Collision-protection device for vehicle passengers

US5538279A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Mercedes-Benz Group AG · DE

Inventors

• Manfred Link · Nuremberg, DE
• Ulrich Tschaschke · Ehningen, DE
• Manfred Muller · Wuppertal, DE
• Helmut Patzelt · Fellbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 16, 1993
• Grant date: Jul 23, 1996
• Expiry date: Jul 16, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R21/215
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Collision-protection devices for vehicle passengers, are disclosed which include a gas cushion which is connected to a gas generator and inflates under sensor control in the event of an accident and hence protects the body of a vehicle passenger from a collision causing injury, e.g., against the instrument panel or windscreen. The gas cushion has, in this instance, one or more escape openings. According to the invention, the escape opening points towards an open cover flap when the gas cushion is inflated, which cover flap, in the closed state, covers the folded-up gas cushion. Only once a predetermined pressure has been exceeded does the cover flap free the escape opening to enable gas to be discharged in an escape flow distributed over an area of the gas cushion surface.