Inflatable side curtain
First Claim
1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position in which said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is rolled up in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure; and
an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof, a first portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to engage an occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle, said first portion moving the occupant'"'"'s head laterally in the vehicle and away from the vehicle side structure and inflating between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) inflatable into a position between a side structure (16) of a vehicle (12) and a vehicle occupant (252). The protection device (14) includes a forwardmost inflatable chamber (122). The protection device (14) is rolled up in an outboard direction into a stored position. An inflation fluid source (24) provides inflation fluid for inflating the device (14) for at least five seconds. The device (14) is adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof (18). A first portion (270) is adapted to engage an occupant'"'"'s head (250) positioned against the side structure (16). The first portion (270) moves the occupant'"'"'s head (250) laterally in the vehicle (12) away from the side structure (16) and inflates between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position in which said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is rolled up in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure; and
an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof, a first portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to engage an occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle, said first portion moving the occupant'"'"'s head laterally in the vehicle and away from the vehicle side structure and inflating between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including an inflatable first portion and an inflatable second portion, said first portion being the forwardmost positioned inflatable portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position in which said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is rolled up in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure; and
an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof and in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure, said second portion when inflated being adapted to engage initially an occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle, said first portion being initially deployed adjacent the vehicle side structure forward of and vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head, said second portion upon continued inflation unrolling in said outboard direction and said downward direction, said second portion moving the occupant'"'"'s head away from the vehicle side structure and inflating between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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21. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including an inflatable first portion and an inflatable second portion, said first portion being the rearwardmost positioned inflatable portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position in which said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is rolled up in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure; and
an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof and in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure, said second portion when inflated being adapted to engage initially an occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle, said first portion being initially deployed adjacent the vehicle side structure rearward of and vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head, said second portion upon continued inflation unrolling in said outboard direction and said downward direction, said second portion moving the occupant'"'"'s head away from the vehicle side structure and inflating between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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22. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including an inflatable first portion and an inflatable second portion, said first portion being the rearwardmost positioned inflatable portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device during a substantial portion of initial inflation of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position in which said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is rolled up in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure; and
an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof and in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure, said second portion when inflated being adapted to engage initially an occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle, said first portion being initially deployed adjacent the vehicle side structure rearward of and vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head, said second portion upon continued inflation unrolling in said outboard direction and said downward direction, said second portion moving the occupant'"'"'s head away from the vehicle side structure and inflating between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including an inflatable front chamber and at least one inflatable chamber positioned rearward of said front chamber, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position in which said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is rolled up in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure; and
an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof, said at least one chamber when inflated being adapted to engage initially an occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle, said front chamber being initially deployed adjacent the vehicle side structure forward of and vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device upon continued inflation inflating rearwardly from said front chamber to inflate said at least one chamber, said at least one chamber moving the occupant'"'"'s head away from the vehicle side structure and inflating between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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25. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including an inflatable rear chamber and at least one inflatable chamber positioned forward of said front chamber, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position in which said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is rolled up in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure; and
an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being adapted to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof, said at least one chamber when inflated being adapted to engage initially an occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle, said rear chamber being initially deployed adjacent the vehicle side structure rearward of and vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device upon continued inflation inflating forward from said rear chamber to inflate said at least one chamber, said at least one chamber moving the occupant'"'"'s head away from the vehicle side structure and inflating between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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26. A method for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, wherein a head of the occupant is positioned against the vehicle side structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including inflatable first and second portions, said first portion being the forwardmost positioned inflatable portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
providing an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
rolling up said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure and into a stored position;
adapting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof;
adapting said second portion to engage initially the occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle;
directing inflation fluid into said first portion to help initially deploy said first portion forward of and vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head and adjacent the vehicle side structure before said second portion is deployed vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head; and
adapting said second portion to move the occupant'"'"'s head away from the vehicle side structure and inflate between the vehicle side structure and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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27. A method for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, wherein a head of the occupant is positioned against the vehicle side structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including inflatable first and second portions, said first portion being the rearwardmost positioned inflatable portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
providing an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds;
rolling up said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an outboard direction towards the vehicle side structure and into a stored position;
adapting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to inflate and unroll in a downward direction away from the vehicle roof;
adapting said second portion to engage initially the occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure of the vehicle;
directing inflation fluid into said first portion to help initially deploy said first portion rearward of and vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head and adjacent the vehicle side structure before said second portion is deployed vertically below the top of the occupant'"'"'s head; and
adapting said second portion to move the occupant'"'"'s head away from the vehicle side structure and inflate between the vehicle side structure and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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Specification