Supplemental restraint assembly for an automotive vehicle

• US 6,390,502 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hardig, Connie M., Fisher, Margaret Ann, Ryan, Shawn Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DRAPER, DEANN L
• Application Number:
  US09/817,783
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/730.1, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• 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

A supplemental restraint assembly for a vehicle having a side impact air bag with an interwoven self-tensioning tether/lace. A side air bag is secured to the vehicle roof rail between the front and rear pillars. A tether/lace extends between and is secured to the front and rear pillars. The tether/lace is secured to the air bag and traverses a plurality of spaced-apart guides formed at discrete points along the air bag. When the side impact air bag is inflated the distance between the guides increases thereby taking up slack in the tether/lace thereby inducing tension therein. The air bag is thus held firmly in place when inflated and allows the tether/lace to be stored up through the pillars and along the roof rail in a non-deployed stored state.

Claims

1. A supplemental restraint assembly disposed between a front and a rear pillar within a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag connected to an inflator, said inflator adapted to inflate said inflatable air bag from an uninflated state to an inflated state;

a plurality of guides formed on said inflatable air bag along a length thereof; and

at least one tether secured to said inflatable air bag and laced about said plurality of guides, said tether being secured to said front and rear pillars to form a connection there between;

wherein when said inflatable air bag inflates, a distance between at least two of said plurality of guides increases to take up slack in said tether and induces tension in said tether to positively position and retain said air bag relative to said vehicle.

2. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein said air bag includes:

an inboard panel secured to an outboard panel along a top edge of said air bag, and a bottom panel secured to each of said inboard and outboard panels along a bottom edge of said air bag thereby forming at least a three panel air bag,

said plurality of guides being formed on said air bag adjacent a connection between said bottom panel and each of said inboard and outboard panels, said tether traversing said bottom panel between said inboard and outboard panels in a serpentine fashion about said guides.

3. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 2, wherein said assembly further comprises a protective cover disposed on and secured to said bottom panel, said protective cover substantially covers said tether in an area adjacent said bottom panel.

4. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of guides includes a plurality of grommets formed in a waste area external said connection between said bottom panel and said inboard and outboard panels.

5. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 2, said assembly further including a protective cover disposed on and secured to said bottom panel, each of said plurality of guides being defined by a stitching between said bottom panel and said protective cover, said tether being disposed between said bottom panel and said protective cover and laced about said stitchings in a serpentine fashion.

6. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of guides are each formed of a fabric loop secured to said air bag.

7. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of fabric loops are disposed on an inboard and outboard side of said air bag, said tether traversing said air bag between said guides about a bottom portion of said air bag.

8. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of guides are disposed adjacent a top edge and a bottom edge of said air bag, said tether traversing said guides and being disposed adjacent an outboard side of said air bag and being substantially unexposed to an inboard side of said air bag.

9. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein said air bag includes:

an inboard panel connected to an outboard panel along a top edge and a bottom edge of said air bag to define a two panel air bag.

10. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of guides are disposed adjacent a top edge and a bottom edge of said air bag, said tether traversing said guides and being disposed on an outboard side of said air bag adjacent said outboard panel and being substantially unexposed to an inboard side of said air bag adjacent said inboard panel.

11. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 10, wherein said inboard and outboard panels are stitched together along said top and bottom edges of said air bag, said plurality of guides being a plurality of grommets secured to a waste area external said stitching between said inboard and outboard panels along said top and bottom edges of said air bag.

12. The supplemental restraint assembly according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of guides are each formed of a fabric loop secured to said air bag and being disposed on each of said inboard and outboard panels of said air bag, said tether traversing said air bag between said guides about a bottom portion of said air bag.

13. A supplemental restraint assembly for a vehicle, said vehicle including a front and rear pillar and a roof rail extending between said pillars, said supplemental restraint assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag secured to said roof rail and adapted to be substantially stored adjacent thereto in an uninflated state, said inflatable air bag including a plurality of guides formed thereon; and

an inflator in communication with said air bag, said inflator adapted to inflate said air bag to an inflated state;

at least one tether secured to said air bag and said front and rear pillars, said tether being stored up through said pillars and along said roof rail when said air bag is in said uninflated state, said tether traversing said guides on said air bag in a serpentine fashion;

wherein when said air bag inflates, said air bag drops down from said roof rail toward an interior of said vehicle and a distance between said plurality of guides increases to take up slack in said tether and induce tension in said tether to positively position and retain said air bag relative to said vehicle in said inflated state.