Frontal airbag for vehicle occupants and airbag module
A frontal airbag for vehicle occupants, especially a passenger airbag, includes a contact panel ( 26 ) facing the vehicle occupant ( 12 ). Inside the airbag plural tethers ( 38 ) and/or partitions ( 38 ) are arranged which in portions withhold the contact panel ( 26 ) in the inflated state of the airbag ( 10 ) and form at least one lateral bead ( 34 ) and plural central beads ( 36 ) which in cross-section are smaller than the lateral beads ( 34 ). Furthermore, an airbag module is presented.
1. A frontal airbag for vehicle occupants, comprising a contact panel ( 26 ) configured to face the vehicle occupant ( 12 ) in a fully deployed state of the airbag ( 10 ), wherein inside the airbag tensile means ( 38 ) which in portions withhold the contact panel ( 26 ) in the fully deployed state of the airbag ( 10 ) are arranged at the contact panel ( 26 ), wherein in the fully deployed state of the airbag ( 10 ), the airbag ( 10 ) is expanded to a maximum extent of the airbag ( 10 ), the tensile means ( 38 ) are extended to a maximum extent of the tensile means ( 38 ), and the tensile means ( 38 ) are arranged so that the contact panel ( 26 ) forms a lateral bead ( 34 ) on at least one of its two lateral edges ( 32 ) and forms plural central beads ( 36 ) which in cross-section are smaller than the at least one lateral bead ( 34 ) between the lateral edges ( 32 ), wherein the lateral bead(s) ( 34 ) extend substantially from a top to a bottom of the airbag ( 10 ), and whereby in the contact panel ( 26 ) there are lower surface tensions in the area of the central beads ( 36 ) as compared to the higher surface tensions in the lateral bead or the lateral beads ( 34 ).
2. The frontal airbag according to claim 1 , wherein at least one constriction ( 42 ) formed by the tensile means ( 38 ) extends over an entire vertical height of the contact panel ( 26 ).
3. The frontal airbag according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of the beads ( 34 , 36 ) extend cylindrically substantially in the area of the contact panel ( 26 ).
4. The frontal airbag according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one lateral bead ( 34 ) has a depth (T S ) measured from a contact panel-side end of a corresponding tensile means ( 38 ) in the longitudinal vehicle direction (x) which is larger at least by the factor 1.25 than the depth (T M ) of the central beads ( 36 ).
5. The frontal airbag according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one lateral bead ( 34 ) has a maximum width (B S ) measured horizontally and transversely to a longitudinal vehicle axis, said width being larger at least by the factor 1.5 than a maximum width (B M ) of the central beads ( 36 ).
6. The frontal airbag according to claim 1 , wherein at least several tensile means ( 38 ) comprise tethers.
7. The frontal airbag according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag ( 10 ) has one single chamber to be inflated.
8. The frontal airbag according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of the tensile means ( 38 ) are partitions for dividing the interior of the airbag into different chambers ( 60 , 62 ).
9. The frontal airbag according to claim 8 , wherein the chambers ( 60 , 62 ) are configured so that, in the fully deployed state, they have different internal pressures.
10. The frontal airbag according to claim 9 , wherein the internal pressure of at least one central chamber ( 62 ) is lower than the internal pressure of the at least one lateral chamber ( 60 ).
11. The frontal airbag according to claim 8 , wherein the tensile means ( 38 ) are fastened to a rear panel ( 28 ) opposite to the contact panel ( 26 ).
12. The frontal airbag according to claim 11 , wherein the rear panel ( 28 ) includes fastening holes ( 30 ) for fastening the airbag ( 10 ) to a side of a module housing ( 20 ) of an airbag module.
13. An airbag module comprising at least one inflator ( 22 ) and an airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one inflator is connected to the interior of the airbag so that the chambers ( 60 , 62 ) are inflated to different extents and have different internal pressures.
14. The airbag module according to claim 13 , wherein at each of the lateral edges ( 32 ) the airbag ( 10 ) includes a lateral bead ( 34 ) having a lateral chamber ( 60 ) as well as plural central chambers ( 62 ) forming central beads ( 36 ) on the contact panel ( 26 ).
15. The airbag module according to claim 14 , wherein in the fully deployed state the lateral chambers ( 60 ) have an internal pressure higher than that of the central chambers ( 62 ).
16. An airbag module comprising at least one inflator ( 22 ) and one airbag ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the airbag ( 10 ) includes a rear panel ( 28 ) opposite to the contact panel ( 26 ), the rear panel ( 28 ) of the airbag ( 10 ) being fastened to a side of a module housing ( 20 ) of the airbag module.