Inflatable curtain assembly

• US 6,736,421 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Blake, Thomas E. III, Gordon, Gary G., Zofchak, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUM VANNUCCI, LEE SIN YEE
• Application Number:
  US09/804,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 296/214, 164/22, 164/25
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) having a side structure (16) and a roof (18) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) is inflatable away from the vehicle roof (18) into a position between the side structure (16) of the vehicle (12) and the vehicle occupant. A fill tube (22) has a portion located in the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The apparatus (10) also includes at least one support device (40) that has a portion (42) that clamps around a portion of the fill tube (22). The apparatus (10) further includes a grab handle (150) that has at least one portion (156) adapted to interconnect with the support device (40). A fastener (180) is extendable through the support device (40) to connect the grab handle (150), support device (40), fill tube (22) and inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) to the vehicle (12).

Claims

1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant;

a fill tube having a portion located in said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

at least one support device having a portion that clamps around a portion of said fill tube;

a grab handle having an anchor portion insertable into a fastener receiving portion of said at least one support device, said anchor portion including at least one latch portion that engages said at least one support device to connect said grab handle to said at least one support device, said grab handle, said anchor portion, and said at least one latch portion being molded as a single piece of material; and

a fastener extendable through said at least one support device and through said handle to connect said grab handle, said at least one support device, said fill tube and said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to the vehicle.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one latch portion of said anchor portion extends around a dentation extending from a surface of said fastener receiving portion, said latch portion including a surface that engages said dentation to connect said grab handle to said at least one support device.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a headliner overlying the roof of the vehicle between the roof and an occupant of the vehicle, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said fill tube, and said at least one support device being adapted to be positioned between the headliner and the roof of the vehicle, said anchor portions being extendable through the headliner into said fastener receiving portion of said at least one support device.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said grab handle has a first end and an opposite second end, said anchor portions extending from said first and second ends of said grab handle in a first direction, parallel to each other.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said anchor portion extending from said first end of said grab handle is insertable into a first support device and said anchor portion extending from said second end of said grab handle is insertable into a second support device.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and said fill tube, when connected to the vehicle, extend along the intersection of the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle roof.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said at least one support device, said grab handle, and said at least one fastener cooperate to help support the headliner in the vehicle.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one fastener extends through said grab handle to help connect said grab handle to the vehicle.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain having a stored position extending along the side structure adjacent a 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.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said inflation fluid source is 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 curtain to inflate said inflatable curtain.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said inflatable curtain, when inflated, extends along the side structure of the vehicle between an A pillar and a C pillar of the vehicle.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said inflatable curtain, when inflated, overlies at least a portion of an A pillar, a B pillar and a C pillar of the vehicle.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a sensor for sensing a vehicle condition for which deployment of said inflatable curtain is desired, said sensor actuating said inflation fluid source to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable curtain.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said inflation fluid source comprises an inflator which is actuatable to inflate said inflatable curtain.