Air bag including restraint
DCFirst Claim
1. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint such as an air bag for, when inflated, protecting a vehicle occupant, said inflatable restraint having an uninflated condition and an inflated condition, said inflatable restraint comprising:
- a first panel having a central portion and an outer peripheral portion;
a second panel having a central portion and an outer periphery portion;
said outer peripheral portions of said first and second panels being sewn together along an outer stitching line to join said first and second panels to form a body portion of said inflatable restraint;
said central portions of said first and second panels being at least partially spaced apart from each other when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition to define an inflation fluid volume between said central portions of said first and second panels; and
a plurality of non-extensible assemblies disposed within said outer stitching line and joining said central portion of said first panel to said central portion of said second panel at a plurality of spaced apart locations to control the width of said inflation fluid volume as measured between said first and second panels, each one of said assemblies comprising;
(a) a first section of said central portion of said first panel;
(b) a second section of said central portion of said second panel; and
a stitching section extending around and enclosing said first section and said second section, said stitching section joining said first section to said second section in an overlying relationship, said stitching section blocking flow of inflation fluid from said inflation fluid volume between said first section and said second section.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A side impact head air bag (10) includes a plurality of spaced apart restraints (100, 102) for controlling the thickness of the air bag when inflated. In each restraint (100, 102), a circular stitching section (230, 260) joins an inner panel (70) and an outer panel (80) of the air bag (10). The stitching section (230, 260) defines a circular restraint section (200, 202) in each panel (70, 80). The stitching section (230, 260) blocks inflation fluid from flowing between the restraint sections (200, 202) of the restraints (100, 102). The tethers (100, 102) do not extend upon inflation of the air bag (10).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint such as an air bag for, when inflated, protecting a vehicle occupant, said inflatable restraint having an uninflated condition and an inflated condition, said inflatable restraint comprising:
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a first panel having a central portion and an outer peripheral portion; a second panel having a central portion and an outer periphery portion; said outer peripheral portions of said first and second panels being sewn together along an outer stitching line to join said first and second panels to form a body portion of said inflatable restraint; said central portions of said first and second panels being at least partially spaced apart from each other when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition to define an inflation fluid volume between said central portions of said first and second panels; and a plurality of non-extensible assemblies disposed within said outer stitching line and joining said central portion of said first panel to said central portion of said second panel at a plurality of spaced apart locations to control the width of said inflation fluid volume as measured between said first and second panels, each one of said assemblies comprising; (a) a first section of said central portion of said first panel; (b) a second section of said central portion of said second panel; and a stitching section extending around and enclosing said first section and said second section, said stitching section joining said first section to said second section in an overlying relationship, said stitching section blocking flow of inflation fluid from said inflation fluid volume between said first section and said second section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint such as an air bag for, when inflated, protecting a vehicle occupant, said inflatable restraint having an uninflated condition and an inflated condition, said inflatable restraint comprising:
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a first panel having a central portion, an outer peripheral portion, an inner side surface and an outer side surface; a second panel having a central portion, an outer peripheral portion, an inner side surface and an outer side surface; said outer peripheral portions of said first and second panels being sewn together along an outer stitching line to join said first and second panels to form a body portion of said inflatable restraint, said inner side surface of said first panel being presented toward said inner side surface of said second panel; said central portions of said first and second panels being at least partially spaced apart from each other when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition to define an inflation fluid volume between said central portions of said first and second panels; and a plurality of stitching sections joining said central portion of said first panel to said central portion of said second panel at a plurality of spaced apart locations, each one of said plurality of stitching sections being spaced apart from the other ones of said plurality of stitching sections; each one of said stitching sections enclosing a respective first section of said central portion of said first panel and a respective second section of said central portion of said second panel; each one of said first sections overlying a corresponding one of said second sections when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition; said stitching sections blocking flow of inflation fluid from said inflation fluid volume between said first sections of said first panel and said second sections of said second panel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint such as an air bag for, when inflated, protecting a vehicle occupant, said inflatable restraint having an uninflated condition and an inflated condition, said inflatable restraint comprising:
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a first panel having a central portion and an outer peripheral portion; a second panel having a central portion and an outer periphery portion; said outer peripheral portions of said first and second panels being sewn together along an outer stitching line to join said first and second panels to form a body portion of said inflatable restraint; said central portions of said first and second panels being at least partially spaced apart from each other when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition to define an inflation fluid volume between said central portions of said first and second panels; a plurality of non-extensible assemblies disposed within said outer stitching line and joining said central portion of said first panel to said central portion of said second panel at a plurality of spaced apart locations to control the width of said inflation fluid volume as measured between said first and second panels, each one of said assemblies comprising; (a) a first section of said central portion of said first panel; (b) a second section of said central portion of said second panel; a stitching section extending around and enclosing said first section and said second section, said stitching section joining said first section to said second section in an overlying relationship, said stitching section blocking flow of inflation fluid from said inflation fluid volume between said first section and said second section; and a neck portion for connection with an inflation fluid source and a body portion for inflation into a position to protect the vehicle occupant, said neck portion having a plurality of fastener openings for connection with said inflation fluid source, said neck portion being free of said assemblies, said assemblies being disposed in said body portion of said inflatable restraint.
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20. An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint such as an air bag for, when inflated, protecting a vehicle occupant, said inflatable restraint having an uninflated condition and an inflated condition, said inflatable restraint comprising:
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a first panel having a central portion, an outer peripheral portion, an inner side surface and an outer side surface; a second panel having a central portion, an outer peripheral portion, an inner side surface and an outer side surface; said outer peripheral portions of said first and second panels being sewn together along an outer stitching line to join said first and second panels to form a body portion of said inflatable restraint, said inner side surface of said first panel being presented toward said inner side surface of said second panel; said central portions of said first and second panels being at least partially spaced apart from each other when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition to define an inflation fluid volume between said central portions of said first and second panels; a plurality of stitching sections joining said central portion of said first panel to said central portion of said second panel at a plurality of spaced apart locations, each one of said plurality of stitching sections being spaced apart from the other ones of said plurality of stitching sections; each one of said stitching sections enclosing a respective first section of said central portion of said first panel and a respective second section of said central portion of said second panel; each one of said first sections overlying a corresponding one of said second sections when said inflatable restraint is in the inflated condition; said stitching sections blocking flow of inflation fluid from said inflation fluid volume between said first sections of said first panel and said second sections of said second panel; and a neck portion for connection with an inflation fluid source and a body portion for inflation into a position to protect the vehicle occupant, said neck portion having a plurality of fastener openings for connection with said inflation fluid source, said neck portion being free of said assemblies, said assemblies being disposed in said body portion of said inflatable restraint.
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Specification