Air bag with tether

• US 6,712,389 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• 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: Mauleon, Hector Javier Zarazua
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Draper, Deanna
• Application Number:
  US10/061,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) includes first and second panel portions (12, 14) each having a plurality of discrete openings (44, 54). The first panel portion (12) overlies the second panel portion (14) when the device (10) is in the deflated condition. A tether (30) interconnects the first and second panel portions (12, 14). The tether (30) includes a single thread (60) extending through the plurality of openings (44) in the first panel portion (12) and through the plurality of openings (54) in the second panel portion (14) in a serpentine manner. The single thread (60) has loop thread portions located outside the inflation fluid volume (16). The panel portions (12, 14) move relative to the single thread (60) as the device (10) is inflated from the deflated condition to the inflated condition. Preferably, stop members (120, 122) on the end portions (62, 64) of the tether (30) block movement of the end portions through the openings (44, 54) in the panel portions (12, 14).

Claims

1. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said device comprising:

flexible material defining an inflation fluid volume for receiving inflation fluid, said material including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said first panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings, said second panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings;

said first panel portion overlying said second panel portion when said device is in the deflated condition; and

a tether interconnecting said first panel portion and said second panel portion, said tether including a single thread, said single thread extending through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion in a serpentine manner, said single thread having loop thread portions located outside said inflation fluid volume;

wherein said thread is tightly looped through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion, said thread having a first length of slack at a first end portion of said thread and a second length of slack at a second end portion of said thread when said device is in the deflated condition.

2. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said device comprising;

flexible material defining an inflation fluid volume for receiving inflation fluid, said material including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said first panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings, said second panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings; and

a tether interconnecting said first panel portion and said second panel portion, said tether comprising a thread extending through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion to interconnect said first panel portion and said second panel portion;

said tether having a first end portion, an intermediate portion extending from said first end portion through said plurality of openings in said first and second panel portions, and a second end portion;

said first panel portion overlying said second panel portion when said device is in the deflated condition;

said first panel portion being spaced apart from said second panel portion when said device is in the inflated condition with said tether extending between said first and second panel portions to limit movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion;

said tether including a first stop member on said first end portion of said tether for blocking movement of said first end portion of said tether through said openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion, and a second stop member on said second end portion of said tether for blocking movement of said second end portion of said tether through said openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion;

said thread moving through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion, the movement of said thread through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion being resisted by contact between said thread and the material of said first panel portion thereby slowing down the movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion, the movement of said thread through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion being resisted by contact between said thread and the material of said second panel portion thereby slowing down the movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion.

3. A protection device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said thread is tightly looped through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion, said thread having a first length of slack at said first end portion and a second length of slack at said second end portion when said device is in the deflated condition.

4. A protection device as set forth in claim 2 wherein substantially all the slack in said thread is disposed between said first and second panel portions when said device is in the deflated condition.

5. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said device comprising;

flexible material defining an inflation fluid volume for receiving inflation fluid, said material including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said first panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings, said second panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings; and

a tether interconnecting said first panel portion and said second panel portion, said tether comprising a thread extending through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion to interconnect said first panel portion and said second panel portion;

said tether having a first end portion, an intermediate portion extending from said first end portion through said plurality of openings in said first and second panel portions, and a second end portion;

said first panel portion overlying said second panel portion when said device is in the deflated condition;

said first panel portion being spaced apart from said second panel portion when said device is in the inflated condition with said tether extending between said first and second panel portions to limit movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion;

said tether including a first stop member on said first end portion of said tether for blocking movement of said first end portion of said tether through said openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion, and a second stop member on said second end portion of said tether for blocking movement of said second end portion of said tether through said openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion; and

said device further comprising a second tether adjacent said first tether, said second tether comprising a second thread extending through a second plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through a second plurality of openings in said second panel portion to interconnect said first panel portion and said second panel portion;

said second tether having a first end portion, an intermediate portion extending from said first end portion through said second pluralities of openings in said first and second panel portions, and a second end portion;

said first panel portion being spaced apart from said second panel portion when said device is in the inflated condition with said second tether extending between said first and second panel portions to limit movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion;

said second tether including a third stop member on said first end portion of said second tether for blocking movement of said first end portion of said second tether through said second plurality of openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion, and a fourth stop member on said second end portion of said second tether for blocking movement of said second end portion of said second tether through said second plurality of openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion.

6. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said device comprising:

flexible material defining an inflation fluid volume for receiving inflation fluid, said material including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said first panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings, said second panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings;

said first panel portion overlying said second panel portion when said device is in the deflated condition; and

a tether interconnecting said first panel portion and said second panel portion, said tether including a single thread, said single thread extending through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion in a serpentine manner, said single thread having loop thread portions located outside said inflation fluid volume;

said loop thread portions defining loops, said loops being free of thread extending through the loops;

said first panel portion being spaced apart from said second panel portion when said device is in the inflated condition with said tether extending between said first and second panel portions to limit movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion;

said panel portions moving relative to said single thread as said device is inflated from the deflated condition to the inflated condition;

said thread having a first end portion disposed on a first side surface of said first panel portion;

said thread having an intermediate portion extending from said first end portion through, in sequence, a first one of said openings in said first panel portion, through a first one of said openings in said second panel portion, through a second one of said openings in said second panel portion, and through a second one of said openings in said first panel portion,

said thread having a second end portion disposed on said first side surface of said first panel portion;

said first panel portion overlying said second panel portion when said device is in the deflated condition;

said first panel portion being spaced apart from said second panel portion when said device is in the inflated condition with said tether extending between said first and second panel portions to limit movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion,

said tether including a first stop member on said first end portion of said tether for blocking movement of said first end portion of said tether through said openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion, and a second stop member on said second end portion of said tether for blocking movement of said second end portion of said tether through said openings in said first and second panel portions upon movement of said first panel portion away from said second panel portion.