Vehicle occupant protection apparatus
First Claim
1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising an expansion part positioned in a folded state along an upper edge of a vehicle window and being capable of expanding in the form of a curtain along the window in a vehicle cabin in order to protect a vehicle occupant,wherein the expansion part has a primary inflation part that is inflated by the pressure of a gas, the primary inflation part comprising an occupant-protecting inflation part that inflates in a location facing the sitting location of the vehicle occupant, and an internal-pressure-regulating inflation part that is capable of being inflated by the gas from the occupant-protection inflation part in a location set apart from the sitting location,wherein the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part is in constant connection with the occupant-protecting inflation part via a communication channel having a reduced diameter to adjust the internal pressure of the occupant-protecting inflation part, the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part having a break part which is designed to break when subjected to a predetermined breaking force produced in accordance with an internal pressure of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part generated by the gas flowing inside the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part,wherein when the break part has broken, the break part allows a further increase in the capacity of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part and a corresponding reduction in the internal pressure of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part to thereby adjust the internal pressure of the occupant-protecting inflation part of the expansion part, andwherein the break part sequentially breaks in a front-rear direction of the expansion part starting at an end of the break part facing the communication channel and proceeding to an opposite end of the break part.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for use in a vehicle includes an occupant-protecting expansion part caused to expand in the form of a curtain in the vehicle cabin along windows. The expansion part is attached to the vehicle body at two attachment points positioned forward and rearward of the windows. A tension line that joins the two attachment points is in a position where the expansion part is extended between the two points, and is positioned below the lower edges of the windows.
36 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising an expansion part positioned in a folded state along an upper edge of a vehicle window and being capable of expanding in the form of a curtain along the window in a vehicle cabin in order to protect a vehicle occupant,
wherein the expansion part has a primary inflation part that is inflated by the pressure of a gas, the primary inflation part comprising an occupant-protecting inflation part that inflates in a location facing the sitting location of the vehicle occupant, and an internal-pressure-regulating inflation part that is capable of being inflated by the gas from the occupant-protection inflation part in a location set apart from the sitting location, wherein the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part is in constant connection with the occupant-protecting inflation part via a communication channel having a reduced diameter to adjust the internal pressure of the occupant-protecting inflation part, the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part having a break part which is designed to break when subjected to a predetermined breaking force produced in accordance with an internal pressure of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part generated by the gas flowing inside the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part, wherein when the break part has broken, the break part allows a further increase in the capacity of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part and a corresponding reduction in the internal pressure of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part to thereby adjust the internal pressure of the occupant-protecting inflation part of the expansion part, and wherein the break part sequentially breaks in a front-rear direction of the expansion part starting at an end of the break part facing the communication channel and proceeding to an opposite end of the break part.
Specification