Device and method for controlling a volume flow of a stored pressurized medium for the purpose of activating an impact protection device as well as a device for activating an impact protection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352722-B2
Application number	US-201514607277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 28, 2014
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

An activation device for a protection device includes: a body with a chamber that has, respectively at first and second ends, a medium inlet opening to a medium storage and a valve opening, and an outlet opening for discharging the medium into the protection device between the first and second ends; a valve for opening and closing the valve opening for passage of the medium; and a piston that (a) includes a passage along a main extension axis, from a first surface thereof adjacent to the medium inlet opening, to a second surface thereof, larger than the first surface and adjacent to the valve opening, and (b) is movable in the chamber by the medium and as a function of the control valve position between a position in which the at least one outlet opening is closed and a position in which the at least one outlet opening is opened.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for controlling a volume flow of a medium for activating an impact protection device, the device comprising:
a valve body including (a) a chamber in the valve body, (b) a medium inlet opening, at a first end of the chamber, from the chamber to a medium storage, (c) a control valve opening, at a second end of the chamber, and (d) a first outlet opening, between the first end and second ends, for discharging the medium into the impact protection device;
a control valve for opening and closing the control valve opening for a passage of the medium; and
a control piston including therein, and along a main extension axis thereof, a passage opening from a first active surface of the control piston to a second active surface of the control piston, wherein:
the first active surface is adjacent to the medium inlet opening;
the second active surface is adjacent to the control valve opening and is larger than the first active surface; and
the control piston is movable in the chamber, with the aid of the medium and as a function of a position of the control valve, between an initial position, in which the first outlet opening is closed by the control piston, and an activation position, in which the first outlet opening is opened by the control piston.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the medium is generated by a pyrotechnic gas generator.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the medium is stored partially under pressure, and the medium inlet opening is closed by a bursting element.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the medium is stored under pressure, and the medium inlet opening is closed by a bursting element.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control valve is currentlessly closed for closing the control valve opening from passage of the medium, the device further comprising an elastic component for keeping the control valve in a closed position.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control valve is currentlessly opened for opening the control valve opening for passage of the medium, the device further comprising an elastic component for keeping the control valve in an opened position.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the valve body includes a second outlet opening for discharging the medium from the control valve into the impact protection device.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control piston is designed to cover the first outlet opening only partially in the initial position.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the valve body includes, between the first outlet opening and the control valve opening, an acceleration opening for discharging the medium into the impact protection device, the acceleration opening being open when the control piston is in the initial position of the control piston and being closed when the control piston is in the activation position.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control valve includes a ball and a valve needle, the valve needle including a calotte for accommodating the ball at an end facing the control valve opening, a section of the valve body surrounding the control valve opening being formed as a valve seat for the valve needle.

11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a clamping sleeve and a clamping nut designed to axially brace, and radially guide, the valve body and the control valve, wherein the valve needle of the control valve is guidable in at least one of the clamping sleeve and the clamping nut.

12. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a lift adjusting device configured for axially adjusting a valve lift of the control valve.

13. A device comprising:
a medium storage for storing a medium; and
a control device for controlling a volume flow of the medium from the medium storage, for activating an impact protection device, the control device including:
a valve body including (a) a chamber in the valve body, (b) a medium inlet opening, at a first end of the chamber, from the chamber to a medium storage, (c) a control valve opening, at a second end of the chamber, and (d) a first outlet opening, between the first end and second ends, for discharging the medium into the impact protection device;
a control valve for opening and closing the control valve opening for a passage of the medium; and
a control piston including therein, and along a main extension axis thereof, a passage opening from a first active surface of the control piston to a second active surface of the control piston;

wherein:
the first active surface is adjacent to the medium inlet opening;
the second active surface is adjacent to the control valve opening and is larger than the first active surface; and
the control piston is movable in the chamber, with the aid of the medium and as a function of a position of the control valve, between an initial position, in which the first outlet opening is closed by the control piston, and an activation position, in which the first outlet opening is opened by the control piston.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the medium storage is configured for storing the medium at least partially under pressure, and the device further comprises a bursting element that closes the medium inlet opening of the valve body.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the control device is situated transversely to the longitudinal extension of the medium storage.

16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the control device is disposed concentrically with the medium storage.

17. The device of claim 13 , wherein the medium storage includes outlet openings, and the control device is situated in such a way that the medium inlet opening communicates with the outlet openings of the medium storage.

18. A system comprising:
an impact protection device;
a medium storage for storing a medium; and
a control device for controlling a volume flow of the medium from the medium storage, for activating the impact protection device, the control device including:
a valve body including (a) a chamber in the valve body, (b) a medium inlet opening, at a first end of the chamber, from the chamber to a medium storage, (c) a control valve opening, at a second end of the chamber, and (d) a first outlet opening, between the first end and second ends, for discharging the medium into the impact protection device;
a control valve for opening and closing the control valve opening for a passage of the medium; and
a control piston including therein, and along a main extension axis thereof, a passage opening from a first active surface of the control piston to a second active surface of the control piston;

wherein:
the first active surface is adjacent to the medium inlet opening;
the second active surface is adjacent to the control valve opening and is larger than the first active surface;
the control piston is movable in the chamber, with the aid of the medium and as a function of a position of the control valve, between an initial position, in which the first outlet opening is closed by the control piston, and an activation position, in which the first outlet opening is opened by the control piston; and
the first outlet opening is in the impact protection device.

19. A method using a control device for controlling a volume flow of a stored medium for activating an impact protection device, the control device comprising (I) a valve body including (a) a chamber in the valve body, (b) a medium inlet opening, at a first end of the chamber, from the chamber to a medium storage, (c) a control valve opening, at a second end of the chamber, and (d) a first outlet opening, be

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert
• Nitschke Monika

Inventors

• Wasserman Peter
• Nitschke Werner
• Vier Elmar
• Hamada Raed
• Beling Horst
• Iben Uwe
• Hohl Guenther
• Woerz Stefan
• Heinz Rudolf
• Wolf Dirk
• Klein Martin
• Druckenmueller Heiko
• Heyer Klaus

Classifications

• B60R21/264

  using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic (B60R21/268 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K3/24

  with cylindrical valve members · CPC title

• F16K31/122

  the fluid acting on a piston (F16K31/143, F16K31/163, F16K31/363, F16K31/383 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R21/261 Primary

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

• B60R21/268 Primary

  using instantaneous release of stored pressurised gas {(B60R21/26005 takes precedence)} · CPC title