Inflatable curtain with fluid release means

• US 7,066,489 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Braun, William P., Pillsbury, Charles S. IV, Hsu, Kwen
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/465,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20040256844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/736, 280/739, 280/740, 280/742, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) and a roof (18) includes an inflatable curtain (14). The inflatable curtain (14) is inflatable away from the roof (18) between the side structure (16) of the vehicle (12) and a vehicle occupant. The inflatable curtain has an inflatable volume (28). An inflation fluid source (30) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid to the inflatable volume (28) to inflate the inflatable curtain (14). A fill tube (32) delivers the inflation fluid from the inflation fluid source (30) to the inflatable curtain (14). The apparatus (10) includes an actuatable apparatus (60) for providing an opening (72, 226) in at least one of the fill tube (32) and the inflatable curtain (14) for directing the inflation fluid from the inflatable volume (28) to deflate the inflatable curtain (14). The actuatable apparatus (60) is actuatable in response to actuation of the inflation fluid source (30).

Claims

1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain having an inflatable volume;

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable curtain;

a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain; and

an actuatable device actuatable to provide a first opening in at least one of said fill tube and said inflatable curtain for directing said inflation fluid from said inflatable volume to deflate said inflatable curtain, said actuatable device being actuatable in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source, said actuatable device comprising a piston member having a stem and a piston head, said stem being movable to provide said first opening, said piston head movable with said stem to provide a second opening in said apparatus for directing inflation fluid from said first opening to deflate said inflatable curtain.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said actuable means is adapted to release said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain starting a predetermined time after actuation of said inflation fluid source.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein said predetermined time is at least five seconds.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said movable member moves along a straight line.

5. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain having an inflatable volume;

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable curtain;

a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain;

actuatable means for providing an opening in at least one of said fill tube and said inflatable curtain for directing said inflation fluid from said inflatable volume to deflate said inflatable curtain, said actuatable means being actuatable in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source,

wherein said opening comprises an opening in said fill tube, said actuatable means comprising a device actuatable to provide said opening in said fill tube after inflation of said curtain for releasing said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said device comprises a member movable from an unactuated condition blocking said opening to an actuated condition unblocking said opening.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 6, wherein said member is urged to move from said unactuated condition to said actuated condition under the pressure of said inflation fluid acting on said member when said inflation fluid source is actuated.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said device further comprises means for maintaining said member in said unactuated condition after said inflation fluid source is actuated, said means for maintaining thereafter permitting said member to move to said actuated condition to release said inflation fluid starting a predetermined time after said inflation fluid source is actuated.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein said means for maintaining comprises a device that blocks said member from moving from said unactuated condition toward said actuated condition, said device that blocks said member being actuatable to permit said member to move from said unactuated condition to said actuated condition to release said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9, further comprising means for controlling actuation of said device that blocks said member, said means for controlling being operative to actuate said device that blocks said member to permit said member to move from said unactuated condition to said actuated condition to release said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain starting a predetermined time after actuation of said inflation fluid source.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said device that blocks said member comprises a solenoid actuatable to move said member from said unactuated condition to said actuated condition.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said device that blocks said member comprises a solenoid actuatable to release said member to move under the pressure of said inflation fluid from said unactuated condition to said actuated condition.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said device comprises a housing connected to said fill tube, said housing having a chamber in fluid communication with said opening of said fill tube and an aperture that provides fluid communication between said chamber and an exterior of said housing, said device further comprising a member disposed in said chamber, said member having an unactuated condition blocking flow of said inflation fluid through said opening, said member being movable to an actuated condition to release said inflation fluid to flow through said opening and through said aperture.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said device comprises a rupturable member connected to said fill tube and covering said opening, said rupturable member being rupturable in response to inflation fluid pressure in said fill tube, said rupturable member when ruptured releasing said inflation fluid to flow from said inflatable curtain through said opening.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein said rupturable member comprises a burst disk.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein said device further comprises a member including a lance having a central passage, said member being slidable toward said rupturable member in response to inflation fluid pressure in said fill tube, said lance being operative to puncture said rupturable member to actuate said rupturable member from an unactuated condition blocking inflation fluid flow through said opening to an actuated condition permitting inflation fluid flow through said opening via said central passage in said lance.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein said rupturable member comprises a piece of material connected to said fill tube covering said opening, said piece of material including tear propagation means, said piece of material being actuatable from an unactuated condition blocking inflation fluid flow through said opening to an actuated ruptured condition in which said tear propagation means ruptures in response to said inflation fluid pressure in said fill tube to permit inflation fluid flow through said opening.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 17, wherein said device further comprises an end cap connected to said fill tube overlying said piece of material and helping to support said piece of material on said fill tube, said end cap including an aperture through which said inflation fluid flows when said piece of material ruptures and releases said inflation fluid to flow from said inflatable curtain through said opening.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said device is adapted to maintain inflation fluid pressure in said inflatable curtain above a predetermined pressure for a predetermined time starting when said inflation fluid source is actuated while simultaneously releasing said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain through said opening.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 19, wherein said inflation fluid source is adapted to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable curtain to a pressure above said predetermined pressure so that said inflation fluid released from said inflatable curtain through said opening is insufficient to reduce the pressure in said inflatable curtain to below said predetermined pressure for a predetermined time starting after actuation of said inflation fluid source.

21. The apparatus recited in claim 19, wherein said opening is sized such that the volumetric flow rate of said inflation fluid released through said opening is insufficient to reduce the pressure in said inflatable curtain to below said predetermined pressure for at least five seconds starting after actuation of said inflation fluid source.

22. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain having an inflatable volume;

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable curtain;

a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain;

actuatable means for providing an opening in at least one of said fill tube and said inflatable curtain for directing said inflation fluid from said inflatable volume to deflate said inflatable curtain, said actuatable means being actuatable in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source,

wherein said opening comprises an opening in said fill tube, said actuatable means comprising a device actuatable to provide said opening in said fill tube for releasing said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain,

wherein said device comprises a member movable from an unactuated condition blocking said opening to an actuated condition unblocking said opening,

wherein said member is urged to move from said unactuated condition to said actuated condition under the pressure of said inflation fluid acting on said member when said inflation fluid source is actuated,

wherein said device further comprises means for maintaining said member in said unactuated condition after said inflation fluid source is actuated, said means for maintaining thereafter permitting said member to move to said actuated condition to release said inflation fluid starting a predetermined time after said inflation fluid source is actuated,

wherein said means for maintaining comprises a body of viscous material that resists movement of said member from said unactuated condition toward said actuated condition, said member when urged toward said actuated condition under the pressure of said inflation fluid displacing said viscous material which permits movement of said member toward said actuated condition.

23. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain including an inflatable volume;

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume for inflating said inflatable curtain;

a mechanism for releasing said inflation fluid to flow from said inflatable volume starting at least five seconds after actuation of said inflation fluid source to deflate said inflatable curtain, a fill tube for delivering said inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain, said mechanism being connected to said fill tube and being actuatable to provide an opening in said fill tube for releasing said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain.

24. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable curtain;

a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from the inflation fluid source to the inflatable curtain, said fill tube having a portion positioned in said inflatable curtain; and

a device mounted on said fill tube actuable after inflation of said curtain for releasing the inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain.

25. The apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein said device comprises a housing connected to said fill tube, said housing having a chamber in fluid communication with an opening of said fill tube and an aperture that provides fluid communication between said chamber and an exterior of said housing, said device further comprising a member disposed in said chamber, said member having an unactuated condition blocking flow of said inflation fluid through said opening, said member in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source being movable to an actuated condition to release said inflation fluid to flow through said opening and through said aperture to release said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain.

26. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain having an inflatable volume;

an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable curtain;

a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain;

an actuatable device actuatable to provide a first opening in at least one of said fill tube and said inflatable curtain for directing said inflation fluid from said inflatable volume to deflate said inflatable curtain, said actuatable device being actuatable in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source, said device comprising a member movable along a straight line to provide a first opening, said member being movable to provide a second opening in said apparatus for directing inflation fluid from said first opening to deflate said inflatable curtain.

27. The apparatus recited in claim 26, wherein said second opening is in said inflatable curtain, said device comprising a pyrotechnic charge ignitable to provide said second opening in said inflatable curtain and means for igniting said pyrotechnic charge to provide said second opening and release said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain starting a predetermined time after actuation of said inflation fluid source.

28. The apparatus recited in claim 27, wherein said means for igniting comprises a pyrotechnic member connected to said pyrotechnic charge and an electrical ignition source operatively connected to said pyrotechnic member, said electrical ignition source being operative to ignite said pyrotechnic member in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source, said pyrotechnic member being operative to combust starting from said electrical ignition source and burning toward said pyrotechnic charge, said burning pyrotechnic member when reaching said pyrotechnic charge igniting said pyrotechnic charge to release said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain starting a predetermined time after actuation of said inflation fluid source.

29. The apparatus recited in claim 28, wherein said means for igniting comprises a housing connected to said fill tube and having a chamber in fluid communication with said fill tube, said member being a first contact disposed in said chamber, said means for igniting further comprising an electrical source and a second contact disposed in said chamber, said first contact being movable in said chamber relative to said second contact, said means for igniting having an unactuated condition in which said first contact is spaced from said second contact, said inflation fluid acting on said first contact to move said first contact into engagement with said second contact in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source, said first contact when engaging said second contact completing an electrical circuit in which electrical current from said electrical source is provided to said electrical ignition source to effectuate ignition of said pyrotechnic member.