Curtain airbag with deflation mechanism

• US 20060202456A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Takata Restraint Systems Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Restraint Systems Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bernat, Albert R.
• Application Number:
  US11/075,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202456A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

A curtain airbag configured to remain inflated in order to protect a vehicle occupant from a rollover event. The airbag includes a deflation mechanism configured to permit rescue personnel responding to the rollover event to deflate the airbag without the use of tools.

Claims

1. A side curtain airbag for a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag chamber including a chamber and a passage for carrying inflation gas from an inflator to the chamber; and

a deflation mechanism located along the boundary of the chamber;

wherein the mechanism is configured to be activated by rescue personnel in order to deflate the airbag and allow improved access to the interior of the vehicle.

2. The curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the deflation mechanism comprises a relatively low strength seam.

3. The curtain airbag of claim 2, wherein the deflation mechanism comprises a cord for facilitating tearing of the seam.

4. The curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the airbag includes coated fabric forming the chamber and the deflation mechanism includes a covered opening in the coated fabric.

5. The curtain airbag device of claim 4, further comprising a device configured to be pulled to detach a cover from the fabric to thereby uncover the opening and allow inflation gas to escape the chamber.

6. The curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the airbag includes fabric forming the chamber and wherein the fabric includes a covered gas permeable section.

7. The curtain airbag of claim 6, wherein the gas permeable section is covered by a removable piece of coated fabric.

8. The curtain airbag of claim 7, wherein the coated fabric is configured with a grasping device to allow the coated fabric to be pulled away from the permeable section and thereby allow inflation gas to escape the chamber.

9. The curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the deflation mechanism is a valve located in a wall of the chamber.

10. The curtain airbag of claim 9, wherein the valve includes a rupturable valve disk configured to be ruptured by rescue personnel in order to deflate the airbag.

11. The curtain airbag of claim 9, wherein the valve includes a disk valve having a plurality of connected flexible valve elements which are configured to separate in order to allow inflation gas to escape from the chamber.

18. The curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the deflation mechanism is a valve located in a wall of the chamber.

19. The curtain airbag of claim 18, wherein the valve includes a rupturable valve disk configured to be ruptured by rescue personnel in order to deflate the airbag.

12. An airbag configured to deploy along an interior side of a vehicle comprising:

at least one inflatable cell adapted to remain inflated for at least 5 seconds after an impact event;

a vent located in a wall of the cell to thereby provide a passage for gas to vent from the inflatable cell; and

a deflation mechanism configured to allow a vehicle occupant or a rescue worker to control the deflation of the cell.

13. The airbag of claim 12, wherein the deflation mechanism comprises a low strength seam configured to be broken when a predetermined breaking pressure is applied.

14. The curtain airbag of claim 13, wherein the deflation mechanism comprises a cord for facilitating tearing of the seam.

15. The curtain airbag of claim 12, wherein the airbag includes coated fabric forming the cell and the deflation mechanism includes a covered opening in the coated fabric.

16. The curtain airbag device of claim 15, further comprising a device configured to be pulled to detach a cover from the fabric to thereby uncover the opening and allow inflation gas to escape the chamber.

17. The curtain airbag of claim 12, wherein the deflation mechanism comprises a zipper.

20. A curtain airbag configured to remain inflated in order to protect a vehicle occupant from a rollover event, wherein the airbag includes a deflation mechanism configured to permit rescue personnel responding to the rollover event to deflate the airbag without the use of tools.