Dual plane head protection air bag system
First Claim
1. An inflatable air bag system for use in the cushioning protection of an occupant within a transportation vehicle having a windshield disposed forward of the occupant and a structural framework including an elongate roof rail extending adjacent the upper edge of the windshield and a lateral pillar element extending downwardly away from the roof rail along a lateral side of the windshield, the airbag system comprising:
- an inflator for generating inflation gas; and
an inflatable air bag cushion in fluid communication with the inflator to receive the inflation gas, wherein the air bag cushion includes a first inflatable chamber disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the lateral pillar element and a second inflatable chamber disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the roof rail, the first inflatable chamber being in fluid communication with the second inflatable chamber such that upon introduction of the inflation gas into the inflatable air bag cushion, both the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber are caused to inflate whereby the first inflatable chamber expands between the occupant and at least a portion of the lateral pillar element and whereby the second inflatable chamber expands in covering relation over at least a portion of the roof rail.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inflatable air bag cushion for impact protection across a forward portion of a vehicle framework. The air bag cushion includes a first inflatable chamber of substantially wedge-shaped geometry deployable from a storage position along the “A” pillar of a vehicle in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the vehicle and a second inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the first inflatable chamber deployable in covering relation over the forward roof rail extending toward the occupant to be protected in a plane intersecting the plane of coverage established by the first inflatable chamber.
16 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An inflatable air bag system for use in the cushioning protection of an occupant within a transportation vehicle having a windshield disposed forward of the occupant and a structural framework including an elongate roof rail extending adjacent the upper edge of the windshield and a lateral pillar element extending downwardly away from the roof rail along a lateral side of the windshield, the airbag system comprising:
an inflator for generating inflation gas; and
an inflatable air bag cushion in fluid communication with the inflator to receive the inflation gas, wherein the air bag cushion includes a first inflatable chamber disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the lateral pillar element and a second inflatable chamber disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the roof rail, the first inflatable chamber being in fluid communication with the second inflatable chamber such that upon introduction of the inflation gas into the inflatable air bag cushion, both the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber are caused to inflate whereby the first inflatable chamber expands between the occupant and at least a portion of the lateral pillar element and whereby the second inflatable chamber expands in covering relation over at least a portion of the roof rail.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An inflatable air bag system for use in the cushioning protection of an occupant within a transportation vehicle having a windshield disposed forward of the occupant and a structural framework including an elongate roof rail extending adjacent the upper edge of the windshield and a lateral pillar element extending downwardly away from the roof rail along a lateral side of the windshield, the airbag system comprising:
an inflator for generating inflation gas; and
an inflatable air bag cushion in fluid communication with the inflator to receive the inflation gas, wherein the air bag cushion includes a first inflatable chamber of substantially wedge-shaped geometry including a mouth opening for acceptance of the inflation gas from the inflator, wherein the first inflatable chamber is disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the lateral pillar element, the inflatable air bag cushion further including a second inflatable chamber disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the roof rail, the first inflatable chamber being in fluid communication with the second inflatable chamber such that upon introduction of the inflation gas into the inflatable air bag cushion, both the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber are caused to inflate whereby the first inflatable chamber expands between the occupant and at least a portion of the lateral pillar element and whereby the second inflatable chamber expands in covering relation over at least a portion of the roof rail.- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An inflatable air bag system for use in the cushioning protection of an occupant within a transportation vehicle having a windshield disposed forward of the occupant and a structural framework including an elongate roof rail extending adjacent the upper edge of the windshield and a lateral pillar element extending downwardly away from the roof rail along a lateral side of the windshield, the airbag system comprising:
an inflator for generating inflation gas; and
an inflatable air bag cushion in fluid communication with the inflator to receive the inflation gas, wherein the air bag cushion includes a first inflatable chamber and a second inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the first inflatable chamber, the first inflatable chamber being of a substantially wedge-shaped geometry extending at a substantially obtuse angle away from the second inflatable chamber towards a mouth opening for acceptance of the inflation gas from the inflator, the air bag cushion including a downwardly extending perimeter indentation extending partially across the air bag cushion substantially at the intersection between the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber, the perimeter indentation being disposed at the intersection between the roof rail and the lateral pillar element, the first inflatable chamber being disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the lateral pillar element, and the second inflatable chamber being disposed in fixed relation along at least a portion of the roof rail such that upon introduction of the inflation gas into the inflatable air bag cushion, both the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber are caused to inflate whereby the first inflatable chamber expands between the occupant and at least a portion of the lateral pillar element and whereby the second inflatable chamber expands in covering relation over at least a portion of the roof rail.
Specification