Side air bag system

Claim 2

A side impact or rollover apparatus for protecting a vehicle occupant during an accident, comprising: an inflatable air bag stored in a deflated condition and when inflated positioned between a vehicle occupant and a side of the vehicle; the air bag comprising a first side panel and a second side panel, a tube panel and a separator panel; the first and second side panels joined together to form the exterior of the air bag, rear edges of the first and the second side panels are secured together to form a rear of the air bag and bottom edges of the first and second panels are secured together to form a bottom of the air bag; wherein sides of the tube panel are secured to a corresponding portion of the first and second panels to form a tube which extends upwards generally from the bottom of the air bag along the rear of the air bag, a lower portion of the tube being open to receive an inflator which communicates inflation gas to the lower portions of the tube; and wherein the separator panel is secured to the first and second panels and to the tube panel to segment these portions of the air bag, forward of the tube, into an upper chamber and into a lower chamber.

Claim 3

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the tube extends from the bottom of the air bag to a top of the air bag and the upper chamber and the lower chamber extend forward from the tube.

Claim 4

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a top of the tube is spaced from a top of the air bag and wherein the upper chamber extends into a void between the tube and the top of the air bag.

Claim 5

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a lower portion of the rear of the air bag is open and the inflator is received in this lower portion of the air bag adjacent a lower portion of the tube.

Claim 6

The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the inflator is cylindrical in shape and arranged so that its longitudinal axis is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tube.

Claim 7

The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the inflator is cylindrical and has a known length and wherein the length of the tube from its bottom to its top is substantially greater than the length of the inflator.

Claim 8

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein as the air bag is inflating, the lower portion of the tube, proximate the inflator, is spaced apart from the inflator.

Claim 9

A side impact or rollover air bag apparatus for protecting a vehicle occupant during an accident, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag; an inflator operatively connected to the air bag for inflating the air bag; mounting means for mounting the inflator generally vertically relative to a seat back of a vehicle seat and for mounting the air bag within the vehicle seat; wherein prior to inflation the air bag is stored in a deflated state within the vehicle seat and upon inflation the air bag extends substantially upwards from its mounting location in the seat and from the inflator, and wherein during inflation the air bag also extends forward of its mounting location and is positioned between a side of the occupant to be protected and an interior side of the vehicle; the air bag includes front and rear portions, a top and bottom and an inner side and an outer side, the inner side and the outer side formed by a respective inner panel and an outer panel; the air bag further includes an internal tube positioned adjacent the rear portion, the inflator is received within a lower portion of the tube and supplies inflation gas directly into the tube, the tube, when inflated, is substantially longer than the length of the inflator, the tube by virtue of its direct communication with the inflator inflating generally vertically upward from the mounting location to a fully inflated condition prior to full inflation of other portions of the air bag; the air bag further including a separator means, located in front of the tube, for separating the air bag into a lower chamber and an upper chamber, wherein rear portions of the lower and upper chambers are formed by a corresponding part of tube.

Claim 10

A side impact or rollover air bag apparatus for protecting a vehicle occupant during an accident, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag; an inflator operatively connected to the air bag for inflating the air bag; mounting means for mounting the inflator generally vertically relative to a seat back of a vehicle seat and for mounting the air bag within the vehicle seat; wherein prior to inflation the air bag is stored in a deflated state within the vehicle seat and upon inflation the air bag extends substantially upwards from its mounting location in the seat and from the inflator, and wherein during inflation the air bag also extends forward of its mounting location and is positioned between a side of the occupant to be protected and an interior side of the vehicle; the air bag includes front and rear portions, a top and bottom and an inner side and an outer side, the inner side and the outer side formed by a respective inner panel and an outer panel; the air bag further includes an internal tube positioned adjacent the rear portion, the inflator is received within a lower portion of the tube and supplies inflation gas directly into the tube, the tube, when inflated, is substantially longer than the length of the inflator, the tube by virtue of its direct communication with the inflator inflating generally vertically upward from the mounting location to a fully inflated condition prior to full inflation of other portions of the air bag; the air bag further including a separator means, located in front of the tube, for separating the air bag into a lower chamber and an upper chamber, wherein rear portions of the lower and upper chambers are formed by a corresponding part of tube.

Claim 11

The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein a top of the tube is open and communicated to an adjacent portion of the upper chamber.

Claim 12

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the tube includes openings along its length to communicate inflation gas to the upper and lower chambers.

Claim 13

The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the separator means includes a panel having a rear part secured to the tube and having first and second sides each respectively connected to one of the inner panel and outer panel of the air bag.

Claim 14

The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein a top of the tube is closed.

Claim 15

The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein a top of the tube extends to the top of the air bag and is closed at the top of the air bag.

Claim 16

A side impact or rollover air bag apparatus for protecting a vehicle occupant during an accident, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag, an inflator operatively connected to the air bag for inflating the air bag; mounting means for mounting the inflator generally vertically relative to a seat back and for mounting the air bag within a vehicle seat; prior to inflation the air bag is stored in a deflated state within the vehicle seat and upon inflation the air bag extends substantially upwards from its mounting location in the seat and from the inflator, further during inflation the air bag also extends forward of its mounting location and is positioned between a side of the occupant to be protected and an interior side of the vehicle; the air bag includes a tubular chamber which extends along a rear edge of the air bag and arranged to receive inflation gas from the inflator prior to any other inflatable portion of the air bag, wherein on receipt of inflation gas the tubular chamber fills with inflation gas and extends generally upward from the mounting location of the inflator thereby positioning the rear of the air bag relative to the seat; the air bag further includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber each of which is positioned forward of the tubular chamber and fluidly connected to the tubular chamber such that inflation gas flows from the tubular chamber into the upper and into the lower chambers.

Claim 17

A side impact or rollover air bag apparatus for protecting a vehicle occupant during an accident, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag, an inflator operatively connected to the air bag for inflating the air bag; mounting means for mounting the inflator generally vertically relative to a seat back and for mounting the air bag within a vehicle seat; prior to inflation the air bag is stored in a deflated state within the vehicle seat and upon inflation the air bag extends substantially upwards from its mounting location in the seat and from the inflator, further during inflation the air bag also extends forward of its mounting location and is positioned between a side of the occupant to be protected and an interior side of the vehicle; the air bag includes a tubular chamber which extends along a rear edge of the air bag and arranged to receive inflation gas from the inflator prior to any other inflatable portion of the air bag, wherein on receipt of inflation gas the tubular chamber fills with inflation gas and extends generally upward from the mounting location of the inflator thereby positioning the rear of the air bag relative to the seat; the air bag further includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber each of which is positioned forward of the tubular chamber and fluidly connected to the tubular chamber such that inflation gas flows from the tubular chamber into the upper and into the lower chambers.