Inflatable side curtain with tensioning device
First Claim
1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a deployed position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a first tensioning device comprising a cylinder, a piston that is slidable in said cylinder, and a fluid source actuatable to provide fluid for moving said piston from a first position towards a second position in said cylinder; and
a first flexible elongated member having a first end connected to the vehicle side structure and an opposite second end connected to said piston, said first flexible elongated member having an intermediate portion between said first and second ends extending through said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said fluid source when actuated moving said piston in a first direction towards said second position, said tensioning device tensioning said first flexible elongated member and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston in said first direction towards said second position, said resistance increasing to a point at which said resistance prevents movement of said piston towards said second position.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) and a roof (18) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) inflatable between the side structure and a vehicle occupant. A first tensioning device (70) is actuatable to move a piston (124) from a first position towards a second position in a cylinder (122). A first flexible elongated member (72) has a first (74) end connected to the vehicle side structure (16), an opposite second end (80) connected to the piston (124), and an intermediate portion (82) that extends through the inflatable device (14). When the first tensioning device (70) is actuated, the piston (124) moves the second end (80) in a first direction, which tensions the first member (72) and helps to move the inflatable device (14) towards the deployed position. The inflatable device (14) resists movement of the piston (124) in the first direction. The resistance increases to a point at which the resistance prevents movement of the piston (124) towards the second position.
39 Citations
43 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a deployed position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a first tensioning device comprising a cylinder, a piston that is slidable in said cylinder, and a fluid source actuatable to provide fluid for moving said piston from a first position towards a second position in said cylinder; and
a first flexible elongated member having a first end connected to the vehicle side structure and an opposite second end connected to said piston, said first flexible elongated member having an intermediate portion between said first and second ends extending through said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said fluid source when actuated moving said piston in a first direction towards said second position, said tensioning device tensioning said first flexible elongated member and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston in said first direction towards said second position, said resistance increasing to a point at which said resistance prevents movement of said piston towards said second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a deployed position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a first tensioning device connected to said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device at a first location on said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said first tensioning device comprising a first flexible elongated member and first tensioning mechanism for tensioning said first flexible elongated member, said first flexible elongated member having a first end connected to the vehicle side structure and an opposite second end connected to said first tensioning mechanism, said first flexible elongated member having an intermediate portion between said first and second ends extending through said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said first tensioning mechanism tensioning said first flexible elongated member in a first direction to tension said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position when said first tensioning device is actuated, said first tensioning device resisting movement of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in a direction generally opposite said first direction; and
a second tensioning device connected to said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device at a second location on said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said second tensioning device tensioning said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in a second direction, different than said first direction, towards said deployed position, said second tensioning device resisting movement of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in a direction generally opposite said second direction. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
said piston moving in said first direction when said first tensioning mechanism is actuated, said first tensioning mechanism tensioning said first flexible elongated member and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position;
said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston in said first direction toward said second position, said resistance increasing as said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated to a point at which said resistance prevents further movement of said piston towards said second position, said first tensioning mechanism blocking movement of said piston in a direction opposite said first direction.
-
-
37. Apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein said second tensioning device comprises a cylinder, a piston that is slidable in said cylinder, and a fluid source actuatable to provide fluid for moving said piston from a first position towards a second position in said cylinder, said second tensioning device further comprising a second flexible elongated member having a first end connected to said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and an opposite second end connected to said piston,
said piston moving in said second direction when said second tensioning device is actuated, said second flexible elongated member being tensioned and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston in said second direction toward said second position, said resistance increasing as said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated to a point at which said resistance prevents further movement of said piston towards said second position, said second tensioning device blocking movement of piston in a direction opposite said second direction.
-
38. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a deployed position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a first tensioning device comprising a cylinder, a piston that is slidable in said cylinder, and a fluid source actuatable to provide fluid for moving said piston from a first position towards a second position in said cylinder;
a first flexible elongated member having a first end connected to the vehicle side structure and an opposite second end connected to said piston, said first flexible elongated member having an intermediate portion between said first and second ends extending through said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and
a second tensioning device connected to said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said fluid source when actuated moving said piston in a first direction towards said second position, said tensioning device tensioning said first flexible elongated member and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston in said first direction towards said second position, said resistance increasing to a point at which said resistance prevents movement of said piston towards said second position, said second tensioning device tensioning said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in a second direction, different than said first direction, and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position.
-
-
39. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a deployed position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a tensioning device comprising a cylinder connected to a pillar of the vehicle, a piston movable in the cylinder, and a flexible elongated member, said flexible elongated member having a first end connected to the pillar and an opposite second end connected to said piston, said flexible elongated member extending through said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said piston moving in said cylinder when said tensioning device is actuated, said piston tensioning said flexible elongated member and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston in said cylinder, said resistance increasing to a point at which said resistance prevents movement of said piston in said cylinder.
-
-
40. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a deployed position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;
an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a first tensioning device comprising a cylinder and a piston that is movable in said cylinder from a first end of said cylinder toward a second end of said cylinder in response to fluid pressure acting on said piston; and
a first flexible elongated member having a first portion associated with said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and a second portion connected to said piston, said piston when moving in said cylinder in response to fluid pressure acting on said piston tensioning said first flexible elongated member and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston in said cylinder, said resistance increasing to a point at which said resistance stops movement of said piston in said cylinder when said piston is positioned proximate said second end of said cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
a second tensioning device comprising a cylinder and a piston that is movable in said cylinder from a first end of said cylinder toward a second end of said cylinder in response to fluid pressure acting on said piston; and
a second flexible elongated member having a first portion associated with said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and a second portion connected to said piston, said piston of said second tensioning device when moving in said cylinder in response to fluid pressure acting on said piston tensioning said second flexible elongated member and helping to move said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device towards said deployed position, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device providing resistance to movement of said piston of said second tensioning device in said cylinder, said resistance increasing to a point at which said resistance stops movement of said piston in said cylinder when said piston is positioned proximate said second end of said cylinder.
-
Specification