CURTAIN AIRBAG FOR SMALL OVERLAP
First Claim
1. An airbag assembly for disposition proximate a roof of a vehicle to shield a vehicle occupant from impacting at least one of a lateral surface, an A-pillar, and an instrument panel of the vehicle, the airbag assembly comprising:
- an inflatable curtain airbag having a stowed configuration for disposition proximate the roof of the vehicle and a deployed configuration into which the inflatable curtain airbag deploys downward between the vehicle occupant and the at least one lateral surface of the vehicle, the inflatable curtain airbag comprising;
a first protection zone comprising a first interior chamber; and
a second protection zone comprising a second interior chamber in fluid communication with the first interior chamber; and
a restraint member coupled to the second protection zone;
wherein, in the stowed configuration, the inflatable curtain airbag is folded at a first stowed fold line such that the second protection zone lies alongside a portion of the first protection zone;
wherein, during deployment, the restraint member exerts outboard force on the second protection zone to move the second protection zone forward to be positioned forward of the first protection zone in the deployed configuration;
wherein, in the deployed configuration, the second protection zone is positioned between an occupant zone that would ordinarily be occupied by the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head and at least one of the A-pillar of the vehicle and a portion of the instrument panel of the vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag assembly may include an inflatable curtain airbag with a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The inflatable curtain may have a first protection zone and a second protection zone that inflates forward of the first protection zone to provide enhanced protection. The second protection zone may be double-folded against the first protection zone so that, during deployment, the second protection zone pivots to unfold relative to the first protection zone. The airbag assembly may have a restraint member in the form of a forward tether or a first tether secured to the forward tether such that the restraint member exerts outboard force on the second protection zone during deployment to help control deployment of the second protection zone. Portions of the first and second protection zones may be fold-over sewn together to control the angle at which the second protection zone unfolds relative to the first protection zone.
12 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An airbag assembly for disposition proximate a roof of a vehicle to shield a vehicle occupant from impacting at least one of a lateral surface, an A-pillar, and an instrument panel of the vehicle, the airbag assembly comprising:
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an inflatable curtain airbag having a stowed configuration for disposition proximate the roof of the vehicle and a deployed configuration into which the inflatable curtain airbag deploys downward between the vehicle occupant and the at least one lateral surface of the vehicle, the inflatable curtain airbag comprising; a first protection zone comprising a first interior chamber; and a second protection zone comprising a second interior chamber in fluid communication with the first interior chamber; and a restraint member coupled to the second protection zone; wherein, in the stowed configuration, the inflatable curtain airbag is folded at a first stowed fold line such that the second protection zone lies alongside a portion of the first protection zone; wherein, during deployment, the restraint member exerts outboard force on the second protection zone to move the second protection zone forward to be positioned forward of the first protection zone in the deployed configuration; wherein, in the deployed configuration, the second protection zone is positioned between an occupant zone that would ordinarily be occupied by the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head and at least one of the A-pillar of the vehicle and a portion of the instrument panel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for stowing an airbag assembly proximate a roof of a vehicle having a lateral surface, an A-pillar, and an instrument panel, to protect an occupant in the vehicle, the method comprising:
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providing an inflatable curtain airbag comprising a first protection zone comprising a first interior chamber and a second protection zone comprising a second interior chamber in fluid communication with the first interior chamber; providing a restraint member; folding the inflatable curtain airbag at a first stowed fold line such that the second protection zone overlies at least a portion of the first protection zone; compacting the inflatable curtain airbag into a generally elongated shape; and securing the inflatable curtain airbag proximate the roof of the vehicle such that, in response to introduction of inflation gas into the inflatable curtain airbag, the first protection zone expands downward to be positioned between the vehicle occupant and the lateral surface of the vehicle; coupling the restraint member to the second protection zone such that, during deployment, the restraint member exerts outboard force on the second protection zone to move the second protection zone forward to be positioned forward of the first protection zone; wherein the inflatable curtain airbag comprises a deployed fold line comprising a divider that defines the first interior chamber as distinct from the second interior chamber; wherein unfolding the second protection zone comprises positioning the second protection zone between an occupant zone that would ordinarily be occupied by the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head and at least one of the A-pillar of the vehicle and a portion of the instrument panel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An airbag assembly, comprising:
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an airbag within a vehicle, the airbag comprising a first protection zone and a second protection zone folded against the first protection zone such that the second protection zone overlies at least a portion of the first protection zone, the airbag comprising a deployed fold line comprising a divider that defines a first interior chamber of the first protection zone as distinct from a second interior chamber of the second protection zone; wherein the first protection zone is secured to the second protection zone via an attachment feature displaced from the deployed fold line by displacement; an inflator in fluid communication with a first chamber within the first protection zone and a second chamber within the second protection zone; wherein, in response to production of gas by the inflator, the airbag deploys such that the first protection zone is positioned between an occupant of the vehicle and an interior surface of the vehicle; wherein, in response to production of the gas, the second protection zone pivots away from first protection zone; wherein, during deployment, the second protection zone unfolds at the deployed fold line; wherein the displacement is selected such that the attachment feature limits unfolding of the second protection zone to an angle less than 180°
relative to the first protection zone. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification