Airbag arrangement

#An airbag for motor vehicles is designed to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of an accident. Problematic situations arise in cases where the vehicle occupant is not in his or her normal sitting position when the airbag deploys. Such situations, also known as “out of position” or OOP cases, are particularly significant for children who are not accommodated as prescribed in children's seats. The present invention addresses this problem.

#The present invention relates to an airbag arrangement for a motor vehicle having at least one inflatable airbag deployable in a direction to protect a vehicle occupant, and at least one arrangement associated with the airbag for limiting an unfolding impulse of the airbag upon an obstacle placed in a deployment path of the airbag to reduce the unfolding impulse transferred to the obstacle.

#Under a normal situation, the airbag is inflated in the direction to intercept the occupant to cushion the impact. The limiting arrangement for limiting the inflating impulse of the airbag can be influenced by an obstacle, such as the occupant. The limiting arrangement can reduce the inflating impulse directed to the obstacle, which is located in the path of the airbag expansion or movement.

#These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, appended claims, and accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described below.

#FIGS. 1a-1c illustrate an airbag arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention serving as a side airbag and integrated in a vehicle seat.

#FIGS. 2a-2c illustrate an airbag arrangement according to another embodiment of the invention serving as a side airbag.

#The airbag arrangement arranged according to FIG. 1a, formed in a projecting side region of a backrest of a vehicle seat 26, comprises a gas generator 11, an airbag 12, and a limitation sheath 16. The sheath 16 is provided with a ripping seam 62, surrounds the airbag 12, and serves as an arrangement to limit the unfolding impulse of the airbag 12. The seat cover 24 limits the vehicle seat 26 in the direction of deployment A of the airbag 12.

#FIG. 1b shows the OOP case in which a vehicle occupant 14 does not assume his normal position, but is located in the deployment path of the airbag 12, and thus forms an obstacle to the deploying airbag 12. When the gas generator 11 is triggered in the event of an accident, the airbag 12 deploys and expands the limitation sheath 16, ripping open the seat cover 24 to reveal the sheath 16. As no force, directed perpendicularly to the direction of deployment A, is exerted on the deploying airbag 12, only a comparatively low pressure P1 is built up in the airbag 12. Thus, the unfolding impulse or the inflation force of the airbag 12 is reduced relative to the normal protection case, which is explained below. The expansion geometry of the airbag 12 is limited in the OOP case by the limitation sheath 16, whose maximum expandability in the direction of deployment A is smaller than that of the airbag 12.

#In the normal protection case, which is shown in FIG. 1c, the airbag 12 must force its way between the vehicle occupant 14 and the vehicle side panel 54 so that forces F1, F2, directed perpendicularly to the direction of deployment A, exert an effect on the deploying airbag. The airbag 12 is thus under a stronger load than in the OOP case, whereby a pressure P2>P1 is built up in the airbag 12. The ripping seam 62 (see FIG. 1a) of the limitation sheath 16 can be torn open by the deploying airbag because of the higher inner pressure P2, whereby the limitation of the expansion geometry effective in the OOP case (see FIG. 1b) is overcome. The airbag 12 can thus move by inflation into its protective position in which the vehicle occupant 14 is protected from the side impact.