Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2001-08-21
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S743200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276712
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a side restraint assembly for protecting vehicle occupants.
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 standard 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 which have upper head and torso protection which simultaneously inflate from the vehicle door or seat to protect the vehicle occupant during side impact or roll over event.
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 as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,480,181 and 5,322,322. It has also been suggested to provide a side head air bag with a plurality of vertically extending inflatable cells.
It is desirable to provide a side air bag that covers a larger area of the side of the vehicle while simultaneously increasing the stability and tension of the lower portion of the air bag within a single cushion device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved side restraint assembly that improves upon the prior art and other related art.
The present invention is directed to a side restraint assembly with a constricting braided portion to induce tension along the lower edge of the assembly and position the air bag during a side impact, rollover event, or subsequent impact. A side air bag has a main portion secured to the vehicle along the roof rail between the front and rearward pillars. A tubular portion of the side air bag extends from the main portion rearward to an inflator in the rear pillar. The tubular portion of the side air bag is covered with a braided tube made of continuous fibers. A tether connects a front lower portion of the main portion of the side air bag to a lower portion of the front pillar. Upon inflation of the side air bag, the diameter of the braided tube increases and its length decreases significantly. The decreased length induces tension along the bottom edge of the restraint assembly thereby positioning the side restraint assembly within the vehicle. A bulged portion of the braided tube is provided to increase the degree of constriction during inflation and thereby increase the induced tension. When fully inflated, the side air bag curtain provides side impact protection for the head, neck and face and may also, under some circumstances, help to prevent an occupant from being ejected during a roll over event or subsequent impact. A fabric material may also be attached to the braided tube and vehicle roof rail to further protect a rear occupant.
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Khoudari Bassam Georges
Welch Jeffrey Allen
Bottroff Christopher
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Marra Kathryn A.
Swann J. J.
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