Strap for securing a side airbag

• US 6,974,154 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Grossert, Daniela, Bönsch, Udo, Zink, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spisich, George D.
• Application Number:
  US10/648,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20040201206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2, 280/730.2, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A side airbag has at least one strap, which can be connected at its first end via a fastening portion to the airbag and at its second end to a vehicle part. The fastening portion of the strap and a second portion adjoining it each have constant cross-sections and a tapered portion is constructed between them. The cross-sectional width of the fastening portion is larger than the cross-sectional width of the second portion and the tapered portion forms a transition between them. The strap is constructed from a constant number of individual fibers extending substantially along the longitudinal axis of the strap.

Claims

1. A strap for securing a side airbag, said strap being connectable at a first end of the strap via a fastening portion of the strap to an airbag and at a second end of the strap via a second portion of the strap to a vehicle part, wherein the fastening portion and the second portion each have constant cross-sections and a tapered portion of the strap is located therebetween, a cross-sectional width of the fastening portion being larger than a cross-sectional width of the second portion and the tapered portion providing a transition therebetween, the strap being constructed from a constant number of individual fibers extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the strap, the second portion having a hollow cross-section and the fastening portion having a solid cross-section.

2. The strap for securing a side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the second portion has a substantially circular cross-section and the fastening portion has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

3. The strap for securing a side airbag according claim 1, wherein the strap has a length and the tapering portion has a length and the ratio of the length of the strap to the length of the tapering portion is in a range of about 20:

1 to about 1000;

1.

4. The strap for securing a side airbag according claim 1, wherein the strap has a length and the tapering portion has a length and the ratio of the length of the strap to the length of the tapering portion is in a range of about 30:

1 to about 400;

1.

5. The strap for securing a side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the strap is free of seams.

6. A strap for securing a side airbag, said strap being connectable at a first end of the strap via a first fastening portion of the strap to an airbag and at a second end of the strap via a second fastening portion of the strap to a vehicle part, wherein a second portion of the strap having two ends is located between the first and second fastening portions and each end of the second portion is connected a fastening portion by a tapered portion that provides a transition therebetween, wherein the fastening portions and the second portion each have constant cross-sections, a cross-sectional width of the fastening portion being larger than a cross-sectional width of the second portion, the strap being constructed from a constant number of individual fibers extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the strap, the second portion having a hollow cross-section and the fastening portions each having a solid cross-section.

7. The strap for securing a side airbag according to claim 6, wherein the second portion has a substantially circular cross-section and the fastening portions each have a substantially rectangular cross-section.

8. The strap for securing a side airbag according to claim 6, wherein the strap is free of seams.