Containment impact protection system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A containment impact protection system for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a barrier panel attachable to a roof rail of the vehicle and having an inflatable portion, the barrier panel deployable from a stored state to a deployed state, wherein the barrier panel substantially covers at least one side window of the vehicle when in the deployed state;
the inflatable portion of the barrier panel including an inflatable cushion without a tensioning device provided longitudinally along a bottom portion of the barrier panel;
an inflatable tube structure having an inflatable tube member and a tensioning device connectable to structural members of the vehicle on opposite sides of the at least one side window, the tensioning device producing a longitudinal tension in response to the inflation a of the inflatable tube member operative to deploy the barrier panel;
at least one sling attached to the barrier panel, the at least one sling supporting the inflatable tube structure above the inflatable cushion substantially parallel to the bottom of the barrier panel; and
an inflator for producing a gas rapidly inflating the inflatable cushion and the inflatable tube member in response to a transverse acceleration above a predetermined value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A containment impact protection system having a deployable barrier panel substantially covers the side windows of the vehicle when the system is deployed. A longitudinally disposed inflatable tube member is attached to the barrier panel at a location approximately halfway between the top and bottom of the windows. A tensioning device responsive to the inflation of the inflatable tube member produces a force deploying the barrier panel from a stored state to a deployed state. A longitudinal inflatable cushion is provided between the inflatable tube member and the bottom of the barrier panel.
40 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A containment impact protection system for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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a barrier panel attachable to a roof rail of the vehicle and having an inflatable portion, the barrier panel deployable from a stored state to a deployed state, wherein the barrier panel substantially covers at least one side window of the vehicle when in the deployed state;
the inflatable portion of the barrier panel including an inflatable cushion without a tensioning device provided longitudinally along a bottom portion of the barrier panel;
an inflatable tube structure having an inflatable tube member and a tensioning device connectable to structural members of the vehicle on opposite sides of the at least one side window, the tensioning device producing a longitudinal tension in response to the inflation a of the inflatable tube member operative to deploy the barrier panel;
at least one sling attached to the barrier panel, the at least one sling supporting the inflatable tube structure above the inflatable cushion substantially parallel to the bottom of the barrier panel; and
an inflator for producing a gas rapidly inflating the inflatable cushion and the inflatable tube member in response to a transverse acceleration above a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A containment impact protection System for use in a vehicle having at least two side windows on each side of the vehicle, the protection system comprising:
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a barrier panel attachable to structural members of the vehicle above the two windows and having an inflatable portion, the bailer panel having a stored state and a deployed state, in the deployed state the barrier panel substantially coven the at least two windows;
an inflatable tube member slidably attached to the barrier panel at a location approximately halfway between the top and bottom of the windows;
a tensioning device connectable to structural members of the vehicle on opposite sides of the two windows, the tensioning device responsive to the inflation of the inflatable tube member to produce a tensioning force deploying the bailer panel; and
said inflatable portion of the barrier panel including an inflatable cushion without a tensioning device provided longitudinally along the bottom portion of the barrier panel, the inflatable cushion covering the two windows in the region between the inflatable tube structure to the bottom of the barrier panel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A containment impact protection system for USC in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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a barrier panel attachable to a roof rail of the vehicle and having an inflatable portion, the barrier panel deployable from a stored state to a deployed state, wherein the barrier panel substantially covers at least one side window of the vehicle when in the deployed state;
the inflatable portion of the barrier panel including an inflatable cushion without a tensioning device provided longitudinally along a bottom portion of the barrier panel;
an inflatable tube structure having an inflatable tube member and a tensioning device connectable to structural members of the vehicle, the tensioning device producing a longitudinal tension in response to the inflation of the inflatable tube member operative to deploy the barrier panel; and
an inflator for producing a gas rapidly inflating the inflatable cushion and the inflatable tube member in response to a transverse acceleration above a predetermined value;
said barrier panel including an outer panel and an inboard panel, one of said outer and inboard panels being configured to the shape of said inflatable cushion and sufficiently sealingly attached to the other panel to form the inflatable cushion so that the inflating gas from said inflator remains in the inflatable cushion for an extended predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A containment impact protection system for use in an automotive
a barrier panel attachable to a roof rail of the vehicle and having an inflatable portion, the barrier panel deployable from a stored state to a deployed state, wherein the barrier panel substantially covers at least one side window of the vehicle when in the deployed state; -
the inflatable portion of the barrier portion including an inflatable cushion longitudinally along a bottom portion of the barrier panel;
an inflatable structure having an inflatable tube member and a tensioning device response to the inflation of the inflatable tube member operative to deploy the barrier connectable to structural members of the vehicle, the tensioning device producing a longitudinal panel; and
an inflator for producing a gas rapidly inflating the inflatable cushion and the inflatable tube member in response to a transverse acceleration above a predetermined value;
said barrier panel including an outer panel and an inboard panel, one of said outer and inboard panels being configured to the shape of said inflatable cushion and sufficiently sealingly attached to the other panel to form the inflatable cushion so that the inflating gas from said inflator remains in the inflatable cushion for an extended predetermined time;
said containment impact protection system including a gas feed passageway in communication with said inflatable cushion and wherein said one of said outer and inboard panels is configured to the shape of said gas feed passageway.
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Specification