Inflatable windshield curtain

• US 20040100074A1
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Bakhsh, Ali Emam, Ham, Suk J., Bertossi, Rico Scott, Saberan, Al A., Nayef, Ayad E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,296,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/195 with means to tension the belt in an emergency, e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel typeelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) includes an inflatable windshield curtain (14) inflatable away from the vehicle roof (40) to a position between the windshield (50) and a vehicle occupant. The windshield curtain (14) includes overlying panels (80 and 82) interconnected to define an inflatable volume (110) of the windshield curtain. The windshield curtain (14) includes a pleated portion in which at least one of the panels (80 and 82) has portions folded over to form at least one pleat (150) in the panel. In one embodiment, the windshield curtain (14) includes connections (154 and 180) that interconnect overlying folded portions of the at least one panel (80 and 82) along the at least one pleat (150). Portions of the at least one pleat between the connections (150 and 180) are unfoldable to allow expansion of the pleated portion upon inflation of the windshield curtain (14).

Claims

1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a roof and a windshield, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable windshield curtain inflatable away from the roof to a position between the windshield and a vehicle occupant; and

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said windshield curtain;

said windshield curtain comprising overlying panels interconnected to define an inflatable volume of said windshield curtain, at least one of said panels having a pleated portion that defines a portion of said inflatable volume when said windshield curtain is inflated.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said pleated portion comprises portions of said at least one of said panels folded over to form at least one pleat, said windshield curtain including connections that interconnect overlying folded portions of said at least one pleat, said at least one pleat being unfoldable to allow expansion of said pleated portion upon inflation of said windshield curtain.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said overlying panels comprise first and second overlying panels, said second panel having a size and shape that is larger than a size and shape of said first panel, said pleated portion being folded in said second panel, said pleated portion reducing the size of said second panel such that said second panel when pleated has a pleated size and shape about the same as the size and shape of said first panel.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second panels has a length, said second panel having a length that is greater than the length of said first panel, said pleated portion being formed in said second panel by folding said second panel along fold lines extending generally perpendicular to said length, said pleated portion reducing the overall length of said second panel to be about equal to the length of said first panel.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said windshield curtain has a width, a length extending perpendicular to said width, and a depth extending perpendicular to said length and said width, said pleated portion unfolding to expand in the direction of said depth when said windshield curtain is inflated.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said windshield curtain is inflatable toward an instrument panel of the vehicle, said pleated portion of said windshield curtain being inflatable away from the windshield between the instrument panel and a vehicle occupant.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said windshield curtain provides 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.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said windshield curtain when inflated extends from a driver side A pillar to a passenger side A pillar.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said pleated portion is positioned on a driver side of the vehicle when said windshield curtain is inflated.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said pleated portion is positioned on a passenger side of the vehicle when said windshield curtain is inflated.

11. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one pleat extends in a generally vertical direction in the vehicle when said windshield curtain is inflated.

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one pleat extends in a generally horizontal direction in the vehicle when said windshield curtain is inflated.

13. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising:

a first panel of a material having a pattern;

a second panel of material having portions folded to form pleats, said second panel when folded to form said pleats having a pattern about the same as said pattern of said first panel;

means for interconnecting said first and second panels along a perimeter of said panels to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

means for interconnecting overlying folded over portions of said second panel that form said pleats.

14. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device recited in claim 13, wherein said second panel has a size and shape that is larger than a size and shape of said first panel, said second panel when folded to form said pleats having a pleated size and shape about the same as the size and shape of said first panel.

15. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device recited in claim 13, wherein each of said first and second panels has a length, said second panel having a length that is greater than the length of said first panel, said second panel being folded along fold lines extending generally perpendicular to said length to form said pleats, said pleats reducing the overall length of said second panel to be about equal to the length of said first panel.

16. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising:

a first panel of material having a length and a width;

a second panel of material having a length and a width, the length of said second panel being greater than the length of said first panel, said second panel having a pleated condition in which said second panel is pleated along fold lines extending generally perpendicular to its length such that said second panel when in said pleated condition has a length about equal to said length of said first panel; and

means for interconnecting said first and second panels along a perimeter of said panels while said second panel is in said pleated condition to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

17. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between a part of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant; and

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels interconnected to help define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, at least one of said overlying panels including at least one pleat comprising folded over portions of said at least one panel, said folded over portions being interconnected at opposite ends of said pleat.

18. A method for constructing an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first panel of a material having a predetermined pattern;

providing a second panel of material having a predetermined pattern larger than said first panel;

folding pleats in said second panel such that said pattern of said second panel is about the same as said pattern of said first panel;

placing said folded second panel in an overlying relationship with said first panel; and

interconnecting said first and second panels along a perimeter of said panels to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

19. The method recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of interconnecting overlying portions of said second panel folded over to form said pleats.