AIR BAG WITH TETHER AND PULLEY ARRANGEMENT
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping to control deployment of an inflatable protection device, the apparatus comprising:
- a tether having a first connection with a first portion of the protection device and a second connection with a second portion of the protection device; and
a guide connected to the protection device, the tether extending through the guide;
the tether configured to move through the guide in order to translate movement of the first portion of the protection device in a first direction to movement of the second portion of the protection device in a second direction different from the first direction.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for helping to control deployment of an inflatable protection device (14) includes a tether (150) having a first connection with a first portion (100, 104) of the protection device and a second connection with a second portion (102) of the protection device. A guide (156) is connected to the protection device (14). The tether (150) extends through the guide (156). The tether (150) is configured to move through the guide (156) in order to translate movement of the first portion (100, 104) of the protection device (14) in a first direction to movement of the second portion (102) of the protection device in a second direction different from the first direction.
47 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for helping to control deployment of an inflatable protection device, the apparatus comprising:
-
a tether having a first connection with a first portion of the protection device and a second connection with a second portion of the protection device; and a guide connected to the protection device, the tether extending through the guide; the tether configured to move through the guide in order to translate movement of the first portion of the protection device in a first direction to movement of the second portion of the protection device in a second direction different from the first direction. - 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. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between a vehicle surface and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising first and second portions presented toward the occupant and a third portion positioned adjacent or near the vehicle surface; a tether having a first connection with the first portion of the protection device and a second connection with the second portion of the protection device; and a guide connected to the third portion of the protection device, the tether extending through the guide; the tether being configured to permit substantially full deployment of the first portion and to restrict deployment of the second portion when the protection device deploys without obstruction, the tether being configured to move through the guide in response to occupant penetration into the first portion to release the second portion for further deployment toward the fully deployed condition. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
-
Specification