# US 10,501,043 B2 · Assembly and method using an inflatable device within a vehicle having a detachable door > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,043 B2 - Document ID: US10501043B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/899,000 - Filed: 2018-02-19 - Published: 2019-08-22 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam; Mohamed Ridha Baccouche; Saied Nusier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501043B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/23138: {specially adapted for side protection (B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence)} - B60J 5/0487: {simplified doors related to cabins of, e.g. golf carts, tractors, jeeps, cranes, forklifts, etc.} - B60R 21/013: including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over - B60R 21/01544: {detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment} - B60R 21/0428: {associated with the side doors or panels, e.g. displaced towards the occupants in case of a side collision} - B60R 21/21: in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors (pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213) - B60R 21/261: with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid - B60R 2021/0246: {mounted on side walls} - B60R 2021/0435: {associated with the side or roof pillars} - B60R 2021/2612: {Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) ## Abstract An exemplary vehicle assembly, includes, among other things, an inflatable device that transitions between a less expanded position and a more expanded position. The inflatable device in the more inflated position is disposed within a door opening of a vehicle. A side door of the vehicle is detached from the vehicle to provide the door opening. An exemplary occupant protection method includes, among other things, after a side door of a vehicle is detached from the vehicle to provide a door opening, transitioning an inflatable device from a less expanded position to a more expanded position. The inflatable device in the more inflated position is disposed within the door opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle assembly, comprising: an inflatable device that transitions between a less expanded position and a more expanded position, the inflatable device in the more inflated position disposed within a door opening area of a vehicle, a door of the vehicle detached from the vehicle to provide the door opening area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable device is mounted to a cage member that span from a front of the door opening area to a rear of the door opening area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle assembly of claim 2, wherein the cage member includes no door panel and no window glass such that the door opening area includes no door panel and no window glass when the side door is detached from the vehicle and replaced with the cage member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle assembly of claim 2, wherein the cage member is a chain or a bar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The vehicle assembly of claim 2, wherein a plurality of openings in the cage member open to a plurality of openings in the inflatable device to provide a plurality of paths for communicating a gas to an interior of the inflatable device to transition the inflatable device from the less expanded position to the more expanded position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a deployable assembly that transitions from a stowed position to a deployed position, the deployable assembly spanning from a front side of the door opening area to a rear side of the door opening area when in the deployed position, the inflatable device secured to the deployable assembly and configured to transition with the deployable assembly from the stowed position to the deployed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle assembly of claim 6, wherein the deployable assembly in the stowed position is at least partially housed within a first recess on one of the front side or the rear side, and the deployable assembly in the deployed position is and least partially received within a second recess on the other of the front side or the rear side. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle assembly of claim 7, further comprising a lid that covers the deployable assembly and the inflatable device within the first recess when the deployable assembly is in the stowed position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The vehicle assembly of claim 6, wherein the deployable assembly is a telescoping assembly comprising a plurality of segments that extend relative to each other as the deployable assembly moves from the stowed position to the deployed position, the inflatable device secured to each of the plurality of segments. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The vehicle assembly of claim 6, wherein a plurality of openings in the deployable assembly open to a plurality of openings in the inflatable device to provide a plurality of paths for communicating a gas to an interior of the inflatable device to transition the inflatable device from the less expanded position to the more expanded position. ### Claim 11 An occupant protection method, comprising: after a side door of a vehicle is detached from the vehicle to provide a door opening, transitioning an inflatable device from a less expanded position to a more expanded position, the inflatable device in the more inflated position disposed within the door opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The occupant protection method of claim 11, wherein the inflatable device is mounted to a cage member that spans from a front of the door opening to a rear of the door opening. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The occupant protection method of claim 12, further comprising communicating gas through an interior of the cage member to an interior of the inflatable device to transition the inflatable device from the less expanded position to the more expanded position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The occupant protection method of claim 12, wherein the cage member includes no door panel and no window glass such that the door opening includes no door panel and no window glass when the side door is detached from the vehicle and replaced with the cage member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The occupant protection method of claim 14, further comprising pivotably securing the cage member to a body structure of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The occupant protection method of claim 11, further comprising transitioning a deployable assembly from a stowed position to a deployed position, the deployable assembly spanning from a front side of the door opening to a rear side of the door opening when in the deployed position, the inflatable device secured to the deployable assembly and transitioning with the deployable assembly from the stowed position to the deployed position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The occupant protection method of claim 16, wherein the deployable assembly in the stowed position is at least partially contained within a first recess opening to the front side or the rear side of the door opening, and the deployable assembly in the deployed position is at least partially received within both the first recess and a second recess opening to the other of the front side or the rear side of the door opening. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The occupant protection method of claim 16, further comprising extending, relative to each other, a plurality of telescoping segments of the deployable member when transitioning the deployable member from the stowed position to the deployed position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The occupant protection method of claim 18, further comprising communicating gas through the plurality of telescoping segments to an interior of the inflatable device to transition the inflatable device from the less expanded position to the more expanded position.