Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-31
2001-02-13
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S728200, C280S749000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186536
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an inflatable protective cushion to cover the side panes of a vehicle in the event of a side impact, having a front end and a frontal anchor point in an area of the A-column and a rear anchor point in an area of the C-column of the vehicle, and having a gas distribution tube substantially extending between the A- and C-columns of the vehicle and connected to a gas generator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a protective cushion is stowed in the folded state along the lower roof edge within the vehicle. On account of the curved shape of the roof edge, the lower edge of the protective cushion must have a greater length than the straight connecting line between the two anchor points. When the protective cushion becomes activated, automatic shortening of its lower edge occurs due to the expansion of the protective cushion in transverse direction to the connecting line between the anchor points. In its activated state, the protective cushion is therefore stretched along its lower edge. However, after the gas pressure inside the protective cushion has decreased, the tension along its lower edge is lost. But in the event of the vehicle overturning, the protective action by the protective cushion is desired, by it acting as a protective curtain. The protective cushion cannot fulfill this function adequately when it is not under tension along its lower edge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By the invention, a protective cushion of the type initially mentioned is further developed in the aspect that, on activation of the protective cushion, it is tensioned along its lower edge with the tension remaining effective even after the pressure in the protective cushion has decreased. According to the invention this is achieved in that the gas distribution tube has an end with a piston slidably accommodated therein, having a piston rod connected to the piston protruding from the end of the gas distribution tube, one of the anchor points being provided on a free end of the piston rod.
On activation of the protective cushion, the piston, and with it the piston rod, is pushed out of the front end of the gas distribution tube, causing the frontal anchor point of the protective cushion to be displaced towards the front. This means that the effective length of the line between the two anchor points is increased. The protective cushion is now tensioned along its lower edge between the two anchor points, independently of a shortening of the protective cushion which will occur when it becomes inflated. The tensioning of the protective cushion remains effective even after its relaxation.
According to a preferred embodiment, which is favored by the interior design of modern vehicles, the piston rod is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the straight line defined by the anchor points. With this embodiment there is no need for a separate back stop for both the piston and the piston rod, because the piston rod is clamped in the front end of the gas distribution tube, due to the traction exerted along the lower edge of the protective cushion.
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Ilan Ruth
Mai Lanna
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell, Tummino & Szabo LLP
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
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