Air-bag arrangement

• US 7,243,943 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated), Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated), Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Abramczyk, William M., Ohrvall, Henrick
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US10/316,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20030230876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/749, 280/743.1, 280/729, 280/730.1
• 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 arrangement comprising:

a vehicle having an “

A”

-Post, a “

B”

-Post, a “

C”

-Post, and a “

D”

-Post;

an inflatable curtain comprising;

an inflatable element divided into three separate inflatable regions comprising a forward-most inflatable region, an intermediate inflatable region and rear-most inflatable region, said inflatable regions being configured to provide protection for vehicle occupants seated one-behind-the-other, the rear-most inflatable region being connected to the intermediate inflatable region only by means of a gas flow passage;

a gas supply duct positioned at one edge of the inflatable element, the gas supply duct being associated with a gas generator for the inflatable element, the gas supply duct being connected to inject gas directly into the forward-most and intermediate inflatable regions, wherein the gas flow passage communicates with said intermediate inflatable region at a position remote from the gas supply duct; and

mounting elements for mounting the inflatable element to a motor vehicle comprising a front-most mounting element on an extension extending from a forward-most part of the inflatable element for connection to a mounting on the “

A”

-Post of the vehicle, the arrangement being configured for mounting at least the gas generator and the associated gas supply duct to a roof line of the vehicle,

wherein, the forward-most inflatable region is disposed such that when inflated, the forward-most inflatable region will be positioned adjacent to the “

B”

-Post of the vehicle, the intermediate inflatable region is disposed such that when inflated, the intermediate inflatable region will be positioned adjacent to the “

C”

-Post of the vehicle, and the rear-most inflatable region is disposed such that when inflated, the rear-most inflatable region will be positioned adjacent to the “

D”

-Post of the vehicle.

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 1 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 claim 1 wherein the rear-most inflatable region is adapted to inflate after the next forward inflatable region has reached a predetermined gas pressure.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the rear-most inflatable region is adapted to inflate after the head of an occupant in front of a rear-most occupant has struck the next forward inflatable region.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the 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.

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

9. An arrangement comprising:

a vehicle having an “

A”

-Post, a “

B”

-Post, a “

C”

-Post, and a “

D”

-Post;

an inflatable curtain comprising;

an inflatable element divided into three separate inflatable regions comprising a forward-most inflatable region, an intermediate inflatable region and rear-most inflatable region, said inflatable regions being configured to provide protection for vehicle occupants seated one-behind-the-other, the rear-most inflatable region being connected to the intermediate inflatable region only by means of a gas flow passage;

a gas supply duct positioned at one edge of the inflatable element, the gas supply duct being associated with a gas generator the inflatable element, the gas supply duct being connected to inject gas directly into the forward-most and intermediate inflatable regions, wherein the gas flow passage communicates with said intermediate inflatable region at a position remote from the gas supply duct; and

mounting elements for mounting the inflatable element to a motor vehicle comprising a front-most mounting element being present on an extension extending from a forward-most part of the inflatable element for connection to a mounting on the “

A”

-Post of the vehicle, the arrangement being configured for mounting at least the gas generator and the associated gas supply duct to a roof line of the vehicle,

wherein, the forward-most inflatable region is disposed such that when inflated, the forward-most inflatable region will be positioned adjacent to the “

B”

-Post of the vehicle and the rear-most inflatable region is disposed such that when inflated, the rear-most inflatable region will be positioned adjacent to the “

D”

-Post of the vehicle.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9 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.

11. An arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the inflatable element includes at least one uninflatable region located between and separating two adjacent, but spaced apart inflatable regions.

12. An arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the rear-most inflatable region is adapted to inflate after the next forward inflatable region has reached a predetermined gas pressure.

13. An arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the rear-most inflatable region is adapted to inflate after the head of an occupant in front of a rear-most occupant has struck the next forward inflatable region.

14. An arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the 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.

15. An arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the inflatable element is for use in a motor vehicle having two rows of seats.

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