Air-bag arrangement

• US 6,010,149 A
• Filed: 04/10/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Riedel, Johannes, Wunsch, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brooks, Jason S.
• Application Number:
  US09/058,226
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/733
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An air-bag arrangement for a motor vehicle, the air-bag arrangement including an air-bag adapted to be inflated, in the event that an accident should arise, to form a curtain, the air-bag having a fixation strap extending between the curtain and an anchor point, the fixation strap including inflatable means to shorten the effective length of the fixation strap upon inflation.

Claims

1. An air-bag arrangement for a motor vehicle, the air-bag arrangement comprising an inflatable element, at least a part of which is adapted to be inflated, in the event that an accident should arise, so that the element is then located to form a side curtain, the inflatable element having at least one fixation strap extending between a lower region of the side curtain and an anchor point, the fixation strap having inflatable means to shorten the effective length of the fixation strap upon inflation to increase the rigidity of the inflatable element.

2. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1 wherein an edge of the inflatable element is connected to a non-linear part of a motor vehicle extending over the door opening of the vehicle.

3. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable means comprises a single inflatable pocket.

4. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable means comprises a plurality of inflatable pockets.

5. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the pockets are serially connected to one another.

6. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the fixation strap comprises a strap extending around alternate sides of the pockets such that the strap is substantially linear when the pockets are in a flat and uninflated state and in a non-linear form when the pockets are inflated thereby shortening the effective length of the fixation strap.

7. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable means is in gas communication with the inflatable element and a single gas generator is provided to inflate the inflatable element and the inflatable means.

8. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable means is not in gas communication with the rest of the inflatable element, and separate gas generator means are provided for the inflatable element and the inflatable means.

9. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable element comprises a plurality of substantially parallel cells.

10. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 9, wherein a central section of the curtain formed by the inflation of the inflatable element is not formed with cells but is provided with one or more inflatable ribs such that the central section of the curtain is substantially not inflated.

11. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the fixation strap has a fixing eye for attachment to an anchor point.

12. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the duct has an extension that extends to and is formed integrally with the fixation strap.

13. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the integrally formed part of the duct extension and the fixation strap is provided with a fixing eye.

14. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1 provided with two of said fixation straps, the fixation straps being located at opposite ends of said curtain.

15. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the lower edge of the inflatable element comprises an elongate chamber formed of a plurality of adjacent pockets or cells which are intercommunication with each other, said pockets or cells being adapted to be inflated upon inflation of the inflatable element.

16. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 15 wherein the fixation strap and said chamber comprise an integral part of the air-bag arrangement, the pockets or cells within the chamber being in communication with the pocket or pockets within the fixation strap.

17. An air-bag arrangement according to claim 15 wherein the said chamber extends across the entire lower edge of the inflatable element, the fixation strap being provided with means to connect the fixation strap to an anchoring point and the end of the chamber, remote from the fixation strap, being provided with means to connect that end of the chamber to an anchoring point.