EP0653335A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle upon a side impact against the vehicle
Assignee: ZF Passive Safety Systems US Inc
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Filing: 1994-11-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-01
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle occupant shoulder restraint (51c) is located on a vehicle door and is inflatable from a stored condition on the door to an inflated condition between the door and the shoulder area of an occupant. When inflated, the occupant shoulder restraint (51c) engages the shoulder of the occupant. A vehicle occupant upper rib restraint (52c,53c) is located on the vehicle door and is inflatable from a stored condition on the door to an inflated condition between the door and the upper rib area of the occupant. When inflated, the shoulder restraint (51c) extends further into the vehicle passenger compartment than the upper rib restraint (52c,53c). When inflated, the occupant rib restraint (52c,53c) engages the upper rib area of the occupant. In another embodiment of the invention a vehicle occupant head restraint (210) is located on the vehicle door and is inflatable from a stored condition on the door to an inflated condition between the door and the head of the occupant. When inflated, the occupant head restraint (210) engages the head of the occupant. The occupant head restraint (210) is inflated into position to restrain the head of the occupant after the occupant shoulder restraint (51c) has been inflated and has restrained the shoulder of the occupant.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles E. Steffens, Jr.
- 👤 Louis R. Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 01:51
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/23; B60R21/231; B60R21/23138; B60R21/20; B60R21/21; B60R21/215; B60R21/216; B60R2021/2161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
An apparatus for use in a vehicle having a passenger compartment and a vehicle front, rear, and side, said apparatus comprising: vehicle occupant shoulder restraint means located on the vehicle side and inflatable from a stored condition to an inflated condition between the vehicle side and the shoulder area of an occupant of the vehicle and for, when inflated, engaging the shoulder area of the occupant; vehicle occupant upper rib restraint means other than said shoulder restraint means located on the vehicle side and inflatable from a stored condition to an inflated condition between the vehicle side and the upper rib area of the occupant and for, when inflated, engaging the upper rib area of the occupant; sensor means for sensing a side impact against the vehicle; and means for directing inflation fluid into said vehicle occupant shoulder restraint means and said vehicle occupant rib restraint means when a side impact against the vehicle is sensed by said sensor means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein (i) said occupant shoulder restraint means has an innermost occupant contact point in the passenger compartment which lies in a first vertical plane extending in the forward and rearward directions of travel of the vehicle when said occupant shoulder restraint means is inflated, and (ii) said occupant upper rib restraint means has an innermost occupant contact point in the passenger compartment which lies in a second vertical plane extending in the forward and rearward directions of travel of the vehicle when said occupant upper rib restraint means is inflated, said first and second vertical planes lying parallel with a central vertical plane which extends in the forward and rearward directions of travel of the vehicle and divides the vehicle in half in the forward and rearward directions of travel of the vehicle, said first vertical plane lying closer in distance to said central vertical plane than said second vertical plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an actuatable inflator for, when actuated, releasing inflation fluid to be directed into said occupant shoulder restraint means and said occupant upper rib restraint means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein (i) said occupant shoulder restraint means includes a first inflatable portion defining a first chamber into which inflation fluid from said inflator flows to inflate said first portion when a side impact against the vehicle occurs, and (ii) said occupant upper rib restraint includes a second inflatable portion defining a second chamber into which inflation fluid from said inflator flows to inflate said second portion when a side impact against the vehicle occurs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein (i) said first portion of said occupant shoulder restraint means is located adjacent the shoulder area of the occupant to resist movement of the shoulder area of the occupant when said first portion is inflated and the shoulder area of the occupant engages said first portion, and (ii) said second portion of said occupant upper rib restraint means is located adjacent the upper rib area of the occupant to resist movement of the rib area of the occupant when said second portion is inflated and the upper rib area of the occupant engages said second portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each of said first and second portions, when inflated, is tubular in shape and has its longitudinal central axis extending along the forward and rearward directions of travel of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising pad means associated with said first and second portions for acting between said first and second portions and the occupant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising at least one tether strap interconnecting the vehicle side and said pad means and for limiting movement of said pad means and said first and second portions into the vehicle passenger compartment when said first and second portions are inflated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of said first and second portions includes vent valve means for releasing inflation fluid from the chamber of the respective portion to control the pressure in the chamber of the respective portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein (i) said vent valve means of said first portion opens when the pressure in said first chamber reaches a first predetermined pressure, and (ii) said vent valve means of said second portion opens when the pressure in said second chamber reaches a second predetermined pressure which is lower than said first predetermined pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising vehicle occupant head restraint means located on the vehicle side and inflatable from a stored condition on the vehicle side to an inflated condition between the vehicle side and the head of the occupant and for, when inflated, engaging the head of the occupant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said occupant head restraint means includes a third inflatable portion defining a third chamber into which inflation fluid from said first chamber of said first portion flows to inflate said third portion after said first portion has been inflated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said third portion is located adjacent the head of the occupant to protect the head of the occupant when said third portion is inflated from forcibly striking an object.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for use in a vehicle having a passenger compartment and a vehicle front, rear, and side said apparatus comprising: vehicle occupant restraint means inflatable from a stored condition to an inflated condition between the vehicle side and the side of an occupant of the vehicle; said vehicle occupant restraint means including an inflatable first portion for, when inflated, restraining the torso of the occupant and an inflatable second portion for, when inflated, protecting the head of the occupant; sensor means for sensing a side impact against the vehicle; means for directing inflation fluid into said first portion to inflate said first portion when a side impact against the vehicle is sensed by said sensor means; and means for inflating said second portion into position to restrain the head of the occupant after said first portion has been inflated and has restrained the torso of the occupant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising an actuatable inflator for, when actuated, releasing inflation fluid to be directed into said first portion of said occupant restraint means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each of said first and second portions of said occupant restraint means, when inflated, is tubular in shape and has its longitudinal central axis extending along the forward and rearward directions of travel of the vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said first portion defines a chamber and includes vent valve means for releasing inflation fluid from said chamber to control the pressure in said chamber, said vent valve means of said first portion opening when the pressure in said chamber reaches a predetermined pressure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said means for inflating said second portion includes at least one passage interconnecting said first and second portions and for, when opened, allowing inflation fluid to flow from said first portion to said second portion after said first portion has been inflated.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of protecting an occupant of a vehicle having a vehicle front, rear, and side during a side impact against the vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: providing a source of inflation fluid; inflating a vehicle occupant restraint means from a stored condition on the vehicle side to an inflated condition between the occupant of the vehicle and the vehicle side in response to a side impact against the vehicle; applying a first force by said occupant restraint means to the shoulder area of the occupant to resist movement of the shoulder area of the occupant when the shoulder area of the occupant engages said occupant restraint means; and applying a second force lower than said first force by said occupant restraint means to the upper rib area of the occupant to resist movement of the upper rib area of the occupant when the rib area of the occupant engages said occupant restraint means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 19 further including the step of, after resisting movement of the shoulder area of the occupant and the rib area of the occupant, resisting movement of the head of the occupant relative to the torso of the occupant.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of protecting an occupant of a vehicle having a vehicle front, rear, and side during a side impact against the vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: providing a source of inflation fluid; inflating a vehicle occupant torso restraint means from a stored condition to an inflated condition between the side of an occupant of the vehicle and the vehicle side in response to a side impact against the vehicle; engaging the torso of the occupant by the vehicle occupant torso restraint means; after initially engaging the torso of the occupant by the torso restraint means, inflating a vehicle occupant head restraint means to an inflated condition between the head of the occupant and the vehicle side; and protecting the head of the occupant by the inflated vehicle occupant head restraint means by restraining sideward movement of the head of the occupant.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein said vehicle occupant torso restraint means comprises a shoulder area restraint and an upper rib area restraint and further including the steps of inflating said shoulder area restraint and said upper rib area restraint into the occupant compartment of the vehicle with said shoulder area restraint being inflated a greater distance into the occupant compartment than said upper rib area restraint.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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