Inflatable curtain airbag systems

• US 7,658,401 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Balavich, Karen, Abramczyk, William, Valdez, Edgardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/669,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• 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 curtain airbag system includes a sail panel. The sail panel may be attached with an inflatable curtain of the curtain airbag system.

Claims

1. A curtain airbag system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment with a front corner, the system comprising:

an inflatable curtain having a body portion and front, bottom and top edge portions; and

a sail panel for reducing occupant limb excursion through the front corner of the passenger compartment if the system is deployed, wherein the panel has an overlapping portion including an overlapping edge, defining a width of the panel, that overlaps at least a portion of the front edge portion of the curtain, and wherein the panel is attached to the body portion of the curtain along the overlapping edge to form a seam obliquely extending from the top edge portion of the curtain toward the bottom edge portion of the curtain.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sail panel has a triangular shape.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sail panel is sewn to the inflatable curtain.

4. A vehicle curtain airbag system comprising:

an inflatable curtain having a body portion and front, bottom and top edge portions, the front edge portion defining a width of the curtain; and

a sail panel having a rear edge portion defining a width of the panel, the panel anchored to the body portion of the curtain along the rear edge portion to form a seam obliquely extending from the top edge portion of the curtain to the bottom edge portion of the curtain.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the sail panel is sewn to the inflatable curtain.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the sail panel has a triangular shape.

7. A vehicle curtain airbag system comprising:

an inflatable curtain having a body portion and front, bottom and top edge portions; and

a sail panel having a rear edge portion defining a width of the panel, the rear edge portion anchored to the body portion of the curtain to form a seam extending slant-wise from the top edge portion of the curtain toward the bottom edge portion of the curtain.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the seam extends slant-wise from the top edge portion of the curtain toward the bottom edge portion of the curtain such that when the curtain and panel are rolled up, the seam does not substantially overlap itself.