag for a further vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic rear view of a gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention,

FIG. 5 schematically shows another vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention,

FIG. 6 shows the gas bag of the vehicle occupant restraint system from FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 schematically shows a further gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention, and

FIG. 8 shows another vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a vehicle occupant restraint system 10 for a motor vehicle.

The vehicle occupant restraint system 10 includes a vehicle seat 12 and an inflatable gas bag 14 associated with the vehicle seat 12.

One or more gas generators, which are not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity, can be provided for inflating the gas bag 14 . The vehicle seat 12 can be mounted such that it can rotate about a vertical axis, in particular by at least 160°, preferably by 360°.

The gas bag 14 has a base body 16 which, in the inflated state, extends in the vertical direction over the entire vertical height of the vehicle seat 12 . The envelope of the base body 16 is wedge-shaped in the vertical direction. In other words, the envelope of the base body 16 is triangular in a side view. In the illustrated embodiments, the triangle is a right triangle with the side facing a vehicle occupant being perpendicular to a vehicle floor 18 . However, you can deviate from the rectangular shape.

The base body 16 of the gas bag 14 is attached to the vehicle floor 18 and extends upwards from the vehicle floor 18 in the inflated state.

In the non-inflated state, the gas bag 14 has a rolled fold, with the gas bag 14 being rolled away in the direction of the associated vehicle seat 12 . This is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 using a dashed line, which represents the side of the base body 16 that faces the vehicle seat 12 .

In the non-inflated state, the gas bag 14 is arranged underneath the vehicle floor 18 or in or under a floor covering or a depression in the floor.

By rolling up the gas bag 14 in this way, the advantage is achieved that the feet of the vehicle occupant are pushed into a desired position by the gas bag 14 during inflation.

The vehicle occupant shown in FIG. 1 is in a seated position in which the vehicle occupant can be reliably supported. The vehicle occupant's feet are in front of the base body 16 of the gas bag 14.

In addition, the feet of a vehicle occupant are shown in FIG. 1 in a position further away from the vehicle seat. The feet of the vehicle occupant stand a little way on the not yet inflated gas bag 14.

When the gas bag 14 begins to unfold from below and thereby roll up, the gas bag 14 initially forms a ramp, which becomes steeper with increasing volume and increasing unfolding of the gas bag 14 . As a result, the feet of the vehicle occupant are pushed into the desired position as gently as possible. Due to the fact that the gas bag 14 is rolled up in a direction away from the associated vehicle seat 12, the feet or legs of the vehicle occupant cannot slip over the gas bag 14 either.

Figure 2 schematically illustrates another vehicle occupant restraint system 10.

The vehicle occupant restraint system 10 according to FIG. 2 differs from the system from FIG. 1 in that two additional expansion chambers 20, 21 are provided.

The first expansion chamber 20 is in flow communication with the base body 16 and unfolds when the gas bag 14 is inflated at head level and/or trunk level of a vehicle occupant toward the associated vehicle seat 12 . Thus, the vehicle occupant can be stabilized even better in his seated position.

Alternatively, the first expansion chamber 20 cannot be flow-connected to the base body 16 and can be filled via a filling channel 23 by a separate gas generator. In this way it can be achieved in a simple manner that the base body and the expansion chamber have a different internal pressure in the inflated state

The second extension chamber 21 is arranged on a side of the main body 16 facing away from the vehicle seat 12 .

The second expansion chamber 21 is also fluidly connected to the base body 16 .

When the gas bag 14 is inflated, the second expansion chamber 21 forms a spacer, in particular to a vehicle structure or to another gas bag 14.

Both extension chambers 20, 21 are optional and can be present individually or in combination.

The expansion chambers 20, 21 do not necessarily have to be block-shaped, as shown in the figures, but the expansion chambers 20, 21 can have humps or hollows. FIG. 3 schematically shows a gas bag 14 which can be used alternatively in the vehicle occupant restraint systems 10 according to FIG. 1 or FIG.

In the gas bag 14 shown in FIG. 3, the base body 16 is formed by a plurality of fabric hoses 22, which form the side edges of the base body 16 when the gas bag 14 is inflated. Such a base body 16 has a comparatively small volume to be inflated, so that the airbag 14 according to FIG. 3 unfolds particularly quickly.

FIG. 3 also shows two optional restraining means 24, which are attached at one end to the gas bag 14 and at another end to a vehicle structure. In the inflated state, the gas bag 14 is stabilized in a restrained position by the restraining means 24 .

The restraining means 24 are, for example, drawstrings or fabric hoses.

A transverse strut 26 formed by a fabric hose 22 is present on a side of the gas bag 14 which is directed towards the vehicle seat 12 . The cross brace 26 is at a distance from a floor 28 of the gas bag 14 . The cross brace 26 can prevent the legs of a vehicle occupant from swinging out excessively. For example, the legs of a vehicle occupant hit the cross brace 26 from below and are restrained as a result.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a side of an airbag 14 facing away from the vehicle seat 12 according to a further embodiment.

The side facing away from the vehicle seat 12 is formed by a plurality of parallel channels 32 in the airbag 14 . The gas bag 14, in particular the base body 16, is particularly stable as a result.

The channels 32 can be formed by seams 34 in two superimposed layers of fabric.

Alternatively, the channels 32 can be formed by individual fabric hoses. The channels 32 are flow-connected to the rest of the base body 16 and preferably to one another, so that the channels 32 also inflate when the gas bag 14 is inflated.

FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically illustrate a further vehicle occupant restraint system 10, with FIG.

In the inflated state, a pocket 36 for accommodating the feet of a vehicle occupant is formed in the base body 16 of the gas bag 14 .

If the main body 16 is formed by a plurality of fabric tubes 22, the pocket 36 can be formed by a fabric flap 38 which is attached to the fabric tubes 22, as illustrated in FIG.

In this case, the cross brace 26 can be shortened.

In FIG. 7, the fabric hoses 22 are illustrated by lines for the sake of simplicity.

Alternatively, the base body 16 can of course also be designed as a solid body or from several mat-shaped elements with tubular chambers, such as the side facing away from a gas bag 14 shown in Figure 4, with the pocket 36 in such a case essentially also being formed by a section of the outer wall the side of the airbag 14 facing the vehicle seat can be formed.

In order to be able to place the gas bag 14 close to the vehicle seat 12 in the vehicle, the gas bag module comprising the folded gas bag 14 can be arranged in a U-shape in/under the vehicle floor 18 , with the opening of the U-shape pointing towards the vehicle seat 12 . Preferably, the legs of the U-shaped airbag 14 can be arranged in such a way that they are usually arranged at least partially to the side of the feet of a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat 12 .

FIG. 8 shows a vehicle occupant restraint system 10 with two vehicle seats 12 which are opposite one another at least in the illustrated seat position. Each vehicle seat 12 is assigned its own airbag 14 , the airbags 14 being arranged between the two vehicle seats 12 .

Both gas bags 14 each have the expansion chambers 20, 21 described in connection with FIG. The expansion chambers 21, which are directed away from the vehicle seat and serve as spacers, rest against one another, so that the two airbags 14 support one another in the inflated state.

In addition, the two gas bags 14 are connected at their upper ends by a restraining means 24 . The expansion chambers 21 and the restraining means 24 support the two airbags 14 in relation to one another and also hold them in place relative to one another, as a result of which the airbags 14 are particularly well stabilized.

Claims

patent claims

1. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) with at least one vehicle seat (12) and at least one inflatable gas bag (14) assigned to the vehicle seat (12), wherein the gas bag (14) in the inflated state has a base body (16) whose envelope is wedge-shaped in the vertical direction and extends in the vertical direction in the inflated state at least over 70% of the vertical height of a backrest of the vehicle seat, preferably at least over the entire vertical height of the vehicle seat (12).

2. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the base body (16) is attached to the vehicle floor (18) and extends upwards from the floor (18) in the inflated state.

3. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base body (16) is formed by a plurality of fabric hoses (22) which form the side edges of the base body (16) when the gas bag (14) is inflated.

4. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the vehicle seat (12) facing away from the gas bag (14) several parallel channels (32) are formed in the gas bag (14).

5. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding

Claims, characterized in that an expansion chamber (20) is arranged on the base body (16) of the gas bag (14), which is in flow communication with the base body (16) and which, when the gas bag (14) is inflated, extends to head height and/or Torso height of a vehicle occupant to the associated vehicle seat (12) unfolds.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an expansion chamber (20) is arranged on the base body (16) of the gas bag (14) which expands when the gas bag (14) is inflated to head height and/or or torso height of a vehicle occupant to the associated vehicle seat (12) unfolds, wherein the base body (16) is connected to a first gas generator and can be filled and the The expansion chamber (20) is connected to a second gas generator via a filling channel (23) and can be filled.

7. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas bag (14) has a rolled fold in the deflated state, the gas bag (14) being rolled away in the direction of the associated vehicle seat (12).

8. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the inflated state a pocket (36) for receiving the feet of a vehicle occupant is formed in the base body (16).

9. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on a side of the gas bag (14) directed towards the vehicle seat (12) there is a transverse strut (26) formed by a fabric tube (22) which extends from a floor (28) of the gas bag (14) is spaced.

10. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one restraint means (24) is provided which is fastened to the gas bag (14) at one end and can be fastened to a vehicle structure at a further end, the gas bag (14) is stabilized in a restrained position when inflated by the restraining means (24).

11. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are two vehicle seats (12) which are opposite one another in at least one seating position, and each vehicle seat is assigned its own gas bag (14), the gas bags (14) between the two vehicle seats (12) are arranged.

12. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an expansion chamber (21) is arranged on a side of the base body (16) facing away from the vehicle seat (12), which is in flow connection with the base body (16) and which forms a spacer when the airbag (14) is inflated, in particular to a vehicle structure or to another airbag (14).

13. Vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle seat (12) is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis, in particular by at least 160 °.