Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a retention system
consisting of an air bag for catching the upper bddy and the head
and ~;~ a closed hollow deformation body arranged underneath the
instrument panel ~or catching -the knees of a co-driver in a motor
vehicle~ especiall~ in a passenger motor vehicle.
In passenger motor vehicles with a deformation body
for the knee impact, the accommodation of the air bag for catching
the upper body and the head is problematical because an arrange~
ment underneath the instrument panel is then as a rale no longer
possible~ The installation of the air bag in the ~nstrument panel
remained heretofoYe as the only solution whereby, however, the space
for a glove compartment was lost~
It is the task of the present invention to provide an
approach which m~kes it possible to accommodate the air bag so space-
savingly that space ~or the arrangement of a glove compartment or other
storing possibilities in the instrument panel still remain.
To this end, the invention consists of a retention
sy~tem for a motor vehicle, the ~etention system
comprising an air bag means for catching an upper body
and a head of a vehicle passenger, a gas-produoing means for
causing a selective inflation of the air bag means and a
substantially closed, hollow deformation bod~ymeans being
deformable so as to absorb impact energy resulting from an
impact k~ees of a passenger thereon, the hollow deform- :.
ation body means i~ ar~anged at least in an area of the~knees
of the passenger and extends in a vehicle transverse direction
beneath an instrument panel of the motor vehicle, character-
ized in that the air bag means, and the gas-producing means
are mounted on the hollow deformation body means so as to
form an operationally-ready structural unit.
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such an arrangement permits a rapid exchange and
also a subsequent equipment of older vehicles wi th the afore-
mentioned retention system.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the air bag in case of non-use rests folded together on the top side
of the hollow deformation rnember outside of the knee impact area,
shielded by a pivotally arranged covering.
The installation space can be further reduced if the
top side of the hollow deformation member is recesscd trough-shaped
10 and is provided with reinforcing webs, on which rests the folded-
together air bag.
Appropriately, the gas inlet into the air bag can
take place through at least one opening in the top side of the
hollow deformation member.
According to a further feature of an embodiment
of the present invention, the gas-producing installation or
installations may be mounted outside of the knee impact area
at the outer walls, for example, at the side walls of the
hollow deformation body acting as diffusor.
However, it is also possible to connect a separate diffusor
downstream of each gas-producing installation in the direction of the
hollow space of the hollow deformation body.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a small
gas cushion inflatable during the unfolding of the bag may be arranged
- inside of the air bag serving for the purpose of catching the upper bodyand the head, which small gas cushion is effectively connected in front
of the impact area of the hollow deformation body.
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In order to prevent a pressure decrease in the gas
cushion in case of an impact, all openings in the hollow
deformation body which lead to the same, may be covered off by
a check val~e flap consisting of flexible material.
These and other features, and advantages of the
embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent
from the following description when taken in connection with
the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustr-
ation only, several embodiments in accordance with the present
invention, and wherein:
Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view
through a first embodiment of a hollow deformation body in
accordance with the present invention which is suspended under-
neath an instrument panel;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, on a reduced
; scale, taken along line II-II of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view through
a second embodiment of a hollow deformation body in accordance
with the present invention with gas-generating installations
arranged at its back side; and
Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view through
a third embodiment of a hollow deformation body in accordance
withthe present invention with an additional gas cushion.
Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference
numerals are used throughout the various views to designate
like parts, and more particularly to Figure 1, reference numeral
; 1 designates a schematically illustrated instrument panel of a
passenger motor vehicle, not illustrated in detail. A hollow
deformation body 3 extending in the vehicle transverse direct-
ion is arranged underneath the instrument panel 1 under inter-
connection of a bracket 2; the top side 4 of the hollow de-
formation body 3 is thereby indented or drawn-in trough-shaped. A
- 3
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- folded-together air bag 7 which is shlelded against the outside by
a covering 6, rests during normal driving operation on reinforcing
webs 5 pressed out of the top side 4 or mounted thereon
Gas-producing installations 9 (Figure 2) operating
on a pyrotechnical basis and of any conventional construction are
mounted on ~he side walls 8 of the hollow deformation body 3 which,
triggered by a sensor ~not shown~, are ignlted in case of danger by
conventional means. The gas which then develops, flows at first into
a diffusor, only schematicaLly indicated, cools-off thereat, then
10 . reaches the hollow space 10 (Figure 2) of the ~ioIlow deformation body
.
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3, and subsequently passes over through openings l1 (F~gure l~ pro- -
vided in the top side 12 of the hollow deformatlon body 3 Lnto the air
, bag 7. The latter unfolds and thereby presses open the covering 6
; . provided with a film-joint of any conventional construction.
. The embodiment according to Figure 3 corresponds
far~reachingly to that of Figures 1 and 2. However, different from
the embodiment oE Figures 1 and 2, the gas-producing installations 9
are mounted on the side of the hollow deformation body 3 opposite the
knee impact area 13. A diffusor is connected behind or downstream
2 0 of the gas-producing installations 9, which was separated from the
remaining hollow space 10 by the installati~ of a wall 15. At least
one opening (not shown) leads from the diffusor 14 in the direction of
the air bag 7, through which the gases are able to flow in.
;
Figure 4 illustrates a further embocliment in
accordance with the present invention at a stage, in which the
gas~producing installations tnot shown) have been primed or ignited.
The produced gas stream splits up and flows through openings 11
into the air bag 7 and through openings 16 into a gas cushion 17
connected in front of the knee impact area 13 of the hollow deformation
body 3. This gas cushion 17 effects a softer immersion of the knees
and a more favorable graduation and adjusting possibility of the
thigh~force-time behavior with a reduced cross section of the hollow
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10 I .~ . deformation body 3. In order to preclude a backflow of the gases out . ~.
- of the gas cushion 17 during loads, all openings 16 are adapted to bQ
-~ automatically closed whereby in the illustrated embodiment, a check
valve flap 18 of a flexible material is used for that purposs. . - ~
While we have shown and described several embodiments
~: 15 in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same
is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and
modifications as known to those skilled in the art, and we therefore
do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but
intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed
2 0 by the scope of the appended claims.
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