Airbag module and vehicle seat and vehicle occupant protection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12208764-B2
Application number	US-202017641112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2020
Priority date	Sep 10, 2019
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

The invention describes an airbag module ( 10 ) comprising an airbag ( 12 ), an elongate gas generator ( 14 ) and a diffusor ( 16 ), wherein the gas generator ( 14 ) includes an outer housing ( 18 ) with outflow openings ( 20 ) distributed over the circumference (U) which define an outflow area ( 22 ), wherein the outflow area ( 22 ) of the gas generator ( 14 ) is enclosed by the diffusor ( 16 ), wherein the diffusor ( 16 ) has a central mount hole ( 24 ) into which the outer housing ( 18 ) protrudes so that the diffusor ( 16 ) circumferentially encloses an axial portion of the outer housing ( 18 ) which comprises the outflow area ( 22 ), wherein the diffusor ( 16 ) includes at least one contact face ( 26, 26 a ) and at least two gas guiding surfaces ( 28 a, 28 b ) on the inner face of the diffusor ( 16 ) delimiting the mount hole ( 24 ), wherein the contact face ( 26, 26 a ) is directly adjacent to the outer housing ( 18 ) of the gas generator ( 14 ) and the gas guiding surfaces ( 28 a, 28 b ) are radially spaced apart from the outer housing ( 18 ) while forming at least a first collection chamber ( 30 a ) and a second collection chamber ( 30 b ) into which gas flowing out of the outflow area ( 22 ) flows, wherein the first collection chamber ( 30 a ) opens into at least one first outlet opening ( 32 a ) and the second collection chamber ( 30 b ) opens into at least one second outlet opening ( 32 b ), wherein the first collection chamber ( 30 a ) is separated from the second collection chamber ( 30 b ) by the at least one contact face ( 26 ) specifically in the form of a separating web ( 34 ), wherein the diffusor ( 16 ) is completely arranged in an inflatable internal volume of the airbag ( 12 ), wherein the airbag ( 12 ) comprises at least a first airbag chamber ( 36 a ) and a second airbag chamber ( 36 b ) which are separated from each other, wherein the gas flowing into the first collection chamber ( 30 a ) flows, via the first outlet opening ( 32 a ), into the first airbag chamber ( 36 a ) of the airbag ( 12 ) and the gas flowing into the second collection chamber ( 30 b ) flows, via the second outlet opening ( 32 b ), into the second airbag chamber ( 36 b ) of the airbag ( 12 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An airbag module comprising an airbag, an elongate gas generator and a diffusor, wherein the gas generator has an outer housing with outflow openings distributed over a circumference which define an outflow area, wherein the outflow area of the gas generator is enclosed by the diffusor, wherein the diffusor has a central mount hole into which the outer housing protrudes so that the diffusor circumferentially encloses an axial portion of the outer housing comprising the outflow area, wherein the diffusor has at least one contact face and at least two gas guiding surfaces on an inner face of the diffusor delimiting the mount hole, wherein the at least one contact face is directly adjacent to the outer housing of the gas generator and the gas guiding surfaces are radially spaced apart from the outer housing while forming at least a first collection chamber and a second collection chamber into which gas flowing out of the outflow area flows, wherein the first collection chamber opens into at least a first outlet opening and the second collection chamber opens into at least a second outlet opening, wherein the first collection chamber is separated from the second collection chamber by the at least one contact face, wherein the diffusor is completely arranged in an inflatable internal volume of the airbag, wherein the airbag comprises at least a first airbag chamber and a second airbag chamber which are separated from each other by a partition that prevents overflow of gas from the first airbag chamber into the second airbag chamber, wherein the gas flowing into the first collection chamber flows, via the first outlet opening, into the first airbag chamber of the airbag and the gas flowing into the second collection chamber flows, via the second outlet opening, into the second airbag chamber of the airbag, and wherein the outflow area of the gas generator comprises a first axial zone and a second axial zone which are separated from each other by a separating area of the outer housing without any outflow openings, wherein the at least one contact face of the diffusor in the form of a separating web is positioned in the separating area between the first axial zone and the second axial zone.

2. The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein the diffusor distributes a gas flow formed by the gas exiting the outflow area via the first and second collection chambers evenly on a percentage basis or unevenly on the percentage basis to the first and second airbag chambers.

3. The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein a positioning of the at least one contact face in the form of the separating web and/or a proportion of the first axial zone to the second axial zone determine(s) a percentage distribution of the gas flow.

4. The airbag module according to claim 3 , wherein the proportion of the first axial zone to the second axial zone can be adapted by a number and/or size of the outflow openings in the first axial zone and the second axial zone.

5. The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag includes a diffusor mount in an airbag chamber partition.

6. The airbag module according to claim 5 , wherein the diffusor mount includes a sealing element.

7. The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein an internal pressure of the first airbag chamber in a completely filled state of the airbag is higher or lower than an internal pressure of the second airbag chamber.

8. The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag is a side airbag or a central airbag.

9. The airbag module according to claim 8 , wherein an airbag chamber is a shoulder chamber.

10. The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag is a curtain airbag.

11. A vehicle seat, comprising an airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag module is arranged in the vehicle seat.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 11 , wherein the airbag module is arranged in a backrest of the vehicle seat.

13. A vehicle occupant safety system, comprising at least one vehicle seat according to claim 11 .

14. A vehicle occupant safety system, comprising at least one airbag module according to claim 1 .

15. An airbag module comprising an airbag, an elongate gas generator and a diffusor, wherein the gas generator has an outer housing with outflow openings distributed over a circumference which define an outflow area, wherein the outflow area of the gas generator is enclosed by the diffusor, wherein the diffusor has a central mount hole into which the outer housing protrudes so that the diffusor circumferentially encloses an axial portion of the outer housing comprising the outflow area, wherein the diffusor has at least one contact face and at least two gas guiding surfaces on an inner face of the diffusor delimiting the mount hole, wherein the at least one contact face is directly adjacent to the outer housing of the gas generator and the gas guiding surfaces are radially spaced apart from the outer housing while forming at least a first collection chamber and a second collection chamber into which gas flowing out of the outflow area flows, wherein the first collection chamber opens into at least a first outlet opening and the second collection chamber opens into at least a second outlet opening, wherein the first collection chamber is separated from the second collection chamber by the at least one contact face, wherein the diffusor is completely arranged in an inflatable internal volume of the airbag, wherein the airbag comprises at least a first airbag chamber and a second airbag chamber which are separated from each other, wherein the gas flowing into the first collection chamber flows, via the first outlet opening, into the first airbag chamber of the airbag and the gas flowing into the second collection chamber flows, via the second outlet opening, into the second airbag chamber of the airbag, wherein the outflow area of the gas generator comprises a first axial zone and a second axial zone which are separated from each other by a separating area of the outer housing without any outflow openings, wherein the at least one contact face of the diffusor in the form of a separating web is positioned in the separating area between the first axial zone and the second axial zone.

16. The airbag module according to claim 15 , wherein the diffusor distributes a gas flow formed by the gas exiting the outflow area via the first and second collection chambers evenly on a percentage basis or unevenly on the percentage basis to the first and second airbag chambers.

17. The airbag module according to claim 15 , wherein a positioning of the at least one contact face in the form of the separating web and/or a proportion of the first axial zone to the second axial zone determine(s) a percentage distribution of the gas flow.

18. The airbag module according to claim 17 , wherein the proportion of the first axial zone to the second axial zone can be adapted by a number and/or size of the outflow openings in the first axial zone and the second axial zone.

19. The airbag module according to claim 15 , wherein the airbag includes a diffusor mount in an airbag chamber partition.

20. The airbag module according to claim 19 , wherein the diffusor mount includes a sealing element.

21. The airbag module according to claim 15 , wherein an internal pressure of the first airbag chamber in a completely filled state of the airbag is higher or lower than an internal pressure of the second airbag chamber.

22. The airbag module acc

Assignees

• Zf Automotive Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Fischer Anton
• Disam Robert

Classifications

• B60R21/261

  with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid · CPC title

• B60R2021/2617

  Curtain bag nozzles · CPC title

• B60R2021/2615

  for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags · CPC title

• B60R21/262 Primary

  Elongated tubular diffusers, e.g. curtain-type · CPC title

• B60R2021/2612

  Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts · CPC title