Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Utility Patent
1999-08-05
2001-01-02
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S736000, C280S749000
Utility Patent
active
06168194
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a side impact to a vehicle and/or a vehicle rollover.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to inflate a 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. Such an 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. The apparatus includes a vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the roof into a position along the vehicle side structure between the side structure and a vehicle occupant. An inflator provides inflation fluid for inflating the vehicle occupant protection device.
A flexible elongated member resists movement of the vehicle occupant protection device away from the vehicle side structure when the vehicle occupant protection device is inflated. A tensioning member is movable a given distance upon inflation of the vehicle occupant protection device. The tensioning member retracts a length of the flexible elongated member equal to at least approximately twice the given distance when the tensioning member moves the given distance.
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Al-Amin Ahmad K.
Cuevas Jess A.
Shirk Bryan W.
Swann Timothy A.
Van Wynsberghe Roy D.
English Peter C.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Inc.
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