Inflatable vehicle occupant restraint
First Claim
1. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during a vehicle collision from contact with parts of the vehicle, said inflatable restraint having a deflated condition and an inflated, occupant protecting condition, said inflatable restraint being inflatable from the deflated condition to the inflated condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said inflatable restraint comprising:
- a torso portion for protecting the torso of the vehicle occupant when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition; and
a head portion for, when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition, protecting the head of the vehicle occupant from contact with a part of the vehicle due to relative movement of the head and the vehicle part in a first direction;
said head portion of said inflatable restraint having a width extending generally transverse to the first direction;
said head portion of said inflatable restraint comprising first and second fabric material panel portions which are sewn together at at least three predetermined locations spaced apart across the width of said head portion of said inflatable restraint.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag (10) includes a torso portion (120) for protecting the torso (180) of a vehicle occupant (16) and a head portion (130) for protecting the head (182) of the vehicle occupant from contact with the windshield (186) of the vehicle (14) due to relative movement of the head and the vehicle part in a first direction (188). The head portion (130) of the air bag (10) includes first and second fabric material panel portions (148, 150) which are sewn together at at least three predetermined locations (140) spaced apart across the width of the head portion. The first and second fabric material panel portions (148, 150) extend generally parallel to each other when inflated to provide the head portion (130) of the air bag (10) with a generally flat configuration. The head portion (130) of the air bag (10) is relatively thin as measured in the first direction (188) to minimize the amount of inflation fluid needed for inflation of the air bag.
34 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during a vehicle collision from contact with parts of the vehicle, said inflatable restraint having a deflated condition and an inflated, occupant protecting condition, said inflatable restraint being inflatable from the deflated condition to the inflated condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said inflatable restraint comprising:
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a torso portion for protecting the torso of the vehicle occupant when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition; and a head portion for, when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition, protecting the head of the vehicle occupant from contact with a part of the vehicle due to relative movement of the head and the vehicle part in a first direction; said head portion of said inflatable restraint having a width extending generally transverse to the first direction; said head portion of said inflatable restraint comprising first and second fabric material panel portions which are sewn together at at least three predetermined locations spaced apart across the width of said head portion of said inflatable restraint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during a vehicle collision, said inflatable restraint having a deflated condition and an inflated, occupant protecting condition, said inflatable restraint comprising:
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a torso portion for protecting the torso of the vehicle occupant when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition; and a head portion for protecting the head of the vehicle occupant from contact with broken glass from a vehicle window when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition, said head portion being inflatable into a position between the window and the occupant'"'"'s head, said head portion having a width extending generally transverse to a first direction which comprises the direction of relative movement between the occupant'"'"'s head and the window during a vehicle collision; said head portion of said inflatable restraint comprising first and second fabric material panel portions which are sewn together at at least three predetermined locations spaced apart across the width of said head portion of said inflatable restraint. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from contact with parts of the vehicle during vehicle deceleration above a predetermined deceleration, said inflatable restraint having a deflated condition and an inflated, occupant protecting condition, said inflatable restraint comprising:
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a torso portion for protecting the torso of the vehicle occupant when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition; and a head portion for location between the head of the vehicle occupant and the parts of the vehicle when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition; said head portion of said inflatable restraint comprising first and second fabric material panel portions which are sewn together at predetermined locations and which extend generally parallel to each other when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition to provide said head portion of said inflatable restraint with a generally flat configuration. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification