Airbag for a vehicle occupant restraint system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11414037-B2
Application number	US-201816641766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2018
Priority date	Sep 4, 2017
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

The invention describes an airbag (10) for a vehicle occupant restraint system, wherein the airbag (10) in the inflated state includes a front side (24) forming an occupant impact surface and an opposite rear side (22). The front side (24) and the rear side (22) are formed by shell portions (14, 16) of the airbag (10) being connected to each other at their outer edges (34, 36). The front side (24) is longer along a centerline (M) extending in the longitudinal direction of the airbag (10) than the rear side (22) so that, in the inflated state, the airbag (10) takes a curved shape. The front side (24) has at least one shaping line (42) extending substantially curved and transversely to the centerline (M) at which shaping line two shell portions (34, 36) are connected to each other. The respective outer edges (34, 36) of the front side (24) and the respective outer edges (34, 36) of the rear side (22) are of the same overall length.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A knee airbag ( 10 ) for a vehicle occupant restraint system, wherein the knee airbag ( 10 ) has an occupant impact surface forming front side ( 24 ) and an opposite rear side ( 22 ), the front side ( 24 ) and the rear side ( 22 ) being formed by shell portions ( 14 , 16 ) of the knee airbag ( 10 ) which are connected to each other at their outer edges ( 34 , 36 ), wherein the front side ( 24 ) along a centerline (M) extending in the longitudinal direction of the knee airbag ( 10 ) is longer than the rear side ( 22 ), wherein the front side ( 24 ) includes at least one shaping line ( 42 ) extending substantially curved and transversely to the centerline (M) at which shaping line two shell portions ( 14 , 16 ) are connected to each other, wherein the respective outer edges ( 34 , 36 ) of the front side ( 24 ) and the respective outer edges ( 34 , 36 ) of the rear side ( 22 ) are of the same overall length.

2. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the shell portions ( 14 , 16 ) are formed by separately configured shell parts ( 18 , 20 ).

3. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the two shell portions ( 14 , 16 ) include an edge contour ( 38 , 40 ) which safeguards the respective outer edges ( 36 ) of the front side ( 24 ) and the respective outer edges ( 34 ) of the rear side ( 22 ) to have the same overall length.

4. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the shell portions ( 14 , 16 ) in a cut ( 12 ) includes an edge contour ( 38 , 40 ) extending substantially convexly and transversely to the centerline.

5. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the edge contour ( 38 , 40 ) extending substantially transversely to the centerline (M) includes plural subareas ( 46 - 56 ) which are different in shape.

6. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the subareas ( 46 - 56 ) are formed to be straight, substantially convex and/or substantially concave.

7. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the edge contour ( 38 , 40 ) extending substantially transversely to the centerline (M) exhibits a continuous geometry and is arc-shaped.

8. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one shaping line ( 42 ) which extends substantially curved and transversely to the centerline (M) is formed at least partially by a seam ( 44 ).

9. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the two shell portions ( 14 , 16 ) are joined by stitching in the area of the edge contour ( 38 , 40 ) extending substantially transversely to the centerline (M), and wherein the seam ( 44 ) at least partially constitutes the shaping line ( 42 ).

10. The knee airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the seam ( 44 ) includes plural partial seam portions ( 58 - 62 ) being different in shape.

Assignees

• Trw Automotive Gmbh
• Zf Automotive Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Elija Daniel

Classifications

• B60R21/231 Primary

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

• B60R2021/23169

  specially adapted for knee protection · CPC title

• B60R2021/23533

  characterised by the manufacturing process · CPC title

• B60R21/2035 Primary

  using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit (steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217) · CPC title