Adaptive, deployable restraint element for a vehicle safety system, airbag module, and vehicle safety system having a restraint element of this type, and use of the fin ray effect in an adaptive restraint element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10358108-B2
Application number	US-201515510287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

An adaptive deployable restraint element ( 10 ) for a vehicle safety system comprising at least two leg elements ( 11, 12 ) at least in portions arranged in V-shape relative to each other between which at least one cross brace ( 13, 14, 15 ) connecting the leg elements ( 11, 12 ) is arranged, wherein the leg elements and/or the cross brace ( 13, 14, 15 ) are/is inflatable. The invention further relates to an airbag module and an occupant safety system comprising such restraint element as well as to the use of the fin ray effect in an adaptive restraint element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adaptive deployable restraint element ( 10 ) for a vehicle safety system to protect a vehicle occupant comprising at least two leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) at least in portions arranged substantially in V-shape relative to each other between which at least one cross brace ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) is arranged for connecting the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ), wherein the leg elements and/or the cross brace ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) are/is inflatable, wherein the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) are arranged such that they have a front-side leg element ( 11 ) and a rear side leg element ( 12 ), wherein the front-side leg element ( 11 ) faces the vehicle occupant and the rear-side leg element ( 12 ) is turned away from the vehicle occupant.

2. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the restraint element ( 10 ) has an outer contour triangular or diamond-shaped in cross-section.

3. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the restraint element has an outer contour which is circular or oval or longitudinally curved in a longitudinal section.

4. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) are formed by a textile or by plural interconnected textiles.

5. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) converge into a joint point ( 16 ).

6. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , wherein between the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) plural cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) are arranged, wherein the length of the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) is reduced toward the joint point ( 16 ).

7. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein in cross-section of the restraint element ( 10 ), the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) are arranged forming rungs between the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ).

8. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) are arranged in parallel relative to each other.

9. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein spaces between the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) along a rear-side leg element ( 12 ) are larger than along a front-side leg element ( 11 ).

10. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein between two adjacent cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) at least one free space ( 18 ) is provided, wherein a height of the free space ( 18 ) is many times larger than a thickness of the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) and/or of the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ).

11. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each cross brace ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) forms an individual fluid chamber which is connected to the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) in a fluid-tight manner.

12. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a connecting area ( 19 ) is arranged between each of the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) and the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ), and wherein a fluid communication at each of the connecting areas ( 19 ) between the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) and the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) is tapered or closed in a gastight manner.

13. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) are directly fluid-communicated with each other so that they form a V-shaped fluid chamber.

14. The restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one cross brace or, respectively, the cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) are fluid-communicated with the V-shaped fluid chamber of the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) in such way that the restraint element ( 10 ) forms a joint airbag.

15. A vehicle safety system for a vehicle ( 20 ) comprising a restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 .

16. The vehicle safety system according to claim 15 , wherein the restraint element ( 10 ) includes two base ends ( 17 ) and a point ( 16 ) opposed to the base ends, wherein the base ends ( 17 ) can be or are fixed within the vehicle ( 20 ) in a stationary manner and the point ( 16 ) projects freely into an interior ( 25 ) of the vehicle ( 20 ) in a deployed state of the restraint element ( 10 ).

17. The vehicle safety system according to claim 15 , wherein the restraint element ( 10 ) is connected to a vehicle roof ( 23 ) and in the deployed state extends through the interior ( 25 ) in the direction of a vehicle floor ( 26 ).

18. The vehicle safety system according to claim 15 , wherein the restraint element ( 10 ) is fixed between two seats ( 21 ) juxtaposed in the driving direction and in the deployed state extends across a seat ( 21 ).

19. A method for protecting a vehicle occupant ( 30 ) against impact, comprising:
providing an adaptive deployable restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 1 ; and
configuring the inflatable leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) and cross braces ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) to respond to an impacting occupant according to the fin ray effect so that portions of the restraint element adjacent the impacting occupant move in a direction opposite the direction that the impacting occupant deforms the restraint element.

20. An adaptive deployable restraint element ( 10 ) for a vehicle safety system comprising a structure having one or more fluid chambers, wherein the structure is configured so that the restraint element ( 10 ) exerts a movement and/or curvature according to the fin ray effect directed against a force pulse at least in portions by the effect of the force pulse.

21. The adaptive restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 20 , wherein the restraint element ( 10 ) comprises at least two leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) at least in portions arranged substantially in V-shape relative to each other between which at least one cross brace ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) is arranged for connecting the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ), wherein the leg elements and/or the cross brace ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) are/is inflatable, wherein the leg elements ( 11 , 12 ) are arranged such that they have a front-side leg element ( 11 ) and a rear side leg element ( 12 ), wherein the front-side leg element ( 11 ) faces a vehicle occupant and the rear-side leg element ( 12 ) is turned away from the vehicle occupant.

22. An airbag module comprising a restraint element ( 10 ) according to claim 20 and an inflator which is fluid-communicated with a cross brace ( 13 , 14 , 15 ) and/or a leg element ( 11 , 12 ) and/or a fluid chamber of the restraint element ( 10 ).

23. A vehicle safety system for a vehicle ( 20 ) comprising an airbag module according to claim 22 .

Assignees

• Trw Airbag Sys Gmbh

Inventors

• Jung Christian
• Kapfelsperger Thomas

Classifications

• B60R2021/23509

  Fabric · CPC title

• B60R21/235

  characterised by their material · CPC title

• B60R21/2334

  Expansion control features · CPC title

• B60R21/231 Primary

  characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration · CPC title

• B60R2021/23115

  with inflatable support compartments creating an internal suction volume · CPC title