Headliner based supplemental restraint assembly

Details Headliner based supplemental restraint assembly Headliner based supplemental restraint assembly

1999-10-15

2001-05-15

Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 2167)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Attachment

C296S214000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06231072

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a supplemental restraint assembly for protecting vehicle occupants and more particularly to a headliner based supplemental restraint assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Air bags mounted in an instrument panel or steering wheel to protect an occupant from a front impact have become well-known in the automotive industry. Numerous variations of these air bags, deployment systems and housing devices have evolved over the years.
Side impact air bag systems are also known in the art. These side impact air bags are often mounted adjacent the vehicle's roof rail, doorframe or center pillars, or in some instances within the side door. For example, it is known to provide air bags that have upper head and torso protection that simultaneously inflate from the vehicle door, roof rail or seat to protect the vehicle occupant during side impact or roll over events.
It is also known in the prior art to provide longitudinally extending rigid inflatable tubes that extend across a selected area of the vehicle between the vehicle pillars. It has also been suggested to provide a side head air bag with a plurality of vertically extending inflatable cells.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a side air bag that utilizes the vehicle's headliner as a reactionary surface for an occupant's head and upper torso.
A supplemental restraint assembly includes an air bag disposed between a vehicle's roof and the headliner adjacent the side of the vehicle. During deployment of the supplemental restraint assembly, the air bag inflates causing the headliner to extend or fold downward towards an occupant's head and upper torso. The headliner forms a reactionary surface between the occupant and the inflated air bag. An extendable frame assembly disposed between the roof and headliner is preferably employed to positively position the headliner reactionary surface during a side impact or rollover event and prevent upper deflection of the headliner after the air bag deflates. In order to deflect the headliner, the frame assembly must deform. The headliner and frame assembly together may help prevent occupant ejection in a rollover event and acts and an energy absorber in a side impact scenario. In an alternate embodiment, a single large bladder-lined air bag would extend beyond the front and rear pillars into the rear backlite and forward plenum regions of the vehicle. The bladder-lined air bag would sustain the time of inflation while the front, center, and rear pillars would help position the air bag within the vehicle and maintain the extended position of the headliner reactionary surface.


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