Containment impact protection system
First Claim
1. A containment impact protection system for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a barrier panel attachable to a roof rail of the vehicle, the barrier panel deployable from a stored state to a deployed state, wherein the barrier panel substantially covers at least one side window of the vehicle when in the deployed state;
an inflatable cushion provided longitudinally along a bottom portion of the barrier panel;
an inflatable tube structure having an inflatable tube member and a tensioning device connectable to structural members of the vehicle on opposite sides of the at least one side window, the tensioning device producing a longitudinal tension in response to the inflation of the inflatable tube member operative to deploy the barrier panel;
at least one sling attached to the barrier panel, the at least one sling supporting the inflatable tube structure above the inflatable cushion substantially parallel to the bottom of the barrier panel; and
an inflator for producing a gas rapidly inflating the inflatable cushion and the inflatable tube member in response to a transverse acceleration above a predetermined value.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A containment impact protection system having a deployable barrier panel substantially covers the side windows of the vehicle when the system is deployed. A longitudinally disposed inflatable tube member is attached to the barrier panel at a location approximately halfway between the top and bottom of the windows. A tensioning device responsive to the inflation of the inflatable tube member produces a force deploying the barrier panel from a stored state to a deployed state. A longitudinal inflatable cushion is provided between the inflatable tube member and the bottom of the barrier panel.
16 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A containment impact protection system for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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a barrier panel attachable to a roof rail of the vehicle, the barrier panel deployable from a stored state to a deployed state, wherein the barrier panel substantially covers at least one side window of the vehicle when in the deployed state;
an inflatable cushion provided longitudinally along a bottom portion of the barrier panel;
an inflatable tube structure having an inflatable tube member and a tensioning device connectable to structural members of the vehicle on opposite sides of the at least one side window, the tensioning device producing a longitudinal tension in response to the inflation of the inflatable tube member operative to deploy the barrier panel;
at least one sling attached to the barrier panel, the at least one sling supporting the inflatable tube structure above the inflatable cushion substantially parallel to the bottom of the barrier panel; and
an inflator for producing a gas rapidly inflating the inflatable cushion and the inflatable tube member in response to a transverse acceleration above a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A containment impact protection system for use in a vehicle having at least two side windows on each side of the vehicle, the protection system comprising:
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a barrier panel attachable to structural members of the vehicle above the two windows, the barrier panel having a stored state and a deployed state, in the deployed state the barrier panel substantially covers the at least two windows;
an inflatable tube member slidably attached to the barrier panel at a location approximately halfway between the top and bottom of the windows;
a tensioning device connectable to structural members of the vehicle on opposite sides of the two windows, the tensioning device responsive to the inflation of the inflatable tube member to produce a tensioning force deploying the barrier panel; and
an inflatable cushion provided longitudinally along the bottom portion of the barrier panel, the inflatable cushion covering the two windows in the region between the inflatable tube structure to the bottom of the barrier panel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification