Airbag module of a vehicle passenger restraint system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023391285-A1
Application number	US-202118250758-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2021
Priority date	Oct 28, 2020
Publication date	Dec 7, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to an airbag module (10) of a vehicle occupant restraint system, specifically a knee airbag module, comprising a folded inflatable airbag (12) for restraining a vehicle occupant, a module housing (14) which includes a flexible airbag sheath (16) at least partially enclosing the folded airbag (12), and comprising a module cover (18) which includes fasteners (20) for fastening the module cover (18) to the module housing (14), wherein the flexible airbag sheath (16) of the module housing (14) is fixed directly to said fasteners (20), and wherein at least one flexible anchoring element (22, 22′) is provided which extends between the folded airbag (12) and the module cover (18) and limits or prevents expansion of the folded airbag (12) toward the module cover (18).

First claim

1 . An airbag module of a vehicle occupant restraint system, specifically a knee airbag module, comprising
a folded inflatable airbag for restraining a vehicle occupant, a module housing which includes a flexible airbag sheath at least partially enclosing the folded airbag, and a module cover which includes fasteners for fastening the module cover to the module housing, the flexible airbag sheath of the module housing being fixed directly to said fasteners, wherein at least one flexible anchoring element is provided which extends between the folded airbag and the module cover and limits or prevents expansion of the folded airbag toward the module coverer.

2 . The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible anchoring element is a film, a nonwoven cloth, or a fabric cloth.

3 . The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible anchoring element includes a weakened zone at which it tears open when the airbag module is activated.

4 . The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein a module longitudinal axis in the installed state of the airbag module extends in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein the at least one flexible anchoring element is designed as a flexible anchoring strap which extends with respect to the module longitudinal axis in the circumferential direction from a first strap end at least partially around the folded airbag to a second strap end.

5 . The airbag module according to claim 4 , wherein both the folded airbag and an inflator for inflating the airbag are accommodated in the holding space defined by the module housing and the module cover, wherein the first strap end is fastened to the inflator.

6 . The airbag module according to claim 4 , wherein the second strap end is fastened to the module cover.

7 . The airbag module according to claim 4 , wherein the second strap end is fixed, along with an edge portion of the flexible airbag sheath, to the module cover.

8 . The airbag module according to claim 5 , wherein, on the opposite side edges of an anchoring strap between the first strap end and the second strap end, there are provided strap extensions each of which extends from the anchoring strap via an adjacent axial end of the folded airbag and is fixed to the inflator.

9 . The airbag module according to claim 5 , wherein, on the opposite side edges of an anchoring strap between the first strap end and the second strap end, there are provided strap extensions each of which extends from the anchoring strap to an adjacent axial end of the module cover and is fixed there.

10 . The airbag module according to claim 1 , wherein, in a holding space defined by the module housing and the module cover, both the folded airbag and an inflator for inflating the airbag are accommodated and a module longitudinal axis extends in the vehicle transverse direction in the mounted state of the airbag module, wherein the at least one flexible anchoring element comprises a flexible anchoring strap which extends, with respect to the module longitudinal axis, from a first strap end fixed to the inflator via an axial end of the folded airbag, the entire axial dimension of the folded airbag and an opposite axial end of the folded airbag to a second strap end fixed to the inflator.

11 . The airbag module according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible anchoring element is made of airbag fabric.

12 . The airbag module according to claim 5 , wherein the first strap end is fastened to a mounting bolt of the inflator.

13 . The airbag module according to claim 6 , wherein the second strap end is fastened to the module cover adjacent to a mounting portion of the module cover for mounting the airbag module to a structure affixed to the vehicle.

Assignees

• Zf Automotive Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Elija Daniel
• Freisler Werner

Classifications

• B60R21/206 Primary

  in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees · CPC title

• B60R21/2171

  specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters (B60R21/2176 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R21/2176

  the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover · CPC title

• B60R21/2342

  Tear seams · CPC title

• B60R2021/23169

  specially adapted for knee protection · CPC title