Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-11
2001-01-30
DePumpo, Daniel G. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S728200, C280S743100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179324
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle safety apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as a side curtain, for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a side impact to the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to inflate an air bag to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. Some vehicles include an air bag in the form of a side curtain which is inflatable downward adjacent the side structure of the vehicle to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a side impact to the vehicle.
The side curtain is typically stored in a deflated condition along the roof rail above the side windows of the vehicle. The side curtain is part of a module including an inflator. The module is attached to the sheet metal of the vehicle and then is covered with a trim panel. A separate headliner extends laterally inward from the trim panel, inside the roof of the vehicle. The side curtain inflates through the trim panel, either by moving the trim panel out of the way or by opening the trim panel at a predetermined weakened portion or tear seam.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a vehicle occupant safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof, a side structure, and a headliner extending adjacent the roof. The roof and side structure at least partially define a safety apparatus mounting chamber in the vehicle. The side structure and the headliner at least partially define a vehicle occupant compartment. The mounting chamber terminates in an opening defined between a terminal edge portion of the headliner and the vehicle side structure.
The safety apparatus comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and having an inflated condition in which the protection device is inflated between the occupant and the vehicle side structure. The apparatus also comprises a cover at least partially enclosing the protection device within the mounting chamber when the protection device is in the deflated condition. The cover has a trim portion which extends from the mounting chamber into the opening and which has an outer surface exposed to the vehicle occupant compartment. The trim portion of the cover has a closed condition in which a first edge portion of the trim portion is in abutting engagement with the terminal edge portion of the headliner and a second edge portion of the trim portion is in abutting engagement with the side structure so that the trim portion of the cover closes the opening.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3687485 (1972-08-01), Campbell
patent: 5265903 (1993-11-01), Kuretake et al.
patent: 5362097 (1994-11-01), Barske
patent: 5462308 (1995-10-01), Seki et al.
patent: 5540459 (1996-07-01), Daniel
patent: 5605346 (1997-02-01), Cheung et al.
patent: 5755457 (1998-05-01), Specht
patent: 5788270 (1998-08-01), Haland et al.
patent: 5791683 (1998-08-01), Shibata et al.
patent: 5884937 (1999-03-01), Yamada
patent: 5921575 (1999-07-01), Kretschmer et al.
patent: 5938233 (1999-08-01), Specht
patent: 5941564 (1999-08-01), Acker
patent: 6073961 (2000-06-01), Bailey et al.
patent: 6079732 (2000-06-01), Nakajima et al.
patent: 6079735 (2000-06-01), Fallmann et al.
patent: 6082761 (2000-07-01), Kato et al.
patent: 406227340 (1994-08-01), None
Co-pending U.S. Patent Appln. Serial No. 09/119,695, filed Jul. 21, 1998, entitled “Vehicle Headliner with inflatable Side Curtain”.
Cherry Rodger M.
Phillion Robert I.
White, Jr. Michael J.
DePumpo Daniel G.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
Zeender F.
LandOfFree
Vehicle inflatable side curtain assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle inflatable side curtain assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle inflatable side curtain assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2459633