Inflatable side curtain that moves occupant's head away from vehicle side structure
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being deployable away from the vehicle roof, and a deflector for deflecting the protection device to deploy outboard of the centerline toward the side structure in a direction such that the protection device is configured to engage an occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure, wherein the protection device prior to deployment is packaged in a space defined between the deflector and the roof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus (10) helps protect an occupant (152) of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) and a roof (18). The apparatus (10) includes a vehicle occupant protection device (14) deployable away from the vehicle roof (18) into engagement with the occupant'"'"'s head (150) positioned against the side structure (16) to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure.
62 Citations
25 Claims
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1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
a vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being deployable away from the vehicle roof, and a deflector for deflecting the protection device to deploy outboard of the centerline toward the side structure in a direction such that the protection device is configured to engage an occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure, wherein the protection device prior to deployment is packaged in a space defined between the deflector and the roof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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a vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being deployable away from the vehicle roof and deflected outboard of the centerline toward the side structure in a direction such that the protection device is configured to engage an occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure; and a deflector for directing said protection device to deploy toward a target location on the vehicle side structure, said target location being configured to be selected to be above the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure, the vehicle occupant being of a predetermined size of a 95th percentile vehicle occupant, wherein said deflector has a stored position prior to deployment of said protection device, said protection device when deployed exerting a deployment force on said deflector that urges said deflector to deflect away from said stored position to a deployment position in which said deflector is positioned for directing said protection device to deploy toward said target location on the vehicle side structure.
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10. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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a vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being deployable away from the vehicle roof and deflected outboard of the centerline toward the side structure in a direction such that the protection device is configured to engage the occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move an occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure; and a deflector for directing said protection device to deploy toward a target location on the vehicle side structure, said target location being configured to be selected to be above the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head positioned against the side structure, the vehicle occupant being of a predetermined size of a 95th percentile vehicle occupant, wherein said deflector comprises a deflecting portion, said deflecting portion comprising; a first portion constructed and arranged to permit said protection device to deploy in a first direction in order to clear vehicle structure; and a second portion constructed and arranged to direct said protection device in a second direction different than said first direction toward the target location. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being inflatable to deploy away from the vehicle roof; an inflation fluid source for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device; and a deflector for directing said protection device to deploy outboard of the centerline and toward a target location on the vehicle side structure, said target location being selected such that the protection device is configured to engage an occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure to allow said protection device to inflate between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head, wherein the protection device prior to deployment is packaged in a space defined between the deflector and the roof. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being inflatable to deploy away from the vehicle roof; an inflation fluid source for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device; and a deflector for directing said protection device to deploy outboard of the centerline and toward a target location on the vehicle side structure, said target location being selected such that the protection device is configured to engage an occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure to allow said protection device to inflate between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head, wherein said deflector comprises; a connector portion connectable to the vehicle to help connect said deflector to the vehicle; a deflecting portion for directing said protection device to deploy toward the vehicle side structure; a support portion for connecting said deflecting portion to said connector portion; and reinforcing portions for helping to limit deflection of said connector portion, deflecting portion, and support portion in response to deployment forces exerted on said deflector by said protection device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being inflatable to deploy away from the vehicle roof; an inflation fluid source for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device; and a deflector for directing said protection device to deploy outboard of the centerline and toward a target location on the vehicle side structure, said deflector having a stored position prior to deployment of said protection device, said protection device while inflating exerting a deployment force on said deflector that urges said deflector to deflect away from said stored position to a deployment position in which said deflector is positioned for directing said protection device to deploy toward said target location on the vehicle side structure, said target location being selected such that the protection device is configured to engage an occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure to allow said protection device to inflate between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head.
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24. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a centerline and being inflatable to deploy away from the vehicle roof; an inflation fluid source for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device; and a deflector for directing said protection device to deploy outboard of the centerline and toward a target location on the vehicle side structure, said target location being selected such that the protection device is configured to engage an occupant'"'"'s head and configured to move the occupant'"'"'s head laterally away from the side structure to allow said protection device to inflate between the side structure of the vehicle and the occupant'"'"'s head, wherein said deflector comprises reinforcing portions constructed and arranged to control deflection of said deflector under deployment forces exerted by said protection device to help prevent said deflector from deflecting beyond a position at which said deflector directs said protection device to deploy toward said target location. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification