Airbag device and method of operating an airbag device

#The invention relates to an airbag device and to a method of operating an airbag device.

#Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application Nos. DE 197 26 878.1 and DE 197 33 896.8, European Patent Application No. EP 0 867 346 A1, and International Publication No. WO 99/61288 disclose conventional airbag devices and methods of triggering or operating such airbag devices.

#It is an object of the invention to provide an improved airbag device and a method of operating or triggering an airbag device.

#FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of an airbag device according to the invention illustrating alternate positions of the airbag cover wherein the open position of the airbag cover is indicated with dashed lines;

#FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the airbag module of the airbag device shown in FIG. 1 wherein the sectional plane of FIG. 2 is perpendicular to the sectional plane of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of an airbag module and an airbag cover according to the first exemplary embodiment of an airbag device according to the invention illustrating an open position and a closed position of the airbag cover wherein the open position of the airbag cover is indicated in dash-dotted lines;

#The same reference numerals in the individual figures of the drawings denote the same or similar components or components with the same or a similar action. The illustrations in the drawings also show and explain features that are not provided with reference numerals, irrespective of whether such features are described below. On the other hand, features that are contained in the present description but are not visible or shown in the drawing will be readily understood by a person of skill in the art.

#Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a schematic cross section through a dashboard 1 with an airbag cover 2 that can be opened easily. The airbag cover 2 is plugged or clipped at the top and bottom into the dashboard 1 surrounding it. Cables 3 are attached to the airbag cover 2 as pulling devices (preferably one cable at each of the two lateral ends of the airbag cover 2). These cables 3 are secured on a piston 5 (shown in FIG. 2) through the use of respective screwed joints 4. FIG. 1 also shows an airbag 6 of the airbag-module housing 7, the airbag advantageously being folded “softly,” the bodywork (car body) 8 and an airbag module 9. The position of the airbag cover 2 is shown before and after a crash, i.e. before and after a triggering of the airbag device A. The airbag cover 2 is shown in a closed position S and in an open position O, wherein the open position O of the cover 2 is illustrated with dashed lines.

#FIG. 2 shows a section through the airbag module 9 perpendicular to FIG. 1. The parts that are nested into one another, such as the ignition cartridge 10, the gas generator 11, the piston 5, the gas throughflow holes 12 for the actuation of the piston 5 (at one end) and the gas throughflow holes 13 for the airbag 6 are illustrated such that the properties and function of these elements can understood by this illustration alone. The cables 3 are secured on the piston 5 through the use of screws 14. Distance rings 15 ensure mobility of the piston 5 in the housing 16. A gas generator housing 16 and the gas generator 11 are preferably provided with covers 17 and 18.