Inflatable curtain with multi-layered tab

• US 20070024031A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Coleman, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,547,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of an inflatable curtain airbag having one or more multi-layered tabs to facilitate mounting of the curtain to a vehicle. In one embodiment of the invention, the tabs comprise at least two layers attached to one another along at least one side of the two layers such that an axial opening is created between the layers. A rigid insert, such as a bracket, may be inserted into the axial opening so as to facilitate mounting the tab inside a vehicle.

Claims

1. An inflatable curtain airbag, comprising:

an inflatable cushion;

a tab connected with the inflatable cushion, wherein the tab comprises at least two layers, wherein the at least two layers are attached to one another such that an axial opening is created between the layers, wherein the tab further comprises an aperture extending through each of the layers defining the axial opening, and wherein the aperture is configured to receive an attachment structure used to connect the tab to a vehicle; and

a rigid insert adapted to be positioned at least partially in the axial opening in between two of the tab layers.

2. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the at least two layers are attached to one another at opposite sides thereof such that a sleeve-like axial opening is created between the layers.

3. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the rigid insert comprises a bracket comprising a first portion adapted to be positioned in the axial opening and a second portion adapted to be positioned outside of the tab layers.

4. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 3, wherein the bracket comprises a third portion adapted to be positioned outside of the tab layers such that two layers of the tab are sandwiched between the first, second, and third portions of the bracket.

5. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 3, wherein the bracket further comprises an attachment member configured to allow the first portion to be selectively connected with the second portion.

6. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the rigid insert includes an aperture adapted to at least partially coincide with the aperture extending through each of the tab layers.

7. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the rigid insert is adapted to be fully positioned within the axial opening in between two of the tab layers.

8. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the tab is woven into the at least two layers.

9. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the at least two layers are sewn together to form the axial opening.

10. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises more than two layers.

11. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises two separate portions, each of which has at least two layers attached to one another at opposite sides thereof such that two separate sleeve-like axial openings are created between the layers.

12. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 11, wherein the two sleeve-like axial openings are positioned vertically adjacent to one another.

13. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the tab extends adjacent to the inflatable cushion along a distance substantially equal to the length of the inflatable cushion.

14. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises a plurality of apertures extending through each of the layers.

15. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tabs connected with the inflatable cushion.

16. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of tabs includes at least one region having at least two layers.

17. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 15, wherein the rigid insert comprises a mounting bar adapted to be threaded through the axial openings of the tabs.

18. An inflatable curtain airbag, comprising:

an inflatable cushion;

a tab connected with the inflatable cushion, wherein the tab comprises two layers, wherein the two layers are attached to one another such that an axial opening is created between the layers, wherein the tab further comprises an aperture extending through each of the layers, and wherein the aperture is configured to receive an attachment structure used to connect the tab to a vehicle; and

a rigid insert adapted to be positioned at least partially in the axial opening in between two of the tab layers, and wherein the rigid insert includes an aperture adapted to at least partially coincide with the aperture extending through each of the tab layers.

19. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 18, wherein the rigid insert comprises a bracket comprising a first portion adapted to be positioned in the axial opening and a second portion adapted to be positioned outside of the tab layers.

20. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 19, wherein the bracket comprises a third portion adapted to be positioned outside of the tab layers such that two layers of the tab are sandwiched between the first, second, and third portions of the bracket.

21. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 18, wherein the at least two layers are attached to one another at opposite sides thereof such that a sleeve-like axial opening is created between the layers.

22. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of tabs connected with the inflatable cushion.

23. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 22, wherein the rigid insert comprises a mounting bar adapted to be threaded through the axial openings of the tabs, wherein each of the plurality of tabs comprises an aperture extending through each of the layers of the tab, and wherein the mounting bar comprises a plurality of apertures corresponding with the apertures in the tabs.

24. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of tabs includes at least one region having at least two layers.

25. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 18, wherein the tab comprises more than two layers.

26. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 18, wherein the tab comprises two separate portions, each of which has at least two layers attached to one another at opposite sides thereof such that two separate sleeve-like axial openings are created between the layers.

27. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 26, wherein the two sleeve-like axial openings are positioned vertically adjacent to one another.

28. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 18, wherein the tab extends adjacent to the inflatable cushion along a distance substantially equal to the length of the inflatable cushion.

29. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 18, wherein the tab comprises a plurality of apertures extending through each of the layers.

30. An inflatable curtain airbag, comprising:

an inflatable cushion;

a plurality of tabs connected with the inflatable cushion, wherein each of the tabs comprises at least two layers, and wherein the at least two layers are attached to one another such that an axial opening is created between the layers; and

a plurality of rigid inserts corresponding with the plurality of tabs,

wherein each of the rigid inserts is adapted to be positioned through an axial opening in between two of the tab layers so as to mount the inflatable curtain airbag to a vehicle.

31. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 30, wherein the at least two layers of each of the tabs are attached to one another at opposite sides thereof such that a sleeve-like axial opening is created between the layers of each of the tabs.

32. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of tabs comprises two separate portions, each of which has at least two layers attached to one another at opposite sides thereof such that two separate sleeve-like axial openings are created between the layers of each of the tabs.

33. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 32, wherein the two sleeve-like axial openings in each tab are positioned vertically adjacent to one another.

34. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of tabs includes at least one region having at least two layers.

35. The inflatable curtain airbag of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of tabs comprises more than two layers.

36. An inflatable curtain airbag module, comprising:

an inflatable cushion;

a plurality of tabs connected with the inflatable cushion, wherein each of the tabs comprises at least two layers, wherein the at least two layers are attached to one another such that an axial opening is created between the layers, and wherein the each of the tabs further comprise an aperture extending through each of the tab layers; and

a mounting bar adapted to be threaded through the axial openings of the tabs, wherein the mounting bar comprises a plurality of apertures corresponding with the apertures in the tabs.

37. The inflatable curtain airbag module of claim 36, wherein the mounting bar further comprises a plurality of pocket locks corresponding with the plurality of tabs, wherein each of the pocket locks are configured to fix a tab into place relative to the mounting bar.

38. The inflatable curtain airbag module of claim 37, wherein the pocket locks comprise flaps formed in the mounting bar.

39. The inflatable curtain airbag module of claim 38, wherein each pocket lock comprises two opposing flaps configured to fix a tab into place relative to the mounting bar on opposite sides of the tab.

40. The inflatable curtain airbag module of claim 36, wherein the mounting bar is sufficiently flexible to be contoured to the shape of a vehicle.

41. The inflatable curtain airbag module of claim 36, wherein the mounting bar has a flattened cross-sectional shape.

42. The inflatable curtain airbag module of claim 41, wherein the mounting bar fits snuggly within the tab openings such that the mounting bar cannot be fully rotated within the tab openings.

43. The inflatable curtain airbag module of claim 36, wherein the at least two layers of each of the tabs are attached to one another at opposite sides thereof such that a sleeve-like axial opening is created between the layers of each of the tabs.