INFLATABLE CURTAIN AND METHOD FOR PLACING AN INFLATABLE CURTAIN IN A STORED CONDITION

• US 20160031403A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Emambakhsh, Ali, Liang, Yin, Nayef, Eyad
• Granted Patent: US 9,623,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/02 Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components

Abstract

An apparatus (10) helps to protect an occupant (28) of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) and a roof (18). The apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) that has a stored condition for being positioned along the vehicle roof (18). The protection device (14) is inflatable away from the vehicle roof (18) to a deployed condition positioned between the side structure (16) and a vehicle occupant (28). The protection device (14) includes an upper edge portion (30) for being connected to the vehicle along the vehicle roof (18). A lower edge portion (38) of the protection device (14) is folded over onto itself at least once in the stored condition. The protection device (14), when in the stored condition, has a rolled-up configuration such that the folded over lower edge portion (38) occupies a central space (116) bounded by the rolled-up portion (114) of the protection device.

Claims

1. A method for placing an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in a stored condition, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an upper edge portion for being connected to the vehicle along the vehicle roof and an opposite lower edge portion;

folding the lower edge portion over onto itself at least once; and

rolling the protection device up such that the folded over lower edge portion occupies a central space surrounded by the rolled up portion.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of folding the lower edge portion comprises the step of folding the lower edge portion in a z-fold configuration comprising at least two folds in opposite directions.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of folding the lower edge portion comprises the step of folding the lower edge portion in a single fold configuration such that the single folded portion occupies multiple layers of the roll.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of rolling the protection device comprises the step of maintaining the folded over lower edge portion positioned in the central space so that it does not become roiled up with the remainder of the protection device.

5. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, the apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a stored condition for being positioned along the vehicle roof, the protection device being inflatable away from the vehicle roof to a deployed condition positioned between the side structure and a vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising;

an upper edge portion for being connected to the vehicle along the vehicle roof and an opposite lower edge portion, the lower edge portion being folded over onto itself at least once in the stored condition of the protection device, the protection device when in the stored condition having a rolled-up configuration such that the folded over lower edge portion occupies a central space bounded by the rolled-up portion of the protection device.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein the folded over lower edge portion has a z-fold configuration comprising at least two folds in opposite directions.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein the folded over lower edge portion has a single fold configuration, the roll being configured such that the single folded portion occupies multiple layers of the roll.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein rolled-up portion of the protection device is maintained in the central space so that it does not become roiled up with the remainder of the protection device.