Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-05
2002-10-15
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S749000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06464250
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a side impact to the vehicle and/or a vehicle rollover.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. One particular type of inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain that inflates from the roof of the vehicle downward inside the passenger compartment between a vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle in the event of a side impact or rollover. A known inflatable curtain is inflated from a deflated condition by inflation fluid directed from an inflator to the inflatable curtain through a fill tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when inflated, has an upper edge positioned adjacent the vehicle roof and a lower edge spaced apart from the vehicle roof. An inflation fluid source provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device also includes a guide and a flexible elongated member that extends through the guide and is slidable through the guide when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated. The flexible elongated member has two leg portions extending from the side structure of the vehicle to the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated.
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Clark, III John N.
Faigle Ernst M.
Steffens, Jr. Charles E.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
To Toan C
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
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