Inflatable curtain

Details Inflatable curtain Inflatable curtain

2000-05-31

2001-08-14

Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Attachment

C280S749000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06273458

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inflatable apparatus 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 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. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable from a stored position into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. An inflation fluid source provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.
The apparatus includes a guide connected to the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and a flexible elongated member that extends through the guide. The flexible elongated member has a first end connected to the vehicle at a first location and an opposite second end connected to the vehicle at a second location. The guide is movable over the flexible elongated member in a first direction when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated and the guide resists movement over the flexible elongated member in a second direction, opposite the first direction.


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