Curtain air bag assembly

• US 6,962,364 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Weber, Paul Raymond, Moniaci, Kenneth Douglas, Wipasuramonton, Pongdet Paul, Ju, Chang-Hwan, Olson, Mark Otto, Salmo, Shakir M., Coon, Jeffrey S., Bedekar, Kaustubh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/439,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20030218324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/729, 280/740, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

A side curtain air bag assembly is provided, which has an inlet configured to receive inflation gas, a plurality of inflatable chambers; and a distribution tube in fluid communication with the inlet of the air bag. The inlet and the distribution tube are configured to cause inflation gas to flow along the air bag in a predetermined direction, and the distribution tube has a conical portion configured to reduce the pressure of the inflation gas pressure that is communicated from the inlet, and to distribute the inflation gas to the inflatable compartments of the air bag. The air bag is stored with the distribution tube wrapped about an inboard side of the air bag and in a manner such that the distribution tube unwraps from the air bag and is positioned between the inboard side of the air bag and the adjacent side structure of the vehicle as inflation gas is being initially communicated to the distribution tube, thereby enabling the air bag to deploy without interference with gaps that may exist (or may form) at the adjacent side structure of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A curtain air bag assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag in a stored condition having a fluid inlet configured to communicate with a source of inflation gas and a plurality of inflatable compartments, the fluid inlet configured to direct inflation gas into the air bag in a predetermined direction, the air bag having an inboard side that faces a vehicle occupant and an outboard side that faces adjacent side structure of a vehicle when the air bag is inflated; and

a distribution tube disposed in the air bag, the distribution tube having a conical portion in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, the conical portion configured to reduce the pressure of inflation gas communicated from the fluid inlet and direct the distribution of inflation gas along the air bag in the predetermined direction, the distribution tube further configured to distribute inflation gas to the inflatable compartments of the air bag, the distribution tube being wrapped about the inboard side of the air bag when the air bag is in the stored condition, and in a manner such that the distribution tube unwraps from the inboard side of the air bag and is positioned between the inboard side of the air bag and the adjacent side structure of the vehicle as inflation gas is being initially communicated to the distribution tube.

2. The curtain air bag assembly of claim 1 wherein the fluid inlet comprises an inlet tube integrally connected with the distribution tube.

3. The curtain air bag assembly of claim 1 wherein the fluid inlet comprises an inlet tube formed in one piece with the distribution tube.

4. The curtain air bag assembly of claim 1 wherein the conical portion of the distribution tube has a relatively wide section adjacent to and in fluid communication with the inlet tube, the flow-area of the inlet tube being smaller than the flow area of the relatively wide section of the conical portion of the distribution tube.

5. The curtain air bag assembly of claim 1, wherein the distribution tube comprises a separate component that is coupled to the inflatable air bag.

6. An air bag assembly comprising:

an inflatable air bag having an inlet configured to receive inflation gas,

a distribution tube disposed in the air bag and in fluid communication with the inlet and with the inflatable air bag,

the air bag having an inboard side that faces a vehicle occupant and an outboard side that faces adjacent side structure of a vehicle when the air bag is inflated,

the air bag being in a stored condition and being inflatable by inflation gas communicated to the air bag through the distribution tube, and

the distribution tube being wrapped about the inboard side of the air bag when the air bag is in the stored condition, and in a manner such that the distribution tube unwraps from the inboard side of the air bag and is positioned between the inboard side of the air bag and the adjacent side structure of the vehicle as inflation gas is being initially communicated to the distribution tube.