Inflatable windshield curtain
First Claim
1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position extending along a forward edge of the vehicle roof at an upper edge of the windshield; and
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being inflatable from said stored position to a deployed position overlying the windshield, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device while in said deployed position covering the windshield from the driver side A pillar to the passenger side A pillar and from an upper edge of the windshield to a position near a lower edge of the windshield, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device while in said deployed position also covering the driver side A pillar and the passenger side A pillar.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) and an inflator (70). The protection device (14) is inflatable from a stored position along a forward edge (62) of a vehicle roof (40) to a deployed position overlying the windshield (50). The protection device (14) while in the deployed position covers the windshield (50) from an A pillar (30) on a driver side (20) of the vehicle (12) to an A pillar of a passenger side (22) of the vehicle and from an upper edge (56) of the windshield to a position near a lower edge (58) of the windshield. The protection device (14) while deployed also covers the driver and passenger side A pillars (30).
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position extending along a forward edge of the vehicle roof at an upper edge of the windshield; and
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being inflatable from said stored position to a deployed position overlying the windshield, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device while in said deployed position covering the windshield from the driver side A pillar to the passenger side A pillar and from an upper edge of the windshield to a position near a lower edge of the windshield, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device while in said deployed position also covering the driver side A pillar and the passenger side A pillar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending at an acute angle relative to the roof from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position extending along a forward edge of the vehicle roof adjacent an upper edge of the windshield;
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
first guide means for connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to the driver side A pillar; and
second guide means for connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to the passenger side A pillar;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being inflatable from said stored position to a deployed position, said first and second guide means guiding said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to deploy in a direction along the windshield, said first and second guide means helping to maintain said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device positioned adjacent the windshield while inflated. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position extending along a forward edge of the vehicle roof at an upper edge of the windshield; and
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being inflatable from said stored position to a deployed position overlying the windshield, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including at least a first chamber inflatable between the windshield and an occupant of a driver side of the vehicle, at least a second chamber inflatable between the windshield and an occupant of a passenger side of the vehicle, and at least one middle chamber positioned between said first chamber and said second chamber, said first chamber and said second chamber receiving inflation fluid and beginning to inflate before said middle chamber.
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22. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an air bag inflatable between a vehicle occupant and an instrument panel of the vehicle;
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position extending along a forward edge of the vehicle roof at an upper edge of the windshield; and
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being inflatable from said stored position to a deployed position between the windshield and said air bag, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device while in said deployed position covering the windshield from the driver side A pillar to the passenger side A pillar and extending from adjacent the roof to adjacent the instrument panel. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an upper edge connected to the vehicle along a forward edge of the vehicle roof, a first end portion connected to the vehicle along the driver side A pillar, and a second end portion connected to the vehicle along the passenger side A pillar, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position extending along the forward edge and along the driver and passenger side A pillars; and
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being inflatable from said stored position to a deployed position overlying the windshield, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device while in said deployed position covering the windshield from the driver side A pillar to the passenger side A pillar and covering the driver side A pillar and the passenger side A pillar. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an upper edge connected to the vehicle along a forward edge of the vehicle roof, a first end portion connected to the vehicle along the driver side A pillar, and a second end portion connected to the vehicle along the passenger side A pillar; and
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when deflated having slack between the A pillars of the vehicle, the amount of slack between the A pillars increasing as said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device extends away from the vehicle roof. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored position extending along a forward edge of the vehicle roof at an upper edge of the windshield; and
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being inflatable from said stored position to a deployed position overlying the windshield, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including a driver side portion covering the windshield from the driver side A pillar to a centerline of the vehicle and from an upper edge of the windshield to a position terminating adjacent an upper extend of a steering wheel of the vehicle, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including a passenger side portion covering the windshield from the passenger side A pillar to a centerline of the vehicle and from an upper edge of the windshield to a position terminating adjacent a front surface and below an upper surface of an instrument panel of the vehicle.
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35. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable windshield curtain inflatable away from the roof to a position overlying the windshield and extending from the driver side A pillar to the passenger side A pillar;
an inflatable driver side air bag inflatable between a vehicle occupant and a steering wheel of the vehicle; and
at least one inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said windshield curtain and said driver side air bag;
said windshield curtain and said driver side air bag while inflated combining to provide an inflated protection wall extending from the vehicle roof down to and covering the vehicle steering wheel.
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36. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield extending from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable windshield curtain inflatable away from the roof to a position overlying the windshield and extending from the driver side A pillar to the passenger side A pillar;
an inflatable passenger side air bag inflatable between a vehicle occupant and an instrument panel of the vehicle; and
at least one inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said windshield curtain and said passenger side air bag;
said windshield curtain and said passenger side air bag while inflated combining to provide an inflated protection wall extending from the vehicle roof down to a position adjacent a front surface and below an upper surface of the instrument panel.
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Specification