DE20217646U1 - Dashboard assembly for motor vehicle incorporates passenger protection airbag integrated win ventilation system with bag expanding into air duct and displacing ventilation grille - Google Patents

Abstract

The air duct (12) and the ventilation grille (14) are situated under the flat top of the dashboard (11) near the windscreen (10). The airbag module (16) is situated adjacent to the air duct, on the side adjacent to the passenger. When the gas generator (19) is triggered to deploy the airbag, a top folded packet (21) expands and displaces the wall (23) of the air duct. The ventilation grille is forced off its mounting, and a further folded portion of the airbag (22) is pulled out from under a partition (20) and inflated.

Description

Dr. Thomas U. Becker RppLz-pr J^ lx/lrr11ff>C I · . ?urot>eari Patent Attorneys

Dr. Karl-Ernst Müller ^{&ugr;&sgr;&ugr;&Ggr;&Ngr;&sgr;&igr;} °< v. ..,^ ,:. ^. EurcJ&ej^Ji^mark Attorneys

Kai Berkenbrink Patent Attorney* *** * * Graduate engineers

Applicant: 14 November 2002

Autoliv Development AB
Wallentinsvägen 22

S - 447 83 Vargarda

Sweden AFK 26424 sch29

Instrument panel for a motor vehicle

with a ventilation arrangement

integrated airbag system

Description

The invention relates to an instrument panel for a motor vehicle with at least one ventilation outlet and a ventilation duct connected thereto and arranged behind the instrument panel, and with an airbag module held behind the instrument panel, in the housing of which a gas generator and a folded-in gas bag are arranged, wherein an outlet opening for the unfolding gas bag is provided in the instrument panel, which outlet opening is closed by a cover that can be opened when the airbag module is triggered.

An instrument panel with the above-mentioned features is known from US 6 264 233. If an airbag module and a ventilation duct are arranged behind the instrument panel of a vehicle, a cover is provided which covers both components and which, on the one hand, forms the cover for the airbag module and, on the other hand, has a

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integrated ventilation outlet with a ventilation cover covering it, which is connected to the ventilation duct when the cover or ventilation outlet is still in the fixed position in the instrument panel. When the airbag module is triggered, the unfolding gas bag presses the cover open, whereby the ventilation outlet also detaches from the ventilation duct attached to the instrument panel.

The known instrument panel and the arrangement of the ventilation duct and the airbag module implemented therein have the disadvantage that a correspondingly large amount of space is required to accommodate an airbag module behind the instrument panel and that the common cover for the ventilation duct and the airbag module, which has to be opened in the event of deployment, has considerable dimensions.

The invention is therefore based on the object of reducing the space required for arranging the airbag module behind the instrument panel in an instrument panel with the generic features.

The solution to this problem, including advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention, results from the content of the claims which follow this description.

The basic idea of the invention is that the airbag module is arranged adjacent to the ventilation duct in such a way that when the airbag module is triggered, the gas bag unfolds into the ventilation duct and from there through the ventilation outlet out of the instrument panel, whereby the ventilation outlet arranged in the instrument panel

is moved away by the pressure of the unfolding gas bag. The invention has the advantage that the opening in the instrument panel, which is required for ventilation anyway, is now also used for the gas bag to exit from the airbag module, so that an additional open cover for the gas bag exit that would have to be provided in the instrument panel can be dispensed with. Since the ventilation duct can also be used as an exit duct for the gas bag when it is unfolding, a much more space-saving arrangement of the airbag module behind the instrument panel is possible.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the housing wall of the airbag module adjacent to the ventilation duct forms a partition wall for the ventilation duct and is moved into the ventilation duct when the airbag module is triggered in such a way that an outlet duct leading from the airbag module to the ventilation outlet is formed; in this embodiment, a partial area remains open in the wall enclosing the ventilation duct, which is closed by the associated housing wall of the airbag module when the airbag module is installed.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the partition wall of the ventilation duct adjacent to the airbag module forms a housing wall of the airbag module and the common partition and housing wall is moved into the ventilation duct when the airbag module is triggered in such a way that an outlet duct is formed leading from the airbag module to the ventilation outlet; in this embodiment, the common partition and housing wall is assigned to the ventilation duct so that an additional wall can be left out on the housing of the airbag module. This has the advantage that the required movement of the common partition

and housing wall into the ventilation duct can already be taken into account during the design and manufacture of the ventilation duct.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the airbag module is arranged laterally next to the ventilation duct and the partition and housing wall pivots into the ventilation duct around a fixed point located away from the instrument panel. With regard to the arrangement of the partition and housing wall, it can be provided that the ventilation outlet partially overlaps the airbag module and the partition and housing wall running behind the ventilation outlet has an oblique bend in its area facing the instrument panel that leads to the edge of the ventilation outlet on the module side, wherein it can also be provided that the bend is dimensioned in such a way that when the partition and housing wall pivots, the bend comes into contact with the opposite edge of the ventilation outlet and thus forms and delimits the outlet channel for the unfolding gas bag.

In an alternative embodiment, the invention provides that the airbag module is arranged on the side of the ventilation duct facing away from the instrument panel. '

In order to reduce the installation depth of the arrangement of the ventilation duct and airbag module behind the instrument panel in this embodiment, it can be provided that the airbag module is L-shaped with a section lying to the side of the ventilation duct and with a section lying on the side of the ventilation duct facing away from the instrument panel, wherein the common separating and

The housing walls of the ventilation duct are integrally connected to one another and swing into the ventilation duct when the airbag module is triggered.

Since the airbag module no longer has a direct opening in the instrument panel as an outlet opening for the gas bag, according to one embodiment of the invention, measures are provided to ensure that the gas bag is safely deployed from the airbag module through the ventilation duct. For this purpose, the gas bag folded into the housing of the airbag module is divided into two folding packages by an intermediate wall arranged in the housing, one of which is arranged adjacent to the ventilation outlet. It can be expedient if the folding package adjacent to the ventilation outlet has a smaller size than the second folding package and acts as a starting bubble for the extension of the second folding package when the airbag module is triggered. Depending on the design conditions, the invention also includes the idea that the folded gas bag is divided into several folding packages by the arrangement of several intermediate walls.

With regard to the installation of an airbag module on the ventilation duct, it can be provided that the gas bag module is fixed to the ventilation duct by means of a bracket and fastened to the inside of the instrument panel.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the gas bag folded into the housing is secured in the area of the connection of the airbag module to the common partition and housing wall by a

Covered and held in place by a film which tears open when the gas bag is unfolded and forms a protective layer between the gas bag and the edges of the ventilation outlet.

Since problems with the speed of the gas bag deployment can arise in the case of a very narrow ventilation outlet, one embodiment of the invention provides that an area of the instrument panel adjacent to the ventilation outlet is separated from the rest of the instrument panel by predetermined breaking lines, so that the unfolding gas bag separates the separated area together with the ventilation outlet as the outlet opening for the gas bag from the instrument panel; advantageously, the outlet opening for the gas bag is enlarged accordingly by separating a predetermined area.

The drawing shows embodiments of the invention, which are described below. They show:

Fig. 1 shows the part of an instrument panel with ventilation

arrangement and airbag device in a longitudinal section before the airbag device is triggered,

Fig. 2 the object of Figure 1 in a first stage

the deployment of the gas bag as part of the airbag system,

Fig. 3 the subject of Figure 2 in an advanced

Stage of deployment of the gas bag,

Fig. 4 another embodiment of the instrument panel

with ventilation arrangement and airbag device as shown in Figure 1,

Fig. 5 the object of Figure 4 in the stage of a partial

deployment of the gas bag,

Fig. 6 the subject of Figure 1 in a further

embodiment,

Fig. 7 the subject of Figure 1 in a further

embodiment,

Fig. 8a - c the object of Figure 1 in different

stages of mounting the airbag device on the ventilation duct and instrument panel.

Figure 1 shows an instrument panel 11 which adjoins a windscreen of a motor vehicle, indicated by 10, in which an opening for the ventilation outlet as well as for the outlet of the gas bag is arranged facing the windscreen 10, so that the ventilation duct as well as the airbag module are arranged below the instrument panel 11 in relation to the windscreen in this arrangement of the instrument panel.

In detail, a ventilation outlet 13 is provided in the instrument panel, which is covered by a ventilation panel 14, which fits into the instrument panel 11 in a form-fitting manner. A ventilation duct 12 enclosed by walls 15 is arranged under the ventilation outlet 13, via which the air supply is distributed, for example, across the width of the vehicle under the instrument panel 11 and, if necessary,

through several ventilation outlets 13 formed in the instrument panel 11 into the vehicle interior.

As will be described in more detail, an airbag module 16 is arranged below the instrument panel 11 and the ventilation duct 12, in the immediate vicinity of which a gas generator 19 and a folded gas bag 18 are arranged in the housing 17. The folded gas bag 18 is divided into two folding packages by an intermediate wall 20 arranged in the housing 17 of the airbag module 16, namely a folding package 21 immediately adjacent to the ventilation outlet 13 and a folding package 22 arranged on the side facing away from the intermediate wall 20.

Insofar as the ventilation duct 12 and the airbag module 16 abut one another due to their immediately adjacent arrangement, a common partition and housing wall 23 is provided which, as a component of the walls 15 surrounding the ventilation duct 12, is connected to the associated wall 15 of the ventilation duct 12 at a hinge-like connection 24 in such a way that the common partition and housing wall 23 is pivoted into the ventilation duct 12 by the pressure of the unfolding gas bag 18 when the airbag module 16 is triggered.

The common partition and housing wall 23 is arranged with respect to the ventilation outlet 13 in such a way that the ventilation outlet 13 covers the common partition and housing wall 23, wherein the partition and housing wall 23 running behind the ventilation outlet 13 has, in its area directed towards the instrument panel 11 or adjoining the instrument panel 11, an oblique bend leading to the edge of the ventilation outlet 13 running on the side of the airbag module 16.

25. This bend 25 is dimensioned such that when the common partition and housing wall 23 is pivoted into the ventilation duct 12, the cover 25 comes into contact with the opposite edge 26 of the ventilation outlet 13 and thus forms and delimits an outlet duct 40 for the unfolding gas bag 18.

If the ventilation outlet 13 is closed with a ventilation panel 14, the ventilation panel is held to the instrument panel 11 via a retaining strap 28 so that when the ventilation panel 14 is detached from the instrument panel 11, the ventilation panel 14 does not fly around inside the vehicle. In order to enable the ventilation panel 14 to be opened in a targeted manner, the ventilation panel 14 has a guide surface 27 extending behind the instrument panel 11 in its area facing the airbag module 16.

Figures 1 to 3 show the activation process of the airbag module 16 in detail, whereby, according to Figure 2, when the gas generator 19 is ignited, the gas released by it initially acts on the first folding package 21 facing the instrument panel 11, so that this folding package exerts a corresponding pressure on the common partition and housing wall 23 towards the ventilation duct 12 and presses this common partition and housing wall 23 inwards into the ventilation duct 12 around the hinge-like connection 24. Due to the guide surface 27 located on the underside of the ventilation panel 14, the initially unfolding folding package 21 simultaneously exerts a corresponding, upward pressure on the ventilation panel 14, so that the ventilation panel 14 is pivoted open in the direction of the front panel 10 and exposes the ventilation outlet 13 as an unfolding opening for the gas bag 18. In this respect,

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Ignition of the gas generator 19, the first folding package 21 initially as an extraction bubble, which, upon further gas application, now pushes the second folding package 22 arranged below the intermediate wall 20 out of the
Pull out the housing 17 of the airbag module 16.

As not further explained, in the case of very narrow
Ventilation outlets 13 and 14, respectively, that a ventilation outlet adjacent to the respective ventilation outlet, preferably
enclosing area of the instrument panel 11 is separated from the rest of the instrument panel 11 by predetermined breaking lines, so that when the airbag module 16 is triggered, the unfolding gas bag
The area of the instrument panel 11 separated by predetermined breaking lines together with the ventilation outlet is detached from the instrument panel 11, so that a correspondingly larger outlet opening for the gas bag 18 is formed.

The embodiment shown in Figure 4 and with regard to its triggering in Figure 5 differs from the embodiment previously described in Figures 1 to 3 only in that the
Airbag module 16 L-shaped with a section 30 located next to the ventilation duct and a section on the instrument panel 11
opposite side of the ventilation duct 12 section 29
is designed so that the airbag module 16 the ventilation duct 12
This allows a particularly space-saving arrangement of the ventilation duct 12 and the airbag module 16. Due to this design of the airbag module 16, two wall sections of the
Ventilation duct 12 adjacent common separating and
Housing walls 23, which are integrally connected to each other and
Triggering of the airbag module is again a hinge-like
Swivel connection 24 into the ventilation duct 12. Due to the

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- 11 -

The arrangement of the intermediate wall 20, which is again provided and is adapted to the shape of the airbag module 16, as described in relation to Figures 1 to 3, ensures that the first folding package, which is initially acted upon by the gas generator, acts as an extraction bladder for the second deployment package.

Figures 6 and 7 describe embodiments of the invention in which the intermediate wall 20 or several intermediate walls 20 provided in the housing 17 of the airbag module 16 form corresponding first, second or further folding packages in order to ensure smooth deployment of the gas bag 18 from the airbag module 16 or the ventilation duct 12, depending on the assignment of the airbag module 16 to the ventilation duct 12. Finally, Figures 8a - c show that the inventive design of an instrument panel with ventilation arrangement and airbag device can also be associated with a simplification of assembly. The ventilation duct 12 is attached to the instrument panel 11 with associated walls 15 or 23. The ventilation duct 12 is provided with a mounting plate 32 arranged to accommodate the airbag module 16 and having an opening 33 formed therein, wherein the airbag module 16 can be inserted into the opening 30 of the mounting plate 32 with a mounting projection 34 formed thereon and, after being pivoted towards the common partition and housing wall 23, can be fastened to the instrument panel 11 by means of a fastening 35. For this assembly process, the airbag module 16 is provided in its contact with the common partition and housing wall 23 with the ventilation duct 12 with a cover layer 31 for the folded-in gas bag 18, which is preferably formed from a welded-on film that can be torn open by the pressure of the unfolding gas bag.

- 12 -

As can also be seen from Figure 3, the film can be designed in such a way that when the gas bag 18 is unfolded, it is placed as a protective layer between the gas bag 18 and in particular the edges of the ventilation outlet, so that the fabric of the gas bag 18 is protected and there is no danger of the gas bag fabric tearing.

The features of the subject matter of these documents disclosed in the above description, the claims and the drawings may be essential, individually or in any combination with one another, for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.

Claims (14)

1. Instrument panel for a motor vehicle with at least one ventilation outlet and a ventilation duct connected thereto and arranged behind the instrument panel and with an airbag module held behind the instrument panel, in the housing of which a gas generator and a folded-in gas bag are arranged, wherein an outlet opening for the unfolding gas bag is provided in the instrument panel, which outlet opening is closed by a cover that can be opened when the airbag module is triggered, characterized in that the airbag module ( 16 ) is arranged adjacent to the ventilation duct ( 12 ) in such a way that the gas bag ( 18 ) unfolds into the ventilation duct ( 12 ) when the airbag module ( 16 ) is triggered and from there through the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) out of the instrument panel ( 11 ), wherein the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) arranged in the instrument panel ( 11 ) is actuated by the pressure of the unfolding Gasbag ( 18 ) is moved away. 2. Instrument panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing wall of the airbag module ( 16 ) adjacent to the ventilation duct ( 12 ) forms a partition wall for the ventilation duct ( 12 ) and, when the airbag module ( 16 ) is triggered, is moved into the ventilation duct ( 12 ) in such a way that an outlet duct ( 40 ) leading from the airbag module ( 16 ) to the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) is formed. 3. Instrument panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition wall of the ventilation duct ( 12 ) adjacent to the airbag module ( 16 ) forms a housing wall of the airbag module ( 16 ) and the common partition and housing wall ( 23 ) is moved into the ventilation duct ( 12 ) when the airbag module ( 16 ) is triggered in such a way that an outlet duct ( 40 ) leading from the airbag module ( 16 ) to the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) is formed. 4. Instrument panel according to claim 3, characterized in that the airbag module ( 16 ) is arranged laterally next to the ventilation duct ( 12 ) and the partition and housing wall ( 23 ) pivots into the ventilation duct ( 12 ) about a fixed point ( 24 ) located remote from the instrument panel ( 11 ). 5. Instrument panel according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) partially overlaps the airbag module ( 16 ) and the partition and housing wall ( 23 ) running behind the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) has, in its region directed towards the instrument panel ( 11 ), an oblique bend ( 25 ) leading to the module-side edge of the ventilation outlet ( 13 ). 6. Instrument panel according to claim 5, characterized in that the bend ( 25 ) is dimensioned such that when the partition and housing wall ( 23 ) is pivoted, the bend ( 25 ) comes into contact with the opposite edge ( 26 ) of the ventilation outlet ( 13 ) and thus forms and delimits the outlet channel ( 40 ) for the unfolding gas bag ( 18 ). 7. Instrument panel according to claim 3, characterized in that the airbag module ( 16 ) is arranged on the side of the ventilation duct ( 12 ) facing away from the instrument panel ( 11 ). 8. Instrument panel according to claim 7, characterized in that the airbag module ( 16 ) is L-shaped with a section ( 30 ) located laterally next to the ventilation duct and with a section ( 29 ) located on the side of the ventilation duct ( 12 ) facing away from the instrument panel ( 11 ), wherein the common partition and housing walls ( 23 ) of the ventilation duct ( 12 ) adjacent to the airbag module ( 16 ) are integrally connected to one another and pivot into the ventilation duct ( 12 ) when the airbag module ( 16 ) is triggered. 9. Instrument panel according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the gas bag ( 18 ) folded into the housing ( 17 ) of the airbag module ( 16 ) is divided into two folding packages ( 21 , 22 ) by an intermediate wall ( 20 ) arranged in the housing ( 17 ), of which one folding package ( 21 ) is arranged adjacent to the ventilation outlet ( 13 ). 10. Instrument panel according to claim 9, characterized in that the folding package ( 21 ) adjacent to the ventilation outlet ( 13 ) has a smaller dimension than the second folding package ( 22 ) and acts as a starting bubble for the extension of the second folding package ( 22 ) when the airbag module ( 16 ) is triggered. 11. Instrument panel according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the folded gas bag ( 18 ) is divided into several folding packages by the arrangement of several intermediate walls ( 20 ). 12. Instrument panel according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the gas bag module ( 16 ) is fixed to the ventilation duct ( 12 ) by means of a holder ( 32 , 34 ) and is fastened to the inside of the instrument panel ( 11 ). 13. Instrument panel according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the gas bag ( 18 ) folded into the housing ( 17 ) is covered and held in the region of the connection of the airbag module ( 16 ) to the common partition and housing wall ( 23 ) by a film ( 31 ) which tears open when the gas bag ( 18 ) is unfolded and is placed as protection between the gas bag ( 18 ) and the edges of the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ). 14. Instrument panel according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a region of the instrument panel ( 11 ) adjacent to the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) is separated from the rest of the instrument panel by predetermined breaking lines, so that the unfolding gas bag ( 18 ) separates the separated region together with the ventilation outlet ( 13 , 14 ) as an outlet opening for the gas bag ( 18 ) from the instrument panel ( 11 ).