Inflatable side airbag curtain module

• US 6,237,941 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Reuter, Jorg, Bailey, Brian J., Jost, Stefan, Wong, Samuel, Wipasuramonton, Pongdet P., Tobian, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US09/593,310
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/749, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers

Abstract

A side impact or rollover protection restraint system (20) comprising: an air bag of sufficient length to extend between two pillars of a vehicle, the air bag (22), upon inflation, is of sufficient height to extend from proximate a roof rail (38) of the vehicle to a location generally adjacent the upper torso of a seated occupant such that the inflated air bag will lie between the occupant and a side portion of the vehicle; the system (20) further including a flexible tube (70) having a plurality of distributed openings (72) thereacross to distribute inflation gas to the air bag means (60) for inflating the air bag.

Claims

1. A side impact or rollover protection restraint system (20) for a vehicle occupant, the vehicle including along a first side thereof a first pillar and a second pillar, the system comprising:

a first air bag of sufficient length to extend from about the position of the first pillar (30) across to and secured proximate the second pillar (34) of the vehicle, the first air bag (22), upon inflation, is of sufficient height to extend from proximate a first roof rail (38) on a first side of the vehicle to a location generally adjacent a shoulder of a seated occupant such that the inflated air bag will lie between the occupant and the first side of the vehicle;

the system (20) further including a first flexible tube (70) having a plurality of distributed openings (72) thereacross to distribute inflation gas to the first air bag wherein the first flexible tube extends substantially across the length of the air bag and inflation means (60) for inflating the air bag.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the openings are non-uniformly distributed across the length of the first tube such that inflation gas is distributed across the width of the first air bag generally uniformly.

3. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein in a pre-inflation state, the first air bag is folded and encased within a tubular plastic shell, the shell being opened as the first air bag inflates, the shell includes a region having a preferred tear feature.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein the tear feature is located proximate a lower portion of the folded first air bag.

5. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the inflation means includes at least one exit port coaxially arranged with a longitudinal axis of the tube.

6. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the tube includes an elastomeric inner tube and a reinforced outer sheath.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein the outer sheath is one of braided and woven material.

8. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first air bag is secured to the first roof rail by a break-away clip held to the first roof rail by a fastener and wherein the vehicle also includes a grab handle grasp located near the first roof rail, wherein the same fastener secures both the clip and the grab handle.

9. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first tube includes a first and a second portion and wherein the inflation means includes at least two exit ports, a first of the exit ports operatively communicated to the first portion and a second of the exit ports operatively communicated to the second portion.

10. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes on an opposite side thereof a third pillar and a fourth pillar and a second air bag that extends from about the third pillar to about the fourth pillar, and wherein the inflation means is communicated to both the first and to the second air bag.

11. The system as defined in claim 10 further including a first control valve means, communicated between the inflation means and the first air bag, for regulating the flow of inflation gas to the first air bag and a second control valve means communicated between the inflation means and the second air bag, for regulating the flow of inflation gas to the second air bag.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein the inflation means is located in a forward roof portion of the vehicle.

13. A side impact or rollover protection restraint system (20) for a vehicle occupant, the vehicle including along a first side thereof a first pillar and a second pillar, the system comprising:

a first air bag of sufficient length to extend from about the position of the first pillar (30) across to and secured proximate the second pillar (34) of the vehicle, the first air bag (22), upon inflation, is of sufficient height to extend from proximate a first roof rail (38) on a first side of the vehicle to a location sufficient to protect a seated occupant such that the inflated air bag will lie between the occupant and the first side of the vehicle; and

inflation means (60) for providing inflation gas to the air bag;

wherein the vehicle includes on an opposite side thereof a third pillar and a fourth pillar and a second air bag that extends from about the third pillar to about the fourth pillar, and second inflation means for providing inflation gas to the second air bag.

14. A side impact or rollover protection restraint system (20) for a vehicle occupant, the vehicle including along a first side thereof a first pillar and a second pillar, the system comprising:

a first air bag of sufficient length to extend from about the position of the first pillar (30) across to and secured proximate the second pillar (34) of the vehicle, the first air bag (22), upon inflation, is of sufficient height to extend from proximate a first roof rail (38) on a first side of the vehicle to a location sufficient to protect a seated occupant such that the inflated air bag will lie between the occupant and the first side of the vehicle;

the system (20) further including a first flexible tube (70) having a plurality of distributed openings (72) thereacross to distribute inflation gas to the first air bag wherein the first flexible tube extends substantially across the length of the air bag and inflation means (60) for inflating the air bag.