Patents by Inventor Gerd Zischka

Gerd Zischka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11919471
    Abstract: An airbag module (10) for a restraint device (14) includes an airbag (24), in particular a seat-integrated side airbag, and a slidable actuator (40), wherein the airbag (24) has at least a first chamber (26) and at least a second chamber (28) which are fluidically connected to each other via a fluid communication, wherein the actuator (40) has a blocking position in which the fluid communication is blocked and a release position in which the fluid communication is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Marco Wahl, Gerd Zischka
  • Patent number: 11858447
    Abstract: An occupant restraint system (30) comprises a seat (14), at least one airbag integrated in the seat (14) and an airbag control device. The seat (14) is adjustable at least between a first seating position and a second seating position, the seat (14) in the second seating position having an orientation (A) that is rotated vis-à-vis the first seating position about an angle of rotation (?) from 170° to 190°. The airbag has a first inflated state and a second inflated state in which the airbag has an external geometry different from the one in the first inflated state. Accordingly, the airbag control device is arranged so that, in the case of need, the airbag adopts the first inflated state when the seat (14) is in the first seating position, and the airbag adopts the second inflated state when the seat (14) is in the second seating position. Further, a vehicle (10) comprising such an occupant restraint system (30) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventor: Gerd Zischka
  • Publication number: 20230365096
    Abstract: In a vehicle occupant protection system, a gas generator assembly (12) comprises at least one separate support (24) mountable to the vehicle and at least two gas generators (16, 18) which are tightly mounted on the support (24). A control unit (22) determines the times of activation of the at least two gas generators (16, 18) simultaneously or time-delayed in order to be able to activate one of the gas generators (16, 18) already in advance of a possibly imminent crash situation so that the airbag (14) is filled in such a way that it starts an interaction with an associated vehicle occupant which moves the vehicle occupant by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Dominique ACKER, Gerd ZISCHKA, Marco WAHL, Tillmann HERWIG, Markus FEIL
  • Patent number: 11780396
    Abstract: An airbag control device for controlling the volume of an airbag (10) of a restraining means, comprising an inflator (14) for inflating the airbag (10) and an electrically controllable decoupling device (22) for tension means via which the geometry of the airbag (10) can be varied, is characterized in that the inflator (14) and the decoupling device (22) are fluid-communicated and the decoupling device (22) includes at least one outlet opening (36) the cross-section of which is variable by an electrically controllable actuator (46) and through which gas can escape from the inflator (14) to the atmosphere. Moreover, the invention describes an airbag unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignees: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH, AUDI AG
    Inventor: Gerd Zischka
  • Patent number: 11554745
    Abstract: An airbag module (10) comprises an airbag (14) and an elongate inflator (12) having at least one laterally projecting fastening bolt (36), wherein the airbag (14) comprises a cushion portion (24) and an insertion portion (26) for receiving the inflator (12) in an inserting direction (R), wherein the insertion portion (26) is arranged, with the airbag (14) being not inflated and flatly spread, on a side of the cushion portion (24) and includes one boundary (30) close to the cushion portion (24) and one boundary (32) remote from the cushion portion (24). The flatly spread airbag (14) has a front peripheral portion (20) and an opposed rear peripheral portion (22). The insertion portion (26) is wider than a diameter (d) of the inflator (12) and has at least one hole (38) for the fastening bolt (36) of the inflator (12) to pass through. The insertion portion (26) is angled toward the insertion opening (28) on the side remote from the cushion portion (24) opposed to the adjacent rear peripheral portion (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignees: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Gerd Zischka, Marco Wahl
  • Publication number: 20220332269
    Abstract: An occupant restraint system (30) comprises a seat (14), at least one airbag integrated in the seat (14) and an airbag control device. The seat (14) is adjustable at least between a first seating position and a second seating position, the seat (14) in the second seating position having an orientation (A) that is rotated vis-à-vis the first seating position about an angle of rotation (?) from 170° to 190°. The airbag has a first inflated state and a second inflated state in which the airbag has an external geometry different from the one in the first inflated state. Accordingly, the airbag control device is arranged so that, in the case of need, the airbag adopts the first inflated state when the seat (14) is in the first seating position, and the airbag adopts the second inflated state when the seat (14) is in the second seating position. Further, a vehicle (10) comprising such an occupant restraint system (30) is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventor: Gerd ZISCHKA
  • Publication number: 20220227328
    Abstract: An airbag venting device (10) for controlling an internal pressure of an airbag (12) of a vehicle occupant safety system (5) comprises a housing (24) which includes a first flow orifice (18) facing away from the airbag (12) and a second flow orifice (20) facing the airbag (12), wherein the housing (24) has an axial total length (26), the first flow orifice (18) has a first axial opening length (34) and the second flow orifice (20) has a second axial opening length (34). Moreover, the airbag venting device (10) includes an adjustable closure element (22) assigned to the housing (24) which, in a closing position, closes and, in an open position, releases at least one of the two flow orifices (18, 20), and an actuator device (30) provided at a front end (28) of the housing (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Gerd ZISCHKA, Jürgen SCHERR, Rolf RUCKDESCHEL
  • Publication number: 20220169200
    Abstract: An airbag module (10) for a restraint device (14) includes an airbag (24), in particular a seat-integrated side airbag, and a slidable actuator (40), wherein the airbag (24) has at least a first chamber (26) and at least a second chamber (28) which are fluidically connected to each other via a fluid communication, wherein the actuator (40) has a blocking position in which the fluid communication is blocked and a release position in which the fluid communication is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Marco WAHL, Gerd ZISCHKA
  • Publication number: 20220161753
    Abstract: A side airbag module (24) for a restraint device has a side airbag (26), in particular a seat-integrated side airbag (26), wherein the side airbag (26) includes at least a first chamber (32) and at least a second chamber (34) provided above the first chamber (32) which are fluidically connected to each other via a fluid communication, and wherein, in a first activated state of the side airbag module (24), a first pressure (p1) prevails in the first chamber (32) and, in a second activated state, a second pressure (p2) prevails in the first chamber (32) and in the second chamber (34), the first pressure (p1) being higher than the second pressure (p2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Marco WAHL, Gerd ZISCHKA, Karel JIRICKA, Christian WEISS
  • Publication number: 20220001825
    Abstract: An airbag module (10) comprises an airbag (14) and an elongate inflator (12) having at least one laterally projecting fastening bolt (36), wherein the airbag (14) comprises a cushion portion (24) and an insertion portion (26) for receiving the inflator (12) in an inserting direction (R), wherein the insertion portion (26) is arranged, with the airbag (14) being not inflated and flatly spread, on a side of the cushion portion (24) and includes one boundary (30) close to the cushion portion (24) and one boundary (32) remote from the cushion portion (24). The flatly spread airbag (14) has a front peripheral portion (20) and an opposed rear peripheral portion (22). The insertion portion (26) is wider than a diameter (d) of the inflator (12) and has at least one hole (38) for the fastening bolt (36) of the inflator (12) to pass through. The insertion portion (26) is angled toward the insertion opening (28) on the side remote from the cushion portion (24) opposed to the adjacent rear peripheral portion (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Gerd ZISCHKA, Marco WAHL
  • Publication number: 20210300285
    Abstract: An airbag control device for controlling the volume of an airbag (10) of a restraining means, comprising an inflator (14) for inflating the airbag (10) and an electrically controllable decoupling device (22) for tension means via which the geometry of the airbag (10) can be varied, is characterized in that the inflator (14) and the decoupling device (22) are fluid-communicated and the decoupling device (22) includes at least one outlet opening (36) the cross-section of which is variable by an electrically controllable actuator (46) and through which gas can escape from the inflator (14) to the atmosphere. Moreover, the invention describes an airbag unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: Gerd ZISCHKA
  • Patent number: 11124148
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint device (10) comprises a pre-assembled head side airbag module (12) installed in a backrest (14) of a vehicle seat (16) and including an airbag (28) which deploys between two places adjacent transversely to the longitudinal vehicle direction and reduces lateral oscillation of a vehicle occupant toward an adjacent vehicle seat and/or an adjacent vehicle occupant. The head side airbag module (12) comprises a module housing (32) surrounding the airbag (28) at least partially in the installed condition which includes a guiding portion (34) extending on the side of the airbag (28) and exerting a force (F) upon the deploying airbag (28) so that during deployment the latter is pressed in the direction of the vehicle occupant to be restrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Gerd Zischka, Dominique Acker, Jürgen Scherr, Marco Wahl
  • Publication number: 20190047507
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint device (10) comprises a pre-assembled head side airbag module (12) installed in a backrest (14) of a vehicle seat (16) and including an airbag (28) which deploys between two places adjacent transversely to the longitudinal vehicle direction and reduces lateral oscillation of a vehicle occupant toward an adjacent vehicle seat and, resp., vehicle occupant. The head side airbag module (12) comprises a module housing (32) surrounding the airbag (28) at least partially in the installed condition which includes a guiding portion (34) extending on the side of the airbag (28) and exerting a force (F) upon the deploying airbag (28) so that during deployment the latter is pressed in the direction of the vehicle occupant to be restrained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Gerd Zischka, Dominique Acker, Jürgen Scherr, Marco Wahl
  • Patent number: 9061652
    Abstract: In a diffusor (14) for an inflator (10) of an airbag module including an outer wall (16) that encloses the inflator (10) at least in a discharge area (12) in the circumferential direction, wherein the outer wall (16) has a gap edge (18) extending substantially in the longitudinal direction (L) and is bent open along said gap edge (18) upon activation of the inflator (10) and a discharge direction for the gas is defined, it is provided that gas deflecting elements (24, 26) which influence the discharge direction of the gas discharged from the inflator (10) in the bent-open state of the diffusor (14) are provided at the outer wall (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Gerd Zischka, Stojan Bogdanovic, Andreas Loos, Jurgen Scherr
  • Publication number: 20140062072
    Abstract: In a diffusor (14) for an inflator (10) of an airbag module including an outer wall (16) that encloses the inflator (10) at least in a discharge area (12) in the circumferential direction, wherein the outer wall (16) has a gap edge (18) extending substantially in the longitudinal direction (L) and is bent open along said gap edge (18) upon activation of the inflator (10) and a discharge direction for the gas is defined, it is provided that gas deflecting elements (24, 26) which influence the discharge direction of the gas discharged from the inflator (10) in the bent-open state of the diffusor (14) are provided at the outer wall (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Gerd Zischka, Stojan Bogdanovic, Andreas Loos, Jurgen Scherr
  • Patent number: 8123249
    Abstract: A gas generator has an elongated outer housing, the wall of the outer housing surrounding at least one gas carrying inner chamber. An axially extending end section of the wall of the outer housing, which is separated from the inner chamber of the gas generator with regard to flow, is constructed as a fastening section and has at least one fastening structure for connecting the gas generator with a carrier part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Gerd Zischka
  • Patent number: 8091921
    Abstract: A gas generator has an outer housing with a gas outlet section having an outer wall. The gas outlet section has a first and a second outflow area. Each outflow area has a net thrust outflow direction. The net thrust outflow direction of the first outflow area has a first component in the lengthwise direction of the gas generator and the net thrust outflow direction of the second outflow area has a second component in the lengthwise direction of the gas generator. The first component is oriented opposite to the second component. The gas generator is arranged in an airbag module in a way that gas from the first and second outflow areas is guided into different inflatable sections of a gas bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Heigl, Gerd Zischka
  • Publication number: 20090121465
    Abstract: A gas generator has an elongated outer housing, the wall of the outer housing surrounding at least one gas carrying inner chamber. An axially extending end section of the wall of the outer housing, which is separated from the inner chamber of the gas generator with regard to flow, is constructed as a fastening section and has at least one fastening structure for connecting the gas generator with a carrier part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventor: Gerd Zischka
  • Publication number: 20080054610
    Abstract: A gas generator has an outer housing with a gas outlet section having an outer wall. The gas outlet section has a first and a second outflow area. Each outflow area has a net thrust outflow direction. The net thrust outflow direction of the first outflow area has a first component in the lengthwise direction of the gas generator and the net thrust outflow direction of the second outflow area has a second component in the lengthwise direction of the gas generator. The first component is oriented opposite to the second component. The gas generator is arranged in an airbag module in a way that gas from the first and second outflow areas is guided into different inflatable sections of a gas bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Juergen Heigl, Gerd Zischka
  • Publication number: 20080007035
    Abstract: In an airbag module having an airbag with at least one wall, and a gas guiding element which is rigid at least in sections and is made of plastic, the gas guiding element has a gas guiding portion in which several inside lying gas guiding channels are defined so as to lie side by side, which conduct gas from a gas generator in axially opposite directions to a first and a second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Andreas Loos, Gerd Zischka