Self-conforming rearseat air bag
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a seat for receiving the vehicle occupant, the apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle adjacent a reaction surface to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising;
a front portion presented toward the seat having an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant when the protection device is in the deployed condition;
a rear portion connected to the front portion and having an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion by a space, the front portion being positioned between the vehicle occupant and the rear portion when the protection device is in the deployed condition; and
a top portion interconnecting the front portion and the rear portion such that the protection device is hook-shaped in the deployed condition, wherein only the top portion connects the front portion to the rear portion;
the inflated front portion being movable in a fore-aft direction relative to the rear portion to engage the vehicle occupant regardless of the distance between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) having a seat (16 or 22) for receiving the occupant (20) includes an inflatable protection device (14) inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle (12) adjacent a reaction surface (19, 23, 36) to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant (20). The protection device (14) includes a front portion (62) presented toward the seat (22) and an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant (20′) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition. A rear portion (64) connected to the front portion (62) has an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion (62) by a space (110). The front portion (62) is positioned between the vehicle occupant (20) and the rear portion (64) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition. The inflated front portion (62) is movable in a fore-aft direction relative to the rear portion (64) to engage the occupant (20) regardless of the distance between the reaction surface (19, 23, 36) and the occupant (20).
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a seat for receiving the vehicle occupant, the apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle adjacent a reaction surface to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising; a front portion presented toward the seat having an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant when the protection device is in the deployed condition; a rear portion connected to the front portion and having an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion by a space, the front portion being positioned between the vehicle occupant and the rear portion when the protection device is in the deployed condition; and a top portion interconnecting the front portion and the rear portion such that the protection device is hook-shaped in the deployed condition, wherein only the top portion connects the front portion to the rear portion; the inflated front portion being movable in a fore-aft direction relative to the rear portion to engage the vehicle occupant regardless of the distance between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a seat for receiving the vehicle occupant, the apparatus comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle adjacent a reaction surface to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising; a front portion presented toward the seat having an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant when the protection device is in the deployed condition, the front portion having a substantially constant thickness in the fore-aft direction from the top portion to a lowermost edge of the front portion; a rear portion connected to the front portion and having an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion by a space, the front portion being positioned between the vehicle occupant and the rear portion when the protection device is in the deployed condition; and a top portion interconnecting the front portion and the rear portion such that the protection device is hook-shaped in the deployed condition, wherein only the top portion connects the front portion to the rear portion; the inflated front portion being movable in a fore-aft direction relative to the rear portion to engage the vehicle occupant regardless of the distance between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification