Inflatable curtain

• US 20050242552A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2000
• 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: Campbell, Douglas P., Nayef, Ayad G., Bayley, Gregory S., Altamore, Paul F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,954,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) and a roof (18) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The inflatable device (14) is inflatable away from the vehicle roof (18) into a position between the side structure (16) of the vehicle (12) and a vehicle occupant (74). The inflatable device (14) includes overlying panels (40 and 42) that are interconnected along at least a portion of a perimeter (48) of the inflatable device to define an inflatable volume of the inflatable device. The inflatable device (14) when inflated has a predetermined thickness measured between overlying points on the overlying panels (40 and 42) at a location where the head of an occupant may contact the inflatable device. An inflation fluid source (24) provides inflation fluid to the inflatable device (14) for inflating the inflatable device. The inflation fluid in the inflatable device (14) is pressurized to a predetermined pressure when the inflatable device is inflated. The predetermined pressure is determined as a function of the predetermined thickness of the inflatable device (14).

Claims

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

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable in a direction away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels that are interconnected along at least a portion of a perimeter of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when inflated having a thickness measured between overlying points on said overlying panels at a location where the head of an occupant may contact said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide a volume of inflation fluid to said inflatable volume sufficient to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflation fluid source comprising means for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to a pressure that is a defined mathematical function of said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when inflated, said pressure being sufficient to prevent the head of the occupant from striking the side structure through said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said thickness is 120-150 millimeters.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said overlying panels are interconnected to define inflatable areas of said inflatable curtain, said thickness being measured between said overlying panels within said inflatable areas.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said inflatable curtain when inflated extends along the side structure of the vehicle between an A pillar and a C pillar of the vehicle.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said inflatable curtain, when inflated, overlies at least a portion of an A pillar, a B pillar and a C pillar of the vehicle.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a fill tube having a portion located in said inflatable curtain, said inflation fluid source being in fluid communication with said fill tube, said inflation fluid source, when actuated, providing inflation fluid to said fill tube, said fill tube directing said inflation fluid into said inflatable curtain to inflate said inflatable curtain to said pressure.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said defined mathematical function also includes at least one value based on a velocity at which an occupant'"'"'s head having a given mass may impact said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said pressure that is a defined mathematical function is sufficient to prevent an occupant'"'"'s head having a given mass and traveling at a given velocity from striking the side structure through said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

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

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable in a direction away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels that are interconnected along at least a portion of a perimeter of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when inflated having a thickness measured between overlying points on said overlying panels at a location where the head of an occupant may contact said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide a volume of inflation fluid to said inflatable volume sufficient to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflation fluid source comprising means for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to a pressure having a magnitude defined by a mathematical equation that expresses said pressure as an exponential function of said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when inflated, said pressure being at least sufficient to prevent the head of the occupant from striking the side structure through said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

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

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable in a direction away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising panels that are interconnected along at least a portion of a perimeter of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when inflated having a thickness measured between overlying points on said panels at a location where the head of an occupant may contact said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide a volume of inflation fluid to said inflatable volume sufficient to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device,

said inflation fluid source comprising means for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to a specific, precise pressure that is a defined precise mathematical function of said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when inflated, said pressure being sufficient to prevent the head of the occupant from striking the side structure through said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.