Inflatable side curtain

• US 6,471,240 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Nayef, Ayad, Bakhsh, Ali Emam, Stein, Russell E.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/956,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20020014762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/749, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• 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 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

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) that is inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. An inflation fluid source (24) provides inflation fluid for inflating the protection device (14). The protection device (14), when inflated, has a perimeter (44) and front and rear portions (58 and 60) spaced apart horizontally along the protection device. The protection device (14) includes overlying panels (40 and 42) that define an inflatable volume and at least one connection (80) within the perimeter (44) at which the overlying panels are interconnected. The at least one connection (80) defines inflatable chambers (100) of the protection device (14) that extend between the front and rear portions (58 and 60) in a generally horizontal direction when the protection device is inflated. The front and rear portions (58 and 60) are inflated more rapidly away from the vehicle roof (18) than the chambers (100) are inflated when the protection device (14) is inflated.

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 position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant; and

an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when inflated, having a perimeter and front and rear portions spaced apart horizontally along said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels that define an inflatable volume and at least one connection within said perimeter at which said overlying panels are interconnected;

said at least one connection extending in a generally horizontal direction when said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated, said at least one connection including first and second end portions and a middle portion located between said first and second end portions, said first and second end portions and said middle portion each having a width measured in a direction perpendicular to said horizontal direction, said width of said middle portion being greater than said widths of said first and second end portions.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain having a stored position extending along the side structure adjacent the roof of the vehicle, said inflatable curtain being inflated away from the vehicle roof into said position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said middle portion of said at least one connection is positioned adjacent a B pillar of the vehicle when said inflatable curtain is inflated.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said front portion of said inflatable curtain is at least partially defined by a front edge of said inflatable curtain, and said rear portion of said inflatable curtain is at least partially defined by a rear edge of said inflatable curtain.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said first end portion of said at least one connection terminates adjacent said front portion of said inflatable curtain and is spaced away from said front edge of said inflatable curtain, and said second end portion of said at least one connection terminates adjacent said rear portion of said inflatable curtain and is spaced away from said rear edge of said inflatable curtain.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said at least one connection at least partially defines inflatable chambers of said inflatable curtain that extend between said front and rear portions of said inflatable curtain in said generally horizontal direction.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said front portion and said rear portion of said inflatable curtain are inflated away from the vehicle roof more rapidly than said inflatable chambers are inflated away from the vehicle roof.

8. 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 position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels interconnected along at least a portion of a perimeter of said panels to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when inflated, having front and rear portions spaced apart horizontally along said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including at least one connection within said perimeter at which said overlying panels are interconnected, said at least one connection defining inflatable chambers extending between said front and rear portions, said front and rear portions being adapted to inflate more rapidly away from the vehicle roof than said chambers.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said chambers extend in a generally horizontal direction when said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said at least one connection has a length extending in a generally horizontal direction when said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated, said at least one connection including first and second end portions and a middle portion located between said first and second end portions, said first and second end portions and said middle portion each having a width measured perpendicular to said horizontal direction, said width of said middle portion being greater that said widths of said first and second end portions.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said middle portion of said at least one connection is positioned adjacent a B pillar of the vehicle when said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said front portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is at least partially defined by a front edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that extends between an upper edge and a lower edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, and said rear portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is at least partially defined by a rear edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that extends between said upper edge and said lower edge.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said first end portion of said at least one connection terminates adjacent said front portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and is spaced away from said front edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, and said second end portion of said at least one connection terminates adjacent said rear portion of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and is spaced away from said rear edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said front portion is partially defined by a front connection spaced away from said front edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and extending transversely of said horizontal direction, and said rear portion is partially defined by a rear connection spaced away from said rear edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and extending transversely of said horizontal direction.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device further comprises an upper edge and lower edge, said front and rear portions extending between said upper and lower edges, said inflation fluid flowing through said front and rear portions from adjacent said upper edge to adjacent said lower edge and then into said inflatable chambers during inflation of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said front portion is partially defined by a front connection extending transversely of said chambers, and said rear portion is partially defined by a rear connection extending transversely of said chambers.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said inflatable chambers are in fluid communication with each other.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said overlying panels are woven together to form said at least one connection.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain having a stored position extending along the side structure adjacent the roof of the vehicle, said inflatable curtain being inflated away from the vehicle roof into said position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, further including a fill tube having a portion located in said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflation fluid source being in fluid communication with said fill tube, said inflation fluid source, when actuated, providing inflation fluid to said fill tube, said fill tube directing said inflation fluid into said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when inflated, extends along the side structure of the vehicle between an A pillar and a C pillar of the vehicle.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when inflated, overlies at least a portion of an A pillar, a B pillar and a C pillar of the vehicle.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, further comprising a sensor for sensing a vehicle condition for which deployment of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is desired, said sensor actuating said inflation fluid source to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said inflation fluid source comprises an inflator which is actuatable to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

25. 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 inflatable away from the vehicle roof from a stored position to a deployed position wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is positioned between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant; and

an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when inflated, having a perimeter and front and rear portions spaced apart horizontally along said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including at least one connection within said perimeter defining inflatable chambers extending between said front and rear portions, said front and rear portions being adapted to inflate to said deployed position before said chambers inflate to said deployed position.

26. 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 position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels interconnected to help define inflatable front and rear portions spaced apart horizontally along said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and at least two, middle chambers extending between said front and rear portions; and

an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

said front and rear portions being adapted to inflate away from the vehicle roof more rapidly than said at least two middle chambers when said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated.