Side curtain air bag assembly
First Claim
1. A side curtain air bag assembly for use in protection of an occupant within a vehicle which has a roof and a side structure below the roof, the assembly comprising:
- an inflatable air bag curtain adapted for inflation away from the vehicle roof in covering relation to at least a portion of the side structure between the side structure and the occupant upon introduction of inflation gas;
an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable air bag curtain for providing inflation gas to the inflatable air bag curtain; and
a directional guide assembly including an elongate bounded guide channel and a dynamic guide element disposed within the bounded guide channel wherein the dynamic guide element is operatively connected to the inflatable air bag curtain such that upon inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain away from the vehicle roof, the dynamic guide element is carried in a direction extending away from the vehicle roof at least partially along the bounded guide channel and wherein the dynamic guide element is adapted to be substantially freely slideable within the bounded guide channel during inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain except upon application of a tensioning force having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain and wherein upon application of the tensioning force having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain the dynamic guide element is locked into place at a position along the bounded guide channel such that retraction of the inflatable air bag curtain is prevented, wherein the dynamic guide element comprises a sliding block disposed within the guide channel, wherein the sliding block includes a first lateral face normally projecting towards the inflatable air bag cushion and a second lateral face normally projecting away from the inflatable air bag cushion and wherein the first lateral face is disposed between an upper rounded edge and a lower rounded edge and wherein the second lateral face extends between a substantially sharp angled upper edge and a lower rounded edge.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A side curtain air bag assembly for use in protection of an occupant within a vehicle which has a roof and a side structure below the roof. The assembly includes an inflatable air bag curtain adapted for inflation away from the vehicle roof in covering relation to at least a portion of the side structure between the side structure and an occupant. The assembly further includes a directional guide assembly including a dynamic guide element operatively connected to the inflatable air bag curtain such that upon inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain away from the vehicle roof, the dynamic guide element is carried in a direction extending away from the vehicle roof. Upon application of a tensioning force between the inflatable air bag curtain and the dynamic guide element having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain the dynamic guide element is substantially locked into place at a position below the roof.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A side curtain air bag assembly for use in protection of an occupant within a vehicle which has a roof and a side structure below the roof, the assembly comprising:
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an inflatable air bag curtain adapted for inflation away from the vehicle roof in covering relation to at least a portion of the side structure between the side structure and the occupant upon introduction of inflation gas;
an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable air bag curtain for providing inflation gas to the inflatable air bag curtain; and
a directional guide assembly including an elongate bounded guide channel and a dynamic guide element disposed within the bounded guide channel wherein the dynamic guide element is operatively connected to the inflatable air bag curtain such that upon inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain away from the vehicle roof, the dynamic guide element is carried in a direction extending away from the vehicle roof at least partially along the bounded guide channel and wherein the dynamic guide element is adapted to be substantially freely slideable within the bounded guide channel during inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain except upon application of a tensioning force having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain and wherein upon application of the tensioning force having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain the dynamic guide element is locked into place at a position along the bounded guide channel such that retraction of the inflatable air bag curtain is prevented, wherein the dynamic guide element comprises a sliding block disposed within the guide channel, wherein the sliding block includes a first lateral face normally projecting towards the inflatable air bag cushion and a second lateral face normally projecting away from the inflatable air bag cushion and wherein the first lateral face is disposed between an upper rounded edge and a lower rounded edge and wherein the second lateral face extends between a substantially sharp angled upper edge and a lower rounded edge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A side curtain air bag assembly for use in protection of an occupant within a vehicle which has a roof and a side structure below the roof, the assembly comprising:
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an inflatable air bag curtain adapted for inflation away from the vehicle roof in covering relation to at least a portion of the side structure between the side structure and the occupant upon introduction of inflation gas;
an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable air bag curtain for providing inflation gas to the inflatable air bag curtain; and
a directional guide assembly including an elongate bounded guide channel and a dynamic guide element disposed within the bounded guide channel wherein the dynamic guide element is operatively connected to the inflatable air bag curtain such that upon inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain away from the vehicle roof, the dynamic guide element is carried in a direction extending away from the vehicle roof at least partially along the bounded guide channel and wherein the dynamic guide element is adapted to be substantially freely slideable within the bounded guide channel during inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain except upon application of a tensioning force having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain and wherein upon application of the tensioning force having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain the dynamic guide element is locked into place at a position along the bounded guide channel such that retraction of the inflatable air bag curtain is prevented, wherein the dynamic guide element comprises a sliding block disposed within the guide channel and wherein the guide channel includes an upper capping chamber for housing the sliding block at a substantially fixed position prior to inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain and wherein the sliding block is adapted to be carried out of the capping chamber upon inflation of the inflatable air bag curtain. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A side curtain air bag assembly for use in protection of an occupant within a vehicle which has a roof and a side structure below the roof, the assembly comprising:
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an inflatable air bag curtain adapted for inflation away from the vehicle roof in covering relation to at least a portion of the side structure between the side structure and the occupant upon introduction of inflation gas, wherein the inflatable air bag curtain includes a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge opposing the first lateral edge;
an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable air bag curtain for providing inflation gas to the inflatable air bag;
a directional guide assembly including a dynamic guide element operatively connected to the inflatable air bag curtain by a tethering element extending away from the inflatable air bag curtain such that the dynamic guide element is moved away from the vehicle roof along a travel path adjacent to the first lateral edge in conjunction with the inflatable air bag curtain as the inflatable air bag curtain is inflated and wherein the dynamic guide element is substantially restrained against movement towards the vehicle roof when the tethering element is subjected to a tensioning force having a vertical force component projecting towards the vehicle roof and a horizontal force component projecting into the inflatable air bag curtain; and
at least one elongate tensioning element extending away from the second lateral edge of the inflatable air bag curtain and over the portion of the side structure covered by the inflatable air bag curtain, wherein said at least one elongate tensioning element is operatively connected to the dynamic guide element such that upon movement of the dynamic guide element away from the vehicle roof said at least one elongate tensioning element is placed into tension. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification