Protection device for the head of the human

Abstract

A protection device for the head of a human comprising an airbag having an outer skin enclosing a gas space. The inflated airbag of this protection device covers at least a part of the face of said human.

1 . A protection device for the head of a human comprising an airbag having an outer skin enclosing a gas space,
 wherein the inflated airbag covers at least a part of the face of said human.   
     
     
         2 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inflated airbag covers substantially the whole face of the human. 
     
     
         3 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inflated airbag does substantially not cover any other part of the human's head. 
     
     
         4 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inflated airbag additionally covers at least a part of the temples of the human. 
     
     
         5 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein the airbag comprises a see-through area being positioned in front of the human's eyes when the airbag is deployed. 
     
     
         6 . The protection device of  claim 5 , wherein the airbag comprises at least one layer of a transparent material in the see-through area. 
     
     
         7 . The protection device of  claim 6 , wherein the outer skin of the airbag comprises at least two transparent layers in the see-through area such that the gas space enclosed by the outer skin extends over the see-trough-area. 
     
     
         8 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein the airbag does not extend to a position in front of the human's eyes when the airbag is deployed. 
     
     
         9 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein a protection surface of the outer skin which faces the face of the human when the airbag is deployed is essentially flat, or has the shape of a concave fillet, or is essentially dish-shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein the airbag comprises inner tethers and/or in that the gas-space is divided into a plurality of sub-spaces. 
     
     
         11 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable airbag is at least partially made in a one-piece-woven-process. 
     
     
         12 . The protection device of  claim 1 , further comprising an inflator and preferably a triggering means for triggering the inflator. 
     
     
         13 . The protection device of  claim 12 , further comprising an attachment means for attaching the protection device to the human body, a piece of clothing, a backpack, or a helmet. 
     
     
         14 . The protection device of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one outer tether element connecting the inflatable airbag with the attachment means or an element to which the attachment means is attached. 
     
     
         15 . The protection device of  claim 13 , wherein the protection device is designed for being attached to a helmet such that the un-deployed airbag is substantially located in front of the forehead of the user and the airbag deploys in the direction towards the chin. 
     
     
         16 . A protection arrangement comprising:
 a protection device for the head of a human comprising an airbag having an outer skin enclosing a gas space, said airbag covering at least a part of the face of said human when in its inflated state, and   a helmet to which said protection device is connected.   
     
     
         17 . An airbag comprising:
 an airbag main element comprising a first layer and a second layer being connected to one another by means of a border, such that the two layers and the border enclose a gas-space, wherein the airbag main element comprises:
 a filling section extending in a first direction from an inflator-side end to an inflator-remote end, and in a second direction from a first lateral end to a second lateral end, said filling section comprising a filling chamber of the gas-space; and 
 a first set of lateral sections extending from the first lateral end of the filling section, said first set of lateral sections comprising at least two lateral sections of the first set of lateral sections, each comprising a lateral chamber of the gas space, 
   wherein neighboured lateral chambers of the first set of lateral sections are spaced by a non-inflatable gap, and   
       wherein the airbag further comprises at least one connection connecting two neighboured lateral sections of the first set of lateral sections. 
     
     
         18 . The airbag of  claim 17 , wherein the first set of lateral sections comprises at least three lateral sections, each comprising a lateral chamber of the gas space. 
     
     
         19 . The airbag of  claim 17 , wherein the airbag main element further comprises
 a second set of lateral sections extending from the second lateral end of the filling section, said second set of lateral sections comprising at least two lateral sections of the second set of lateral sections, each comprising a lateral chamber of the gas-space,   wherein neighboured lateral chambers of the second set of lateral sections are spaced by a non-inflatable gap, and   
       wherein the airbag further comprises at least one connection connecting two neighboured lateral sections of the second set of lateral sections. 
     
     
         20 . The airbag of  claim 19 , the airbag main element and the airbag are mirror-symmetrical. 
     
     
         21 . The airbag of  claim 17 , wherein the border of the airbag main element is at least in sections in form of a border strip and the connections connect sections of this border strip. 
     
     
         22 . The airbag of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the gaps widen towards the outside. 
     
     
         23 . The airbag of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the gaps have an enlarged inner end area. 
     
     
         24 . The airbag of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the gaps of the airbag main element are free of material. 
     
     
         25 . A method for manufacturing an airbag which comprises:
 an airbag main element comprising a first layer and a second layer being connected to one another by means of a border, such that the two layers and the border enclose a gas-space, wherein the airbag main element comprises:
 a filling section extending in a first direction from an inflator-side end to an inflator-remote end, and in a second direction from a first lateral end to a second lateral end, said filling section comprising a filling chamber of the gas-space; and 
 a first set of lateral sections extending from the first lateral end of the filling section, said first set of lateral sections comprising at least two lateral sections of the first set of lateral sections, each comprising a lateral chamber of the gas space, 
   wherein neighboured lateral chambers of the first set of lateral sections are spaced by a non-inflatable gap, and   
       wherein the airbag further comprises at least one connection connecting two neighboured lateral sections of the first set of lateral sections, 
       said method comprising the following steps:
 providing the airbag main element, 
 folding or bending the airbag main element such that the at least one gap is at least partially closed, and 
 applying at least one connection such that the gap remains at least partially closed. 
 
     
     
         26 . An airbag comprising:
 an airbag main element comprising a first layer and a second layer being connected to one another by means of a border, such that the two layers and the border enclose a gas-space,   said airbag main element further comprising,   at least one first inner connection connecting at least two locations of the first layer, and/or   at least one second inner connection connecting at least two locations of the second layer.   
     
     
         27 . The airbag according to  claim 26 , the at least one inner connections forms a straight line. 
     
     
         28 . The airbag of  claim 27 , wherein a first group of inner connections is orientated in a first orientation. 
     
     
         29 . The airbag of  claim 28 , wherein a second group of inner connections is orientated in a second orientation extending substantially in an 45° to the first orientation, and a third group of inner connections is orientated in a third orientation extending substantially in a 45° angle to the second orientation. 
     
     
         30 . The airbag of  claim 29 , wherein the inner connections form an arrow. 
     
     
         31 . The Airbag of  claim 26 , wherein the airbag main element is made at least in sections in a one-piece-woven-process and at least one of the inner connections is formed by an additional tether yarn being woven into the weave of the fabric of its layer. 
     
     
         32 . An airbag comprising:
 an airbag main element comprising a first layer and a second layer being connected to one another by means of a border, such that the two layers and the border enclose a gas-space, wherein the airbag main element comprises:
 a filling section extending in a first direction from an inflator-side end to an inflator-remote end, and in a second direction from a first lateral end to a second lateral end, said filling section comprising a filling chamber of the gas-space; and 
 a first set of lateral sections extending from the first lateral end of the filling section, said first set of lateral sections comprising at least two lateral sections of the first set of lateral sections, each comprising a lateral chamber of the gas space, 
 at least one first inner connection connecting at least two locations of the first layer and/or at least one second inner connection connecting at least two locations of the second layer, 
 wherein 
   neighboured lateral chambers of the first set of lateral sections are spaced by a non-inflatable gap, and   the airbag further comprises at least one connection connecting two neighboured lateral sections of the first set of lateral sections.