Lateral head protection arrangement for a vehicle occupant

• US 5,238,263 A
• Filed: 03/11/1992
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Sinnhuber, Ruprecht
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotelo, Jesus D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avila, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US07/849,493
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730 A, 280/730 R, 280/727, 280/728 R, 280/728 A, 280/732, 280/736, 280/748, 280/751, 296/63, 296/68.1, 296/152
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06

Abstract

A lateral head protection arrangement for protecting a vehicle occupant from injuries due to hard parts of a vertically adjustable articulation structure for a safety harness includes a harness support pin in the articulation structure which supports an air bag on the side toward a vehicle occupant and a gas generator disposed with a locking rail in the B-column of the vehicle body. Thus, the air bag is positioned between the vehicle occupant and the articulation structure in all vertical positions of the harness support pin.

Claims

1. A lateral head protection arrangement for a vehicle occupant comprising a vertically adjustable articulation structure for a safety harness including a support pin movable in a locking rail adjacent to the location of a vehicle occupant, an air bag movable with the pin and arranged to be interposed between the pin and the vehicle occupant when inflated, and a gas generator connected to the air bag and disposed on the opposite side of the locking rail from the air bag.

2. A lateral head protection arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the gas generator comprises a slide block affixed to the end of the support pin.

3. A lateral head protection arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the support pin includes a passage providing communication between the gas generator and the air bag.