WO2025190865A1

WO2025190865A1 - Scooter-type vehicle with top mounted airbag module

Info

Publication number: WO2025190865A1
Application number: PCT/EP2025/056462
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johanna BJORNSDOTTIR; Mateusz KEDZIERSKI; Lukasz Przybysz; Jules HOUESSOU; Malgorzata Wasilewska; Ludvig RAMBERG
Original assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Current assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Priority date: 2024-03-14
Filing date: 2025-03-10
Publication date: 2025-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-14
Also published as: DE102024107295A1

Abstract

A scooter-type vehicle is described. This scooter-type vehicle comprises a main body part with a rear body part and a front body part (30), wherein a free space is provided between the rear body part and the front body part (30). A steering arrangement (50) is supported on the front body part and comprises a central part from which a right handlebar section and a left handlebar section extend. Further, a windshield (36) being a part of the front body part (30) is located in front of the central part of the steering arrangement. In order to protect the rider during a frontal crash, an airbag module comprising an inflator, a deployable airbag cushion (80), and an accommodation device accommodating the inflatable airbag cushion (80) in its non-deployed state is provided. The accommodation device has an openable deployment opening pointing upwards such that the airbag cushion (80) deploys initially in an upwards direction. The accommodation device is located at the central part, or at the front part (30) in longitudinal direction in front of the central part of the steering arrangement (50). In order to enhance the restraining performance of the airbag cushion (80), the fully deployed airbag cushion (80) has a rear section (86) being in the longitudinal direction located rear of central part of the steering arrangement (50), and a front section (83) being located in longitudinal direction (X) in front of the accommodation device (72), wherein at least a foremost (84) section of the front section (83) is located between the windshield (36) and an upper surface of the front part (30) of the main part.

Description

Scooter-type vehicle with top mounted airbag module

Description

The invention relates to a scooter-type vehicle comprising an airbag-based protection device according to the preamble of claim 1 , to an airbag module adapted for being a part of such a scooter-type vehicle according to claim 9 and to a safety device adapted for being a part of such scooter-type vehicle according to claim 10.

Scooter-type vehicles become more and more popular, especially for the use in urban areas. Such a scooter-type vehicle is - like a motorcycle - a single track vehicle, such that its width is relatively small compared to a regular passenger car. In addition, a scooter-type vehicle is usually also shorter than a passenger car and thus this compact vehicle is very suitable for urban traffic. Compared to a “regular” motorcycle such a scooter-type vehicle is often easier to drive and the rider has a slightly better weather protection, especially since his legs are protected on the front side.

Such a scooter-type vehicle comprises a main body part which again comprises a rear body part and a front body part. Typical for a scooter-type vehicle is that the front body part comprises a rear surface pointing substantially towards the rider’s knees and shins, such that a free space is provided between the rear body part and the front body part (namely its rear surface), and at least one footrest extends below this free space. In some embodiments of scooter-type vehicles, this free space extends to the footrest, such that a single, rather large footrest is provided for both feet of the rider. In other embodiments, a middle body part extends between the rear part and the front part, such that two foot rests are provided, one left of this middle body part and one right of this middle body part. In any case, the parts of the legs of the rider are located rear of the rear surface of the front body part, such that they are at least to some extend protected from weather conditions.

A steering arrangement is supported at the front body part in a swiveling manner (substantially in the same way as it is known from motorcycles). This steering arrangement supports the front wheel (or in some rare embodiments the front wheels) of the scooter-type vehicle. This steering arrangement usually comprises a shank (or clevis or fork) that carries a clevis end or other central part at its top end. A left handlebar section and a right handlebar section extend from this central part, such that the front wheel can be steered by the rider. These handlebar sections can be separate parts or sections of a joint handlebar.

Often, the scooter-type vehicle further comprises a small windshield at the front. This windshield is often located below the line of sight of the rider, so it does not necessarily need to be made of a transparent material. One feature of such a windshield that is essential for the invention described hereinafter is that it has a rear (or inner) surface. This rear surface points to the rear and usually downwards. In case the windshield is a part of the front body part, it usually points towards the upper surface of the body part that is located in front of the central part of the steering arrangement, usually in such a way the inner surface of the windshield and the upper surface of the front body part enclose an acute angle.

Since such a scooter-type vehicle does of course not comprise a complete chassis like a passenger car, the rider of such a scooter-type vehicle is not very well protected in case of an accident. So, efforts have been made to protect the rider by means of a protection device comprising an airbag module having an inflator, an inflatable airbag and an accommodation device (which usually is or comprises a housing) which accommodates the non-deployed airbag as is well known in the field of automotive technology. The airbag comprises of course an airbag cushion defining the outer skin of the airbag and enclosing a gas space filled by gas of the inflator. The airbag may further comprise tethers or the like inside the airbag cushion. In most cases, the geometry is chosen such that at least a part of the fully deployed airbag cushion is located in front of the rider’s head and/ or thorax.

The protection device additionally comprises at least one accident-related sensor and a control unit being “fed” by this accident-related sensor and programmed in such a way that it triggers the inflator in case that an accident or likely occurring accident is detected based on the signals of the at least one accident-related sensor. In some cases, the sensor and the control unit can be an integrated electronic unit, especially if the accident-related sensor is an acceleration sensor.

Two main concepts for positioning the airbag module are known. In one concept, the airbag module is mounted at or behind the rear surface of the front body part. As already described, this is the surface that is located in front of the free space and that points towards the rider’s knees and chins. An airbag module is in this case usually essentially mounted at the height of the seating and the deployment opening of the housing is substantially orientated in the YZ-plane such that the initial deployment direction of the airbag is the horizontal direction. Such a concept is for example known shown in EP 3 450 289 A1 . Due to this geometry, there exists a certain risk that the deploying airbag gets stuck at the rider’s knees such that the cushion does not reach its intended position in front of the head and/ or thorax of the rider.

In another concept, the airbag module is essentially “top mounted”, for example behind an upper surface of a front body part between the central part (clevis head) of the steering arrangement and a front end of the front part which can be in form of a - often rather small - windshield. Such a concept is for example shown in generic WO 2017/208992 A1 . A drawback of the geometry shown here is that the distance between the rider and airbag cushion is large such that the rider cannot be restraint in here/his sitting position.

Starting form this prior art, it is an object of the invention to improve a generic scootertype vehicle in such a way that the protection provided by the airbag-based protection device is improved.

This task is solved by a scooter-type vehicle having the features of claim 1 . An airbag module adapted for being a part of such a scooter-type vehicle is defined in claim 9 and a safety device adapted for being a part of such a scooter-type vehicle is defined in claim 10.

According to the invention, the fully deployed cushion has a rear section being in the longitudinal direction located rear of central part - and thus rear of the handlebar - of the steering arrangement, and a front section being located in longitudinal direction in front of the accommodation device, such that the airbag cushion has a substantial length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Because of this, an impact surface of the deployed cushion can be located close to the head and/ or thorax of the rider and the deployed airbag cushion can be supported at its front end. For this support, the space between the rear surface of the windshield and the upper surface of the front body part is used. For this reason, the front section of the deployed cushion comprises a foremost section that extends into the space between the windshield (namely the rear surface of the windshield and the upper surface of the front body part, such that at least this foremost section can be supported by the rear surface of the windshield and the upper surface of the front body part. By this geometry, a stable “locking” for the airbag cushion is provided, especially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and thus the head and/ or thorax of the riders is very good supported by the cushion, since the cushion cannot bend or tilt away.

In order to compensate for the “un-ability” of the cushion to bend or tilt away, the cushion preferably comprises at least one ventilation device, for example in form of a simple vent hole in the airbag cushion. Because of the support that is provided, the airbag cushion behaves substantially like a frontal airbag in a passenger car and thus it might in many geometries be too hard, if no ventilation is provided.

The space provided between the windshield and the upper surface of the front body part is often wedge-shaped and for this reason it is often preferred that also the foremost section of the front section of cushion has an essentially wedge-shaped cross-section in the XZ-plane. Especially, the foremost section can have an upper supported surface conforming essentially to the rear surface of the windshield and a lower supported surface conforming essentially to the upper surface of the front body part.

In order to provide a sufficient support and anchoring, the volume of the foremost section preferably amounts to at least five percent of the total volume enclosed by the main cushion.

In order to further enhance the positioning and locking of the airbag cushion to front body part of the vehicle, it can in some embodiments be preferred that the rear section of the airbag cushion has a lower end section being that is positioned in front of the rear surface of the front body at the height of the knees of the rider, such that this lower end section is clamped between the rear surface of the front body part and the rider’s knees when the rider moved towards the front body part in case of an accident due to inertia forces. This lower end section can be in form of an additional cushion being attached to and being in fluid communication with a main cushion such that the airbag cushion comprises a main cushion and an additional cushion. But it is also possible that this lower end section is a part of a single cushion. This clamping can is some embodiments help to improve the temporary positioning of the airbag cushion at the front body part.

Because of the position of the airbag module, especially the position of the deployment opening, a part of the main cushion is located between the arms of the rider when the rider has his/ her hands on the handlebar grips which are located on the handlebar sections. For this reason it usually preferred that the distance between these handlebar grips exceeds the width of the fully deployed main cushion.

Further preferred features and details of the invention are disclosed in the sub-claims and in the embodiments described now in view of the accompanying figures.

The invention will now be described in more detail by means of preferred embodiments in view of the figures. The Figures show:

Figure 1 a schematic side view onto a scooter-type vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 the scooter-type vehicle of Figure 1 with the airbag cushion of its protection device being fully deployed,

Figure 3 a very schematically plane view from direction R in Figure 2, but only showing some selected elements,

Figure 4 essentially a part of what is shown in Figure 2 in a still more schematic representation, but with a slightly different geometry, Figure 5 what is shown in Figure 4 after the rider has hit the impact surface of the airbag cushion,

Figure 6 a second embodiment in the representation of Figure 1 ,

Figure 7 what is shown in Figure 6 after the rider moved forward due to inertia forces,

Figure 8 a variation to what is shown in Figure 6,

Figure 9 a third embodiment in a representation according to Figures 1 , 6 and 8,

Figure 10 a fourth embodiment in a representation according to Figures 1 , 6, 8, and 9.

Figures 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the invention, wherein Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the inventive scooter-type vehicle with the airbag of an airbag module being a part of the scooter-type vehicle not being deployed (the normal operating state of the scooter-type vehicle). Some hidden parts are shown in dashed lines and a rider sitting on this scooter-type vehicle is also shown. Figure 2 shows the same as Figure 1 but with the airbag of the airbag module being deployed. Figure 2a is a detail of Figure 2, and Figure 3 shows the deployed airbag and the handlebar sections in a plan view. Figures 4 and 5 show the essentials of the invention in an even reduced form and with a slightly different geometry.

The airbag module whose position relative to the other parts of the scooter-type vehicle and whose details will now be described in detail form or is a part of a safety device that further comprises at least one accident-related sensor and a control unit for an inflator being a part of the airbag module and being in fluid communication with the airbag of the airbag module. The airbag comprises an airbag cushion 80 forming the outer skin of the airbag and enclosing a gas space. Inner tethers or the like can additionally be provided, but are not shown. Possible crash-relevant sensors could for example be: An acceleration sensor, an in-crash-senor (a sensor that is sensitive for example to a deformation of a part of the scooter-type vehicle), a camera, a radar, or a LIDAR. If only an acceleration sensor is provided, it is possible to integrate all parts of the safety device into the airbag module. In other cases, some parts (for example a camera) needs to remote from the airbag module.

The scooter-type vehicle extends - of course - from a rear end 1 1 to a front end 12 and comprises, as every scooter-type vehicle, a main body part 20 and a steering arrangement 50 being supported at the main part 20. The main body part 20 comprises (shown in dashed lines) a frame 21 , which is most often completely hidden. As is typical for scooter-type vehicles 10, the main body part 20 comprises a rear body part 22 and a front body part 30 in such a way that a free space F is provided between the rear body part 22 and the front body part 30. This free space F is located in front of a seating 23 which is a part of the rear body part 22. At least one footrest 24 is provided and at least a section of such a footrest 24 is located below the free space F. In the embodiment shown, two footrests 24 are provided (left footrest and right footrest) and a middle part 26 extends between those two footrests. This middle body part connects the rear body part 22 with the front body part 30. In other embodiments, only one footrest 24 is provided and the free space F extends to this footrest (meaning that no middle part is provided above the footrest and the rear body part and the front body part are connected by a section of the frame extending below the foot or inside the footrest).

As has been mentioned, the steering arrangement 50 is attached to the frame 21 at the front body part 30. This steering arrangement 50 comprises a shank 52 (or clevis or fork) at which the front wheel 102 is held. The top end of the steering arrangement is formed by a central part 54 (a clevis end) and two handlebar sections, namely a right handlebar section 61 (shown in Figure 1 ) and a left handlebar section extend from this central part 54. Those handlebar sections can be separate parts or parts of a joined handlebar. Each handlebar section 61 , 62 carries a grip 61 a, 62a (shown for example in Figure 3).

A windshield 36 is located in front of the central part 54 of the steering arrangement and forms the front end of the front body part 30. The windshield can be transparent, but since it is out the rider’s line of sight, it can also be non-transparent. The windshield has a rear surface 36a pointing downwards and to the rear.

As has been mentioned, an airbag module 70 is provided and this airbag module 70 is located on top of the central part 54, or it is integral with the same, wherein it is usually preferred that the airbag module is a separate unit that can be separately assembled an mounted to the central part of the steering assembly. In the embodiment shown, the airbag module 70 is located on top of this central part 54. As can best be seen from Figure 2a, this airbag module 70 comprises an accommodation device 72, an inflator 76 and an airbag which is in its un-deployed state (Figure 1 ) accommodated in the accommodation device 72. As has been mentioned, the airbag of the airbag module comprises an airbag cushion 80 forming the outer skin of the airbag. The airbag may additionally comprise inner tethers or the like (not shown). Relevant is the shape of the fully deployed airbag cushion 80 that is identical with the shape of the airbag.

The accommodation device 72 has a housing section 73 having a deployment opening 74 and a door 75 which initially closes the deployment opening 74. This door 75 can be integral with the housing section 73, for example in such a way that split lines and at least one hinge with reduced wall thickness are provided to separate the door 75 for the housing section 73 as is generally known. The housing section itself can be comprised of more than one part. Relevant for the invention is the orientation of the deployment opening 74 that points upwards. “Pointing upwards” means that the surface normal N of the plane P defined by the deployment opening 74 has a portion in Z-direction. Usually this portion is the larger portion, meaning the surface normal N and the Z-direction encloses an angle a less than 45°. The surface normal N could be parallel to the Z-direction, but usually, the surface normal has a portion pointing towards the rider. This means that the initial deployment direction of the airbag cushion 80 is also upwards and usually (and shown) slightly towards the rider (essentially in the direction of the surface normal N).

The inventive design of the airbag cushion 80 will now be described in view of Figures 2, 3 and 4. One aspect is shown in Figure 3, namely that the width w of the fully deployed airbag cushion 80 (meaning its dimension in Y-direction) is less than the distance between the two grips 61 a and 62a, such that the deploying airbag cushion 80 does not hit the hands and the arms of the rider such that the airbag can deploy towards the thorax of this rider.

The fully deployed airbag cushion 80 has a rear section 86 being located rear of the central part 54 and a front section located in front of the central part 54. The rear section 86 comprises an impact surface 86a. In the geometry shown in Figure 2, the impact surface 86a is located essentially in front of the thorax of the rider, but - as is shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rear section of the airbag cushion 80 can also extend to a higher position such that the impact surface is essentially or additionally located in front of the head of the rider. Additionally, the fully deployed cushion 80 comprises a front section 83 in front of the central part 54 and this front section 83 has a foremost section 84 that extends between the space between an upper surface 34 of the front body part 30 in front of the central part 54 and the rear surface 36a of the windshield 36. This foremost section 84 is preferably wedge-shaped such that it comprises an upper supported surface 84a and a lower supported surface 84b and fits in the just mentioned space. This foremost section 84 locks the deployed airbag cushion 80 to the front part of the vehicle and this locking is even enhanced when the rider (especially his/ her thorax or head (as shown in Figure 5) impacts the impact surface and presses the cushion as a whole towards the front of the scooter-type vehicle. This effect is even enhanced by the overall wedge-shape of the front section 83.

Due to its support via its foremost section, the airbag cushion 80 cannot bent away “as a whole” and for this reason, a vent hole 82 is provided in the airbag cushion 80, preferably in a sidewall thereof, such that the airbag cushion 80 is sufficiently soft the rider hits the impact surface of the airbag cushion 80.

Figure 6 shows a second embodiment. In this embodiment, the rear section 86 of the airbag cushion 80 extends further down such that it comprises a lower end section 90 that is located rear of an upper end of the rear surface 32 of the front body 30, such that it extends essentially to the height of the seating 23 and the position of the rider’s knees respectively. By this, an additional knee protection is provided and an additional clamping can take place when the rider moved towards the front during an accident due to inertia forces: The lower end section 90 is clamped between the rider’s knees and the rear surface 32 of the front body part and so the airbag cushion 80 is “secured” to the front body part of the vehicle at two locations, namely at the rear end of the airbag cushion 80 and at the front end of the airbag cushion 80. Such a “rear end clamping” could also be provided if no windshield is present and/ or the airbag cushion does not comprise a front section.

As shown in Figure 8, the additional cushion can also being form of an additional cushion being attached to a main cushion 81 and being in fluid communication to the same. By this measure, a more distinct anchoring part of the airbag cushion 80 can be generated.

Locating the airbag module at the central part of the steering arrangement is often preferred since in this case no measures have to be taken in order to ensure that the deploying airbag does not get stuck at parts of the steering arrangement (especially its central part or its handlebar section), but as is shown 9 and 10, it is also possible to locate the airbag module 70 in front of the central part 54 and the handlebar sections at or below the upper surface 34 of the front body part. In this case, the main cushion can have a “banana shape”.

List of reference signs

10 scooter-type vehicle

11 rear end

12 front end

20 main body part

21 frame

22 rear part of main body part

23 seating

24 footrest

26 middle body part

30 front body part of main body part

32 rear surface (facing the rider’s legs)

34 upper surface (between the central part of the steering arrangement and the windshield)

36 windshield

36a inner surface of windshield

50 steering arrangement

52 shank (or clevis or fork)

54 central part (clevis end)

61 right handlebar section

61 a grip on right handlebar section

62 left handlebar section

62a grip on left handlebar section

70 airbag module

72 accommodation device

73 housing section

74 deployment opening

75 door

76 inflator

80 airbag cushion

81 main airbag cushion

82 vent hole

83 front section of airbag cushion 84 foremost section of front section 84a upper support surface 84b lower support surface 86 rear section of airbag cushion 86a impact surface 88 gas space 90 lower end section of rear section

92 additional cushion 100 rear wheel

102 front wheel F free space d distance of handlebar grips in transverse direction w width of fully inflated (deployed) cushion I Main cushion) X longitudinal direction Y transverse direction Y vertical direction

Claims

1 . A scooter-type vehicle (10) extending in a longitudinal direction (X) from a rear end (1 1 ) to a front end (12), said scooter-type vehicle comprising: a main body part (20) with a rear body part (22) and a front body part (30), wherein a free space (F) is provided between the rear body part (22) and the front body part (30), wherein the rear body part comprises a seating (23) and wherein at least one foot rest (24) extends between the rear bod part (22) and the front body part (30) below the free space (F), and a steering arrangement (50) being supported on the front body part (30), said steering arrangement being swivel-mounted to the front body part (30) and comprising a central part (54) from which a right handlebar section (61 ) and a left handlebar section (62) extend, a windshield (36) being a part of the front body part (30), said windshield (36) being in the longitudinal direction (X) located in front of the central part (54) of the steering arrangement (50), an airbag module (70) comprising an inflator (74), a deployable airbag cushion (80), and an accommodation device (72) accommodating the airbag cushion (80) in its non-deployed state, wherein the deployable airbag cushion (80) encloses a gas space being in fluid communication with the inflator (74), the accommodation device (72) has an openable deployment opening (74) through which the deployed airbag cushion (80) extends, the accommodation device (72) is located at the central part (54), or at the front part (30) in longitudinal direction (X) in front of the central part (54) of the steering arrangement (50), and the deployment opening (74) of the accommodation device (72) points upwards, such that in an initial deployment phase, the deployment direction of the airbag cushion (80) has a vertical component, characterized in that the fully deployed airbag cushion (80) has a rear section (86) being in the longitudinal direction (X) located rear of central part (54) of the steering arrangement (50), and a front section (83) being located in longitudinal direction (X) in front of the accommodation device (72), wherein at least a foremost (84) section of the front section (83) is located between the windshield (36) and an upper surface (34) of the front part of the main part (20).

2. The scooter-type vehicle of claim 1 , characterized in that the airbag module (70) comprises at least one ventilation device.

3. The scooter-type vehicle of claim 2, characterized in that the ventilation device comprises a vent hole (82) in the airbag cushion (80).

4. The scooter-type vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the foremost section (84) has an essentially wedge-shaped crosssection.

5. The scooter-type vehicle of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foremost section (84) of the airbag cushion (80) encloses at least five percent of the total volume enclose by the airbag cushion (80).

6. The scooter-type vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear section (86) of the airbag cushion (80) has a lower end section (90) that extends to a position rear of rear surface (32) of the front body part (30), preferably to the height or below the height of the seating (23).

7. The scooter-type vehicle of claim 6, characterized in that the airbag cushion (80) comprises a main cushion (81 ) and an additional cushion (92), wherein the additional cushion (92) forms at least a part of the lower end section (90) of the airbag cushion (80)

8. The scooter-type vehicle of at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each handlebar section (61 , 62) carries a handlebar grip (61 a, 62a) and that the distance (d) between these handlebar grips exceeds the width (w) of the fully deployed airbag cushion (80).

9. An airbag module (70) adapted for being a part of a scooter-type vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A safety device adapted for being a part of a scooter-type vehicle of at least one of claims 1 to 8 and comprising the airbag module (70) of claim 9, characterized in that the safety device further comprises at least one accident-related sensor and a control unit being in communication with the accident-related sensor and the inflator (76) of the airbag module (70).