Occupant restraint system
First Claim
1. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle comprising:
- an airbag that is disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening of a vehicle body;
an inflator for generating a gas when the vehicle is involved in a side collision to inflate the airbag so that it is deployed into a curtain shape along an inner face of a side of an occupant compartment; and
a seat belt system for restraining an occupant seated in a seat, the seat belt system comprising a shoulder belt and a pre-tensioner which is operable to apply tension to the shoulder belt when the vehicle is involved in a front collision;
wherein, prior to the airbag deploying into the occupant compartment when the vehicle is involved in a side collision, the pre-tensioner applies a tension to the shoulder belt.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular occupant restraint system includes an airbag, an inflator, and a seat belt system including a shoulder belt and a pre-tensioner. The airbag is disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening of a vehicle body. When the vehicle is involved in a side collision, the airbag is inflated by a gas generated by the inflator so that it is deployed into a curtain shape along an inner face of a side of an occupant compartment. Unlike conventional pre-tensioner systems that only tension a seatbelt when the vehicle is involved in a front collision, the pre-tensioner of the present invention also applies a tension to the shoulder belt of the seat belt system when the vehicle is involved in a side collision. Since a tension is applied to the shoulder belt by operation of the pre-tensioner that normally operates only when the vehicle is involved in a front collision, it is possible to maintain a correct positional relationship between the shoulder belt and an occupant even in the case where there is interference between the shoulder belt and the airbag that is deploying downward from above along the inner face of the side of the occupant compartment.
9 Citations
4 Claims
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1. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle comprising:
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an airbag that is disposed in a folded state along an upper edge of a door opening of a vehicle body;
an inflator for generating a gas when the vehicle is involved in a side collision to inflate the airbag so that it is deployed into a curtain shape along an inner face of a side of an occupant compartment; and
a seat belt system for restraining an occupant seated in a seat, the seat belt system comprising a shoulder belt and a pre-tensioner which is operable to apply tension to the shoulder belt when the vehicle is involved in a front collision;
wherein, prior to the airbag deploying into the occupant compartment when the vehicle is involved in a side collision, the pre-tensioner applies a tension to the shoulder belt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification