GB2506270A

GB2506270A - An externally deployable side airbag

Info

Publication number: GB2506270A
Application number: GB201314134A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kumar H N Naveen
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2013-08-07
Filing date: 2013-08-07
Publication date: 2014-03-26
Also published as: GB201314134D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an airbag system 24 for a vehicle, the airbag system comprising at least one side airbag device 26 being deployable from a stowage position into at least one protective position by means of at least one inflator 30, 32, 34 of the airbag system, the side airbag device being arranged outside of the vehicle at least partly in the protective position and extending at least across a side portion 36 of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the protective position, wherein the side portion being covered by the side airbag device in the protective position comprises at least a portion of at least one side pillar 14 and at least a portion of at least one lateral window opening 20 abutting the side pillar in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The side portion of the vehicle covered by the airbag may also include a portion of a further window adjacent the pillar, said portions being major parts of the windows. The airbag device may be stored in a lateral roof frame 18 when stowed.

Description

Airbag System for a Vehicle The invention relates to an airbag system for a vehicle, in particular, a passenger vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Statistics show that side impacts occur quite frequently in accidents of vehicles. In order to protect passengers of a vehicle in case of a side impact side airbags are used, the side airbags being arranged inside the vehicle. Said side airbags are also known as side curtain airbags. The side airbags can protect the passengers from intrusions.

However, outside traffic participants, for example, cyclists or motor cyclists are not protected by such internal side airbags in case of a side impact. Such a side impact is quite a dangerous accident for a cyclist or a motor cyclist wherein the cyclist collides with a vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

From US 2004/0232663 Al an externally deployable airbag device for being deployed along pillars on either side of the vehicle windshield is known. The externally deployable airbag device comprises an airbag that includes portions deployed along each pillar.

Moreover, the airbag device comprises elongate guide members that extend along respective vehicle pillars and followers of the airbag portions that ride along the respective guide members as the airbag is inflated.

US 2002/0093180 Al shows a motor vehicle comprising an airbag system having at least one side airbag device which is deployable from a stowage position into at least one protective position by means of at least one inflator of the airbag system. The side airbag device is arranged outside of the vehicle at least partly in the protective position.

Moreover, the side airbag device extends at least across a side portion of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the protective position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an airbag system of the previously mentioned kind by means of which passengers of the vehicles as well as outside traffic participants can be protected particularly well, especially in case of a side impact.

This object is solved by an airbag device having the features of the patent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.

In order to provide an airbag device of the kind indicated in the preamble of patent claim 1 which facilitates a particularly good protection of the passengers of the vehicle as well as outside traffic participants, especially in case of a side impact, according to the present invention the side portion being covered by the side airbag device in the protective position comprises at least a portion of at least one side pillar of the vehicle and at least a portion of at least one lateral window opening abutting the side pillar in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In other words, with regard to the protective position the side airbag device covers at least a portion of at least one side pillar and at least a portion of at least one lateral window opening of the vehicle in the transverse direction of the vehicle towards the outside.

Thus, by means of the side airbag device an outside traffic participant, for example, a cyclist can be protected from directly hitting the side pillar and/or a window covering the lateral window opening. Furthermore, passengers in the interior of the vehicle can be protected from intrusions by means of the side airbag device in the protective position.

Hence, the airbag system can act as a protection system against intruding objects during, for example, rollover and side impact. Additionally, the airbag system according to the present invention can act as a protection system for cyclists, in particular, motor cyclists colliding with the vehicle in the transverse direction of the vehicle. Thereby, the danger of serious head and neck injuries or cyclists can be kept low.

Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawing. The feature and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combinations but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

The drawing shows in: Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a bodywork of a passenger vehicle having an airbag system, the airbag system comprising at least one side airbag device being deployable from a storage position into at least one protective position by means of at least one inflator of the airbag system, the side airbag device being arranged outside of the vehicle at least partly in the protective position and extending at least across a side portion of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the protective position, wherein the side portion being covered by the side airbag device in the protective position comprises at least a portion of at least one side pillar of the bodywork and at least a portion of at least one lateral window opening abutting the side pillar in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; Fig. 2 part of a schematic and perspective view of the bodywork of the vehicle having the airbag system; Fig. 3 part of a schematic cross sectional view of the bodywork and the airbag system; Fig. 4 part of a further schematic cross sectional view of the bodywork and the airbag system; Fig. 5 part of a sectional and perspective view of the bodywork and the airbag system; and Fig. 6 part of a schematic side view of the bodywork and the airbag device being in its protective position.

In the figures the same elements or elements having the same functions are equipped with the same reference sign.

Fig. 1 shows a bodywork 10 for a passenger vehicle. The bodywork 10 is also referred to as body-in-white (biw) or body. The bodywork 10 has three side pillars in the form of an A-pillar 12, a B-pillar 14 and a C-pillar 16. The bodywork 10 also has a lateral roof frame 18 connecting the side pillars (A-pillar 12, B-pillar 14 and C-pillar 16) to one another. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the lateral roof frame 18 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The passenger vehicle also has a first lateral window opening 20 and a second lateral window opening 22. The front lateral window opening 20 abuts the A-pillar 12 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle towards the back and the B-pillar 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle towards the front. The back lateral window opening 22 abuts the B-pillar 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle towards the back and the C-pillar 16 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle towards the front. In other words, the front lateral window opening 20 is arranged between the A-pillar 12 and the B-pillar 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the back lateral window opening 22 is arranged between the B-pillar 14 and the C-pillar 16 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The passenger vehicle also has a first side window and a second side window which are not shown in Fig. 1. The first side window serves for covering the lateral window opening 20, wherein the second side window serves for covering the lateral window opening 22.

As can be seen from an overall view of Figs. 1 to 3, the vehicle comprises an airbag system 24. The airbag system 24 has side airbag devices from which the right-hand side airbag device 26 can be seen. The airbag system 24 also comprises a left-hand side airbag device which is not shown in Fig. 1 to 3. The side airbag device 26 is formed by a side airbag 28 which is also referred to as side curtain airbag. The side airbag device 26, i.e. the side airbag 28 is deployable from a storage position shown in Fig. 3 into at least one protective position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The airbag system 24 comprises at least one inflator by means of which the side airbag 28 can be inflated to deploy the side airbag device 26 from its storage position into its protective position. According to the present embodiment, the airbag system 24 comprises three inflators 30, 32, 34 for inflating the side airbag device 26. If only one inflator is used, the inflator 34 near the A-pillar 12 or the inflator 30 near the C-pillar 16 is used and positioned correspondingly.

As can be seen from Fig. 1 and 2, the side airbag device 26 is arranged outside of the vehicle at least partly in the protective position. In the protective position the side airbag device 26 extends at least across a side portion 36 of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the protective position. In other words, in the protective position the side portion 36 is covered by the side airbag device 26 in the transverse direction of the vehicle towards the outside. The side portion 36 being covered by the side airbag device 26 in the protective position comprises an upper portion 38 of the B-pillar 14, a first major portion 40 of the first window opening 20 and a second major portion 42 of the second window opening 22. The side portion 36 can also comprise at least a portion of the lateral roof frame 18. The side airbag device 26 covers the portion 38 of the B-pillar 14 completely with regard to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

By means of the side airbag device 26 passengers of the passenger vehicle can be protected from intrusions. Moreover, outside traffic participants such as cyclists, in particular, motorcyclists, can be protected from hitting the B-pillar 14 and the side windows directly in case of a side impact since the side airbag device 26 is arranged between the bodywork 10, the side windows and the cyclists colliding with the vehicle.

As can be seen from Fig. 3, the lateral roof frame 18 comprises an outer shell 44 and an inner shell 46 which are connected to one another and bound a hollow cross-section 48 in which the side airbag device 26 is arranged in its storage position.

The bodywork 10 also comprises a roof element 50 which is attached to the lateral roof frame 18. Moreover, an interior roof cladding part 52 can be seen, the interior roof cladding part 52 serving for covering roof element 50 towards the interior of the passenger vehicle. The inner shell 46, the roof element 50 and the interior roof cladding part 52 bound a cavity 54 in which an interior side airbag 56 is arranged. The interior side airbag 56 is an internally deployed or internally deployable curtain airbag for protecting the passengers of the passenger vehicle from hitting the side windows and/or interior cladding parts. Hence, the passengers can be protected from intrusions by means of the internally deployable curtain airbag and the externally deployable side airbag device 26.

The side airbag device 26 is folded and/or rolled in its storage position and positioned adjacent to the internal airbag 56. Pursuant to a detection of a side impact or a rollover, the side airbag device 26 is deployed externally by braking open at least one plastic cover 58 shown in Fig. 4 and 5. In the storage position the plastic cover 58 serves for covering a through opening 60 of the lateral roof frame 18. By inflating the side airbag device 26 the plastic cover 48 is broken up by deploying side airbag device 26.

Fig. 6 shows the side airbag device 26 in its protective position. As can be seen from Fig. 6, fastening elements 62 are used for attaching the side airbag device 26 to the body-in-white. Advantageously, nine fastening devices are used.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the side airbag device 26 can comprise three chambers 64, 66 and 68 which can be inflated by the inflators 30, 32 and 34. The chambers 64, 66 and 68 can be fluidically connected or fluidically separate from each other.

The externally deployable curtain airbag (side airbag device 26) can act as an additional protection system for protecting the passengers from intruding objects during rollover and side impact. Moreover, the externally deployable curtain airbag can act as a protection system for motor cyclists colliding with the passenger vehicle in the transverse direction of the vehicle in order to protect them from serious injuries.

Claims

Claims An airbag system (24) for a vehicle, the airbag system (24) comprising at least one side airbag device (26) being deployable from a stowage position into at least one protective position by means of at least one inflator (30, 32, 34) of the airbag system (24), the side airbag device (26) being arranged outside of the vehicle at least partly in the protective position and extending at least across a side portion (36) of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the protective position, characterized in that the side portion (36) being covered by the side airbag device (26) in the protective position comprises at least a portion (38) of at least one side pillar (14) and at least a portion (40) of at least one lateral window opening (20) abutting the side pillar (14) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
2. The airbag system (24) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral window opening (20) abuts the side pillar (14) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle towards the front, the side portion (36) comprising at least a portion (42) of at least one further lateral window opening (22) abutting the side pillar (14) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle towards the back.
3. The airbag system (24) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the airbag device (26) is arranged in a lateral roof frame (18) in the stowage position.
4. The airbag system (24) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a major portion of the window opening (20) and/or at least a major portion of the further window opening (22) is covered by the side airbag device in the protective position.