Air-bag arrangement

• US 20030230876A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated), Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ohrvall, Henrick, Abramczyk, William M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

An air-bag arrangement in the form of inflatable curtain (1) has a plurality of inflatable regions (12, 19, 25) spaced from the front of the inflatable curtain to the rear of the inflatable curtain. The rear-most inflatable region (25) is connected by a gas flow passage (23) to the lower-most part of an inflatable chamber (22) forming part of the next forward inflatable region (19) at a point remote from the point where a gas flow duct (8) associated with a gas generator (7) injects gas into that chamber (22). The rear-most inflatable region (25) of the inflatable element does not inflate until after the two forward regions (12, 19) have inflated, and possibly does not open until the region (19) connected to the gas flow passage(23) has been struck by the head of an occupant. An occupant in a rear-most row of seats is normally spaced further from the inflatable curtain than a more forwardly positioned occupant, and thus the rear-most chamber (25) will be inflated before being struck by a rear occupant.

Claims

1. An airbag arrangement in the form of an inflatable curtain, the inflatable curtain comprising an inflatable element, the inflatable element, at one edge, being provided with a gas supply duct associated with a gas generator, mounting elements being provided to mount the inflatable element to the motor vehicle, a front-most mounting element being present on an extension means extending from a forward-roost part of the inflatable element to be connected to a mounting on an “

A”

-Post of the vehicle, and further mounting means serving to mount at least the gas generator and the associated gas supply duct to the roof line of the motor vehicle, the inflatable element being divided into separate inflatable zones to provide protection for vehicle occupants seated one-behind-the-other, the gas supply duct being connected to inject gas directly into at least one forward-most inflatable zone, the rear-most inflatable zone being connected to the next forward ratable zone by means of a gas flow passage, the gas flow passage communicating with said next forward inflatable zone at a position remote from the gas supply duct.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein at least one inflatable region is divided into a plurality of chambers or cells so that, on inflation of the inflatable element, the length of the inflatable element between a rear-most mounting element and the front-most mounting element is reduced.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the inflatable element includes at least one uninflatable region located between and separating two adjacent, but spaced apart inflatable regions.

4. An arrangement according to any claim 2 wherein the rear-most inflatable zone is adapted to inflate after the next forward inflatable zone has reached a predetermined. gas pressure.

5. An arrangement according to any one of claim 1 wherein the rearmost inflatable zone is adapted to inflate after the head of the occupant in front of the rear-most occupant has struck the said next forward inflatable zone.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the said gas supply passage is initially closed by a tear seam adapted to tear to open the gas flow passage when subjected to a predetermined pressure.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1 for use in a vehicle with three rows of seats, the inflatable element comprising a forwardmost inflatable region, and an intermediate inflatable region which communicates with said gas flow passage leading to a third, rear-most inflatable region.

8. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the inflatable element is for use in a motor vehicle having two rows of seats, the inflatable element comprising a forward-most inflatable region which communicates with said gas flow passage leading to a rear-most inflatable region.

9. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the extension is a strap.