Safety device for a vehicle occupant
First Claim
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1. A safety device for an occupant sitting in a vehicle seat comprising:
- an airbag positioned to deploy between the head of the occupant and a head restraint of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a main airbag in fluid communication with a secondary airbag;
wherein the secondary airbag is configured to substantially fill with inflation gas before the main airbag fills with inflation gas, and wherein the airbag is configured so that when the secondary airbag inflates the main bag is positioned between the head restraint and the neck and nape area of the occupant so that the main bag inflates to bend the head and the neck of the occupant toward the chest,wherein the secondary airbag has two tubular positioning cushions which are connected with the main airbag so that, upon inflation of the positioning cushions the positioning of the main airbag takes place, andwherein the two tubular positioning cushions are connected by a middle cushion which upon inflation deploys in the area between the head restraint and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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Abstract
A vehicle occupant safety device for protecting the neck and nape area of an occupant of a vehicle. The device includes a main airbag for bending the head of the occupant, and at least one secondary airbag in fluid communication with the main airbag. The secondary airbag and the main airbag being connected to one another so that the second airbag fills with gas first. The secondary airbag being configured to fill with gas and deploy to position the main airbag before inflation of the main airbag occurs.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A safety device for an occupant sitting in a vehicle seat comprising:
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an airbag positioned to deploy between the head of the occupant and a head restraint of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a main airbag in fluid communication with a secondary airbag; wherein the secondary airbag is configured to substantially fill with inflation gas before the main airbag fills with inflation gas, and wherein the airbag is configured so that when the secondary airbag inflates the main bag is positioned between the head restraint and the neck and nape area of the occupant so that the main bag inflates to bend the head and the neck of the occupant toward the chest, wherein the secondary airbag has two tubular positioning cushions which are connected with the main airbag so that, upon inflation of the positioning cushions the positioning of the main airbag takes place, and wherein the two tubular positioning cushions are connected by a middle cushion which upon inflation deploys in the area between the head restraint and the occupant'"'"'s head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A safety device for an occupant sitting in a vehicle seat comprising:
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an airbag positioned to deploy between the head of the occupant and a head restraint of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a main airbag in fluid communication with a secondary airbag; wherein the secondary airbag is configured to substantially fill with inflation gas before the main airbag fills with inflation gas, and wherein the airbag is configured so that when the secondary airbag inflates the main bag is positioned between the head restraint and the neck and nape area of the occupant so that the main bag inflates to bend the head and the neck of the occupant toward the chest, wherein the secondary airbag has two tubular positioning cushions which are connected with the main airbag so that, upon inflation of the positioning cushions the positioning of the main airbag takes place, and wherein each of the positioning cushions include a lower portion which at least when in an inflated state is disposed at the level of an occupant'"'"'s neck and head area and extends from a driver'"'"'s seat toward a vehicle roof, and an upper portion, which at least in the inflated state is disposed above the occupant'"'"'s head area and is angled forward in the direction of travel with respect to the lower portion. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A safety device for an occupant sitting in a vehicle seat comprising:
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an airbag positioned to deploy between the head of the occupant and a head restraint of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a main airbag in fluid communication with a secondary airbag; wherein the secondary airbag is configured to substantially fill with inflation gas before the main airbag fills with inflation gas, and wherein the airbag is configured so that when the secondary airbag inflates the main bag is positioned between the head restraint and the neck and nape area of the occupant so that the main bag inflates to bend the head and the neck of the occupant toward the chest, wherein the secondary airbag has two tubular positioning cushions which are connected with the main airbag so that, upon inflation of the positioning cushions the positioning of the main airbag takes place, and wherein the two tubular positioning cushions are configured so that during inflation the cushions deploy laterally from the area of the vehicle seat on the left and right of the occupant'"'"'s head toward a roof of the vehicle and draw the main airbag into a position between the head restraint and the occupant'"'"'s head. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A safety device for an occupant sitting in a vehicle seat comprising:
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an airbag positioned to deploy between the head of the occupant and a head restraint of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a main airbag in fluid communication with a secondary airbag; wherein the secondary airbag is configured to substantially fill with inflation gas before the main airbag fills with inflation gas, and wherein the airbag is configured so that when the secondary airbag inflates the main bag is positioned between the head restraint and the neck and nape area of the occupant so that the main bag inflates to bend the head and the neck of the occupant toward the chest, wherein the secondary airbag has two tubular positioning cushions which are connected with the main airbag so that, upon inflation of the positioning cushions the positioning of the main airbag takes place, and wherein the two positioning cushions are configured to expand further than a middle cushion in the direction of forward travel of the vehicle.
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23. A safety device for an occupant sitting in a vehicle seat comprising:
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an airbag positioned to deploy between the head of the occupant and a head restraint of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a main airbag in fluid communication with a secondary airbag; wherein the secondary airbag is configured to substantially fill with inflation gas before the main airbag fills with inflation gas, and wherein the airbag is configured so that when the secondary airbag inflates the main bag is positioned between the head restraint and the neck and nape area of the occupant so that the main bag inflates to bend the head and the neck of the occupant toward the chest, wherein the secondary airbag has two tubular positioning cushions which are connected with the main airbag so that, upon inflation of the positioning cushions the positioning of the main airbag takes place, and wherein the secondary airbag is secured to the vehicle seat at two fastening points, wherein the fastening points are located at bottom outer margins of the positioning cushions.
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24. A safety device for an occupant sitting in a vehicle seat comprising:
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an airbag positioned to deploy between the head of the occupant and a head restraint of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a main airbag in fluid communication with a secondary airbag; wherein the secondary airbag is configured to substantially fill with inflation gas before the main airbag fills with inflation gas, and wherein the airbag is configured so that when the secondary airbag inflates the main bag is positioned between the head restraint and the neck and nape area of the occupant so that the main bag inflates to bend the head and the neck of the occupant toward the chest, wherein the main airbag includes two airbag layers which are joined together at an outer margin and the main airbag is subdivided into a lower cushion portion and an upper cushion portion, the upper cushion portion being subdivided by two strip-shaped connecting portions joining together the two airbag layers and creating three tubular portions which form a chute of the main airbag, and wherein the two inside margins of the upper portion of the positioning cushions and the lateral upper margin of the main cushion are joined together by at least one of sewing and bonding. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification