Side impact or curtain air bag with position enhancing or locating mechanism

• US 7,044,500 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• 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: Kalandek, Bruce A., Wipasuramonton, Pongdet P., Olson, Mark O., Salmo, Shakir M., Jakovski, Jovica J., Macy, Philip J., Hague, Michael A., MacLean, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/021,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/743.2, 280/749, 280/728.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• 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 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A side impact air bag curtain apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag adapted to be installed within a vehicle in a stowed condition proximate the roof rail of a vehicle and when inflated expands from the stowed condition to a deployed condition generally in front of an adjacent side of the vehicle; the air bag including a set of first air bag anchors fixedly connected to a determinable set of fixed first vehicle anchors within the vehicle, the air bag including at least one second air bag anchor at an end of the air bag; and a force-resolving member such as a bent rod or other member fixedly mounted at a determinable orientation within the vehicle and adapted to slidingly receive and support the second air bag anchor. The force-resolving member in concert with the foreshortening of the air bag during inflation causing the second air bag anchor to move to a preferred orientation.

Claims

1. A side impact air bag curtain apparatus comprising:

an inflatable air bag adapted to be installed within a vehicle in a stowed condition proximate a roof rail of a vehicle and when inflated expands from the stowed condition to a deployed condition generally in front of an adjacent side of the vehicle;

the air bag including at least one movable air bag anchor at an end of the air bag; and

a force-directing member or guide fixedly mounted at a determinable orientation within the vehicle and adapted to slidingly receive and support the movable air bag anchor, wherein upon inflation of the air bag, the air bag moves to the deployed condition causing the movable anchor to slide down the force-directing member or guide so that upon inflation of the air bag the movable anchor is self located in or near a center of the force-directing member or guide resisting any tendency of the curtain to move or be moved upwardly;

wherein the force-directing member or guide includes an element having a single bend, wherein that single bend forms an apex, the element mounted such that the apex tends to cause the movable air bag anchor to self-center at the apex, while not being locked to the element.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the element is a rod.

3. A side impact air bag curtain apparatus comprising:

an inflatable air bag adapted to be installed within a vehicle in a stowed condition proximate a roof rail of a vehicle and when inflated expands from the stowed condition to a deployed condition generally in front of an adjacent side of the vehicle;

the air bag including at least one movable air bag anchor at an end of the air bag; and

a force-directing member or guide fixedly mounted to the vehicle adjacent one side of the deployed air bag, and adapted to slidingly receive and support the movable air bag anchor, comprising an arcuate bar configured with only a single bend in the bar, the single bend forming an apex, facing the one side of the deployed air bag wherein upon inflation of the air bag, the air bag moves to the deployed condition causing the movable anchor to slide down the bar so that upon inflation of the air bag the movable anchor is self located within the apex of the bar.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein the force-directing member or guide includes an apex directed away from the air bag.

5. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein the bar includes ends which respectively extend angularly away from the apex.

6. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein the bar includes a first portion mounted vertically in the vehicle and a second portion which extends angularly therefrom.

7. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein the bar includes a first portion mounted horizontally in the vehicle and a second portion which extends angularly therefrom and away from the one side of the air bag.

8. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein the bar includes a first portion and a second portion which extend outwardly from the apex and wherein the first and second portions are each skew mounted relative to the vehicle.