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
06168193
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. The apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device. The vehicle occupant protection device is inflatable away from a vehicle roof into a position extending along a vehicle side structure between the side structure and a vehicle occupant. An inflator provides inflation fluid for inflating the vehicle occupant protection device.
The inflation fluid rotates an impeller which moves a tensioning member in a linear direction. A flexible elongated member has a first end connected to the side structure of the vehicle and an opposite second end connected to the tensioning member. The flexible elongated member is connected to the vehicle occupant protection device between the first and second ends of the flexible elongated member. The flexible elongated member is tensioned by the tensioning member when the tensioning member moves in the linear direction. The flexible elongated member resists movement of the vehicle occupant protection device away from the side structure of the vehicle when the vehicle occupant protection device is inflated.
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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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