Side impact head restraint with inflatable deployment

Claim 2

A side impact head restraint system for cushioning a vehicle occupant's head during a side impact collision including means for sensing the side impact collision and generating a crash signal thereupon, said system comprising: a restraint curtain mounted inside the vehicle adjacent a window area of a side door of the vehicle, said curtain having at least three securing points, wherein first and second securing points are fixedly attached on an upper rail of said side door and a third securing point is movably mounted on a generally vertical track located adjacent a track edge of said window area, said track running along said track edge from an upper edge toward a lower edge of said window area, said first securing point being located near said upper edge and a rear edge of said window area and said second securing point being located near said upper edge and a forward edge of said window area; an inflatable member carried by said restraint curtain; a gas generator in fluid communication with said inflatable member, said gas generator for generating gas in response to said crash signal wherein said generated gas inflates said inflatable member causing said third securing point to move along said track, driven by said inflatable member, from an undeployed position near said upper edge of said window area to a deployed position near said lower edge of said window area thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition covering at least a portion of said window area thus providing restraint for the vehicle occupant's head, wherein said third securing point locks into position at the end of travel along said track when said curtain is fully deployed.

Claim 3

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflatable member is tubular in shape and is located in an area near said rear edge of said window area.

Claim 4

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflatable member comprises three deployment fingers such that when inflated a first deployment finger runs in a substantially vertical direction near said rear edge inside said window area, a second deployment finger runs in a substantially horizontal direction near said upper edge inside said window area and a third deployment finger runs in a direction beginning at an upper/rear location where said upper edge and said rear edge meet and running toward a lower/forward location where said lower edge and said forward edge meet.

Claim 5

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 3, wherein said restraint curtain comprises fabric panels extending between said first, second and third deployment fingers.

Claim 6

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said restraint curtain comprises a plurality of inflatable fingers carried by a cloth manifold wherein said plurality of inflatable fingers are configured to be inflated by said gas generator to extend to cover said portion of said window area.

Claim 7

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said restraint curtain and said inflatable member are folded and secured behind a trim close-out panel covering said upper side rail and a "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle.

Claim 8

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said third securing point comprises a slider carried by said track, said slider configured to slide along said track in response to inflation of said inflatable member.

Claim 9

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said track is located on a "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle adjacent to said window area.

Claim 10

A side impact head restraint system for cushioning a vehicle occupant's head during a side impact collision including means for sensing the side impact collision and generating a crash signal thereupon, said system comprising: a restraint curtain mounted inside the vehicle adjacent a window area of a side door of the vehicle, said curtain having at least three securing points, wherein first and second securing points are fixedly attached on an upper rail of said side door and a third securing point is movably mounted on a generally vertical track located adjacent a track edge of said window area, said track running along said track edge from an upper edge to a lower edge of said window area, said first securing point being located near said upper edge and a rear edge of said window area and said second securing point being located near said upper edge and a forward edge of said window area; an tubular inflatable member carried by said restraint curtain; a gas generator in fluid communication with said inflatable member, said gas generator for generating gas in response to said crash signal wherein said generated gas inflates said inflatable member causing said third securing point to move along said track, driven by said inflatable member, from an undeployed position near said upper edge of said window area to a deployed position near said lower edge of said window area thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition covering at least a portion of said window area and said inflatable member covering a portion of a "B" pillar of said side door, thus providing restraint for the vehicle occupant's head, wherein said third securing point locks into position at the end of travel along said track when said curtain is fully deployed.

Claim 11

A side impact head restraint system for cushioning a vehicle occupant's head during a side impact collision including means for sensing the side impact collision and generating a crash signal thereupon, said system comprising: a restraint curtain mounted inside the vehicle adjacent a window area of a side door of the vehicle, said curtain having at least three securing points, wherein first and second securing points are fixedly attached on an upper rail of said side door and a third securing point is movably mounted on a generally vertical track located adjacent a track edge of said window area, said track running along said track edge from an upper edge to a lower edge of said window area, said first securing point being located near said upper edge and a rear edge of said window area and said second securing point being located near said upper edge and a forward edge of said window area; an tubular inflatable member carried by said restraint curtain; a gas generator in fluid communication with said inflatable member, said gas generator for generating gas in response to said crash signal wherein said generated gas inflates said inflatable member causing said third securing point to move along said track, driven by said inflatable member, from an undeployed position near said upper edge of said window area to a deployed position near said lower edge of said window area thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition covering at least a portion of said window area and said inflatable member covering a portion of a "B" pillar of said side door, thus providing restraint for the vehicle occupant's head, wherein said third securing point locks into position at the end of travel along said track when said curtain is fully deployed.

Claim 12

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 9, wherein said third securing point comprises a slider carried by said track, said slider configured to slide along said track in response to inflation of said inflatable member.

Claim 13

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 9, wherein said track is located on the "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle adjacent to said window area.

Claim 14

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 9, wherein said restraint curtain and said inflatable member are folded and secured behind a trim close-out panel covering said upper side rail and the "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle.

Claim 15

A side impact head restraint system for cushioning a vehicle occupant's head during a side impact collision including means for sensing the side impact collision and generating a crash signal thereupon, said system comprising: a restraint curtain mounted inside the vehicle adjacent a window area of a side door of the vehicle, said curtain having at least three securing points, wherein first and second securing points are fixedly attached on an upper rail of said side door and a third securing point is movably mounted on a generally vertical track located adjacent a track edge of said window area, said track running along said track edge from an upper edge to a lower edge of said window area, said first securing point being located near said upper edge and a rear edge of said window area and said second securing point being located near said upper edge and a forward edge of said window area; an inflatable member carried by said restraint curtain, wherein said inflatable member comprises at least two deployment fingers, said fingers configured to provide an improved contact surface for said occupant's head during a side impact collision and said restraint curtain comprising fabric panels sewn between said fingers configured to absorb head impact energy through fabric elongation; a gas generator in fluid communication with said inflatable member, said gas generator for generating gas in response to said crash signal wherein said generated gas inflates said deployment fingers of said inflatable member causing said deployment fingers to extend to said window area covering at least a portion of said window area and also causing said third securing point to move along said track, driven by said inflatable member, from an undeployed position near said upper edge of said window area to a deployed position near said lower edge of said window area thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition covering at least a portion of said window area thus providing restraint for the vehicle occupant's head wherein said third securing point locks into position at the end of travel along said track when said curtain is fully deployed.

Claim 16

A side impact head restraint system for cushioning a vehicle occupant's head during a side impact collision including means for sensing the side impact collision and generating a crash signal thereupon, said system comprising: a restraint curtain mounted inside the vehicle adjacent a window area of a side door of the vehicle, said curtain having at least three securing points, wherein first and second securing points are fixedly attached on an upper rail of said side door and a third securing point is movably mounted on a generally vertical track located adjacent a track edge of said window area, said track running along said track edge from an upper edge to a lower edge of said window area, said first securing point being located near said upper edge and a rear edge of said window area and said second securing point being located near said upper edge and a forward edge of said window area; an inflatable member carried by said restraint curtain, wherein said inflatable member comprises at least two deployment fingers, said fingers configured to provide an improved contact surface for said occupant's head during a side impact collision and said restraint curtain comprising fabric panels sewn between said fingers configured to absorb head impact energy through fabric elongation; a gas generator in fluid communication with said inflatable member, said gas generator for generating gas in response to said crash signal wherein said generated gas inflates said deployment fingers of said inflatable member causing said deployment fingers to extend to said window area covering at least a portion of said window area and also causing said third securing point to move along said track, driven by said inflatable member, from an undeployed position near said upper edge of said window area to a deployed position near said lower edge of said window area thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition covering at least a portion of said window area thus providing restraint for the vehicle occupant's head wherein said third securing point locks into position at the end of travel along said track when said curtain is fully deployed.

Claim 17

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 13, wherein said third securing point comprises a slider carried by said track, said slider configured to slide along said track in response to inflation of said inflatable member.

Claim 18

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 13, wherein said track is located on a "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle adjacent to said window area.

Claim 19

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 13, wherein said restraint curtain and said inflatable member are folded and secured behind a trim close-out panel covering said upper side rail and a "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle.

Claim 20

A side impact head restraint system for cushioning a vehicle occupant's head during a side impact collision including means for sensing the side impact collision and generating a crash signal thereupon, said system comprising: a restraint curtain having a plurality of inflatable fingers carried by a cloth manifold inside the vehicle adjacent a window area of a side door of the vehicle said inflatable members configured to provide an improved contact surface for said occupant's head during a side impact collision and said manifold is configured to absorb head impact energy through fabric elongation, said curtain having at least three securing points, wherein first and second securing points are fixedly attached on an upper rail of said side door and a third securing point is movably mounted on a generally vertical track located adjacent a track edge of said window area, said track running along said track edge from an upper edge to a lower edge of said window area, said first securing point being located near said upper edge and a rear edge of said window area and said second securing point being located near said upper edge and a forward edge of said window area; a gas generator in fluid communication with said plurality of inflatable fingers, said gas generator for generating gas in response to said crash signal wherein said generated gas inflates said plurality of inflatable fingers causing said third securing point to move along said track, driven by said inflatable fingers, from an undeployed position near said upper edge of said window area to a deployed position near said lower edge of said window area thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition, said plurality of inflatable fingers thus covering at least a portion of said window area providing restraint for the vehicle occupant's head wherein said third securing point locks into position at the end of travel along said track when said curtain is fully deployed.

Claim 21

A side impact head restraint system for cushioning a vehicle occupant's head during a side impact collision including means for sensing the side impact collision and generating a crash signal thereupon, said system comprising: a restraint curtain having a plurality of inflatable fingers carried by a cloth manifold inside the vehicle adjacent a window area of a side door of the vehicle said inflatable members configured to provide an improved contact surface for said occupant's head during a side impact collision and said manifold is configured to absorb head impact energy through fabric elongation, said curtain having at least three securing points, wherein first and second securing points are fixedly attached on an upper rail of said side door and a third securing point is movably mounted on a generally vertical track located adjacent a track edge of said window area, said track running along said track edge from an upper edge to a lower edge of said window area, said first securing point being located near said upper edge and a rear edge of said window area and said second securing point being located near said upper edge and a forward edge of said window area; a gas generator in fluid communication with said plurality of inflatable fingers, said gas generator for generating gas in response to said crash signal wherein said generated gas inflates said plurality of inflatable fingers causing said third securing point to move along said track, driven by said inflatable fingers, from an undeployed position near said upper edge of said window area to a deployed position near said lower edge of said window area thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition, said plurality of inflatable fingers thus covering at least a portion of said window area providing restraint for the vehicle occupant's head wherein said third securing point locks into position at the end of travel along said track when said curtain is fully deployed.

Claim 22

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 17, wherein said track is located on a "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle adjacent to said window area.

Claim 23

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 17, wherein said cloth manifold and said plurality of inflatable fingers are folded and secured behind a trim close-out panel covering said upper side rail and a "B" pillar of said side door of the vehicle.

Claim 24

A side impact head restraint system according to claim 17, wherein said third securing point comprises a slider carried by said track, said slider configured to slide along said track in response to inflation of said plurality of inflatable members.