Cushion for protection of a vehicle occupant's head
First Claim
1. A cushion for protecting a vehicle occupant'"'"'s head, the cushion having an upper portion fixed to a vehicle near a corner between a ceiling and a side surface of a vehicle cabin and wherein the cushion is adapted to inflate downwardly along the side surface, the cushion comprising:
- a cabin-side base fabric and a window-side base fabric sewn together along a peripheral seam to form a chamber for receiving gas, wherein the cabin-side and window-side fabrics are connected together at a joint located in the interior of the chamber, whereby a depressed region is formed on an exterior surface of the cabin-side fabric around the joint when the chamber is inflated by gas;
an outer shell fabric connected to the cabin-side fabric and covering the cabin-side base fabric at the depressed region; and
wherein the outer shell is attached to the cabin-side base fabric outside of the peripheral seam.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cushion for protecting a vehicle occupant'"'"'s head. The cushion inflates and deploys smoothly and is configured so that gas leakage out of the cushion is reduced in order to maintain the inner pressure high for an extended period of time. The cushion includes a protective cushion element and outer shell fabrics superposed on both outer surfaces of the protective cushion element. The cushion element includes a cabin-side base fabric and a window-side base fabric that are sewn together by sewing yarns after being bonded to each other by adhesive. The outer shell fabrics are bonded to the protective cushion element by adhesives. When the protective cushion element is inflated, the outer shell fabrics are tightly stretched over the outer surfaces of the inflated protective cushion element so as to cover depressed portions of the base fabrics.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A cushion for protecting a vehicle occupant'"'"'s head, the cushion having an upper portion fixed to a vehicle near a corner between a ceiling and a side surface of a vehicle cabin and wherein the cushion is adapted to inflate downwardly along the side surface, the cushion comprising:
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a cabin-side base fabric and a window-side base fabric sewn together along a peripheral seam to form a chamber for receiving gas, wherein the cabin-side and window-side fabrics are connected together at a joint located in the interior of the chamber, whereby a depressed region is formed on an exterior surface of the cabin-side fabric around the joint when the chamber is inflated by gas;
an outer shell fabric connected to the cabin-side fabric and covering the cabin-side base fabric at the depressed region; and
wherein the outer shell is attached to the cabin-side base fabric outside of the peripheral seam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A side airbag for protecting a vehicle passenger comprising:
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an inflatable cushion comprising a window side sheet and a passenger side sheet, wherein the sheets are sewn together along a peripheral seam to thereby create an inflatable chamber between the sheets;
wherein the sheets are further connected along an interior seam located within the chamber to thereby limit the outward expansion of the chamber during inflation;
a layer of fabric attached to an exterior surface of the passenger side sheet, wherein the layer of fabric covers a depressed region formed adjacent the interior seam when the airbag inflates; and
wherein the layer of fabric is attached to the passenger side sheet outside of the peripheral seam. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A cushion for protecting the head of a vehicle passenger comprising:
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a window side sheet and a passenger side sheet, wherein the sheets are sewn together along a peripheral seam located along a periphery of the window side sheet and the passenger side sheet; and
wherein the sheets are further connected by interior seams that divide an inflatable chamber located between the sheets;
a layer of fabric attached to the exterior of the window side sheet and the passenger side sheet by adhesive, wherein the adhesive is located between the layer of fabric and the sheets at opposite ends of the fabric layer so that the layer of fabric stretches over the interior seams when the chamber is inflated; and
wherein the shape of the fabric layer corresponds substantially to the shape of the sheets. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A side airbag for protecting a vehicle passenger comprising:
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an inflatable cushion comprising a window side sheet and a passenger side sheet, wherein the sheets are sewn together along a peripheral seam to thereby create an inflatable chamber between the sheets;
wherein the sheets are further connected along an interior seam located within the chamber to thereby limit the outward expansion of the chamber during inflation; and
a layer of fabric attached to an exterior surface of the window side sheet by adhesive, wherein the layer of fabric covers the interior seam; and
wherein the layer of fabric is attached to the window side sheet outside the peripheral seam. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification