AIR BAG WITH HEIGHT ADAPTIVE TETHER
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, the protection device comprising a panel having a portion presented toward the occupant when the protection device is in the inflated condition; and
a tether having a first connection to a first portion of the panel and a second connection to a second portion of the panel, the tether being operative to prevent full deployment of the second portion of the panel in response to unrestricted deployment of the first portion of the panel, the tether being operative to permit further deployment of the second portion of the panel toward full deployment in response to occupant penetration into the first portion of the panel.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition. The protection device (14) includes a panel (74) having a portion presented toward the occupant (20) when the protection device is in the inflated condition. A tether (60) has a first connection (78) to a first portion (80) of the panel (74) and a second connection (72) to a second portion (76) of the panel. The tether (60) is operative to limit deployment of the second portion (76) of the panel (74) in response to unrestricted deployment of the first portion (80) of the panel. The tether (60) is also operative to permit further deployment of the second portion (76) of the panel (74) in response to occupant penetration into the first portion (80) of the panel.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, the protection device comprising a panel having a portion presented toward the occupant when the protection device is in the inflated condition; and a tether having a first connection to a first portion of the panel and a second connection to a second portion of the panel, the tether being operative to prevent full deployment of the second portion of the panel in response to unrestricted deployment of the first portion of the panel, the tether being operative to permit further deployment of the second portion of the panel toward full deployment in response to occupant penetration into the first portion of the panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition; and a tether having a first end connected to a first portion of the protection device and an opposite second end connected to a second portion of the protection device, the tether extending through and being redirected by at least one guide on the protection device, the tether becoming tensioned between the first and second portions of the protection device when the protection device is in the inflated condition, the first portion of the protection device applying a force to the tether that is greater than a force applied to the tether by the second portion of the protection device when the protection device is the inflated condition, the tether restricting deployment of the second portion of the protection device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition; a guide on the protection device; and a tether that extends through the guide and shapes the protection device in the inflated condition, the tether comprising a first segment extending from the guide to a first connection with a first portion of the protection device, and a second segment extending from the guide to a second connection with a second portion of the protection device; the first segment of the tether permitting full deployment of the first portion of the protection device and the second segment restricting deployment of the second portion of the protection device in response to uninhibited deployment of the protection device, the tether being constructed and arranged so that occupant penetration into the first portion of the protection device causes the tether to move through the guide to shorten the first segment and lengthen the second segment to permit further deployment of the second portion of the protection device.
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Specification