Inflatable curtain with pleats
First Claim
1. An inflatable curtain comprising:
- a first panel having at least one first pleat formed by doubling a portion of the material of the first panel back upon itself twice such that there are two folds in the material of the first panel, the first pleat constructed such that when the inflatable curtain is inflated with inflation gas, the first pleat opens into at least one first bulge that changes the deployment trajectory of the inflatable curtain; and
a second panel that is attached to the first panel, wherein the inflatable curtain is designed to be positioned along a vehicle roof rail.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inflatable curtain is provided that may be mounted on or proximate to a vehicle'"'"'s side roof rail. The inflatable curtain includes a first panel and a second panel that is attached to the first panel. The first panel and the second panel are generally made of fabric materials such as nylon and the like. At least one first pleat is added to the first panel. The first pleat is constructed such that when the inflatable curtain is inflated with inflation gas, the first pleat opens into at least one first bulge that changes the deployment trajectory of the inflatable curtain. At least one second pleat may additionally be added to the curtain. The second pleat is added to the second panel and is designed such that during inflation, the second pleat will open into a second bulge that further changes the deployment trajectory of the inflatable curtain.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An inflatable curtain comprising:
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a first panel having at least one first pleat formed by doubling a portion of the material of the first panel back upon itself twice such that there are two folds in the material of the first panel, the first pleat constructed such that when the inflatable curtain is inflated with inflation gas, the first pleat opens into at least one first bulge that changes the deployment trajectory of the inflatable curtain; and a second panel that is attached to the first panel, wherein the inflatable curtain is designed to be positioned along a vehicle roof rail. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An inflatable curtain comprising:
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a first panel; a second panel that is attached to the first panel; and at least one first pleat added to the first panel and formed by doubling a portion of the material of the first panel back upon itself twice such that there are two folds in the material of the first panel, and at least one second pleat added to the second panel and formed by doubling a portion of the material of the second panel back upon itself twice such that there are two folds in the material of the second panel, the first pleat and the second pleat constructed such that when the inflatable curtain is inflated with inflation gas, the first pleat opens into at least one first bulge and the second pleat opens into at least one second bulge, the first pleat and the second pleat positioned such that the first bulge and the second bulge change the deployment trajectory of the inflatable curtain, wherein the inflatable curtain is designed to be positioned along a vehicle roof rail. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for changing the deployment trajectory of an inflatable curtain comprising:
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obtaining an inflatable curtain comprising a first panel and a second panel, the second panel being attached to the first panel, wherein the inflatable curtain is designed to be positioned along a vehicle roof rail; and adding at least one first pleat to the first panels, the first pleat formed by doubling a portion of the material of the first panel back upon itself twice such that there are two folds in the material of the first panel, the first pleat constructed such that when the inflatable curtain inflates, the first pleat opens into at least one first bulge that changes the deployment trajectory of the inflatable curtain. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification