Side impact head strike protection system

A safety system for protecting occupants of vehicles comprising:

• (a) a braided tube enclosing an inner bladder running the length of the tube, said braided tube having a first end, a second end, and an inner surface;
• (b) said braided tube mounted proximate to said first end to a first position in the vehicle;
• (c) said tube mounted proximate to said second end to a second position in the vehicle;
• (d) means for generating gas in said inner bladder, thereby inflating the braided tube, said inner bladder comprised of at least one layer of elastomeric material;
• (e) crash sensor means connected to said means for generating gas, said crash sensor means being capable of initiating generation of gas flow into said inner bladder upon detection of an impact,
• wherein upon inflation of said inner bladder, said braided tube increases its diameter and decreases its length substantially such that said braided tube deploys under tension in a substantially straight line between the first and second positions in the vehicle.

A safety system for protecting occupants of motor vehicles comprising:

• (a) a braided tube enclosing an inner bladder running the length of the tube, said braided tube having a first end, a second end, and an inner surface;
• (b) at least one attachment strap having a first end and a second end, the first end of said at least one attachment strap connected to the first end of the braided tube, the second end of said at least one attachment strap mounted to a first position in the vehicle;
• (c) said tube mounted proximate to said second end to a second position in the vehicle;
• (d) means for generating gas flow into said inner bladder, thereby inflating the braided tube, said inner bladder comprised of at least one layer of elastomeric material;
• (e) crash sensor means connected to said means for generating gas, said crash sensor means being capable of initiating generation of gas flow into said inner bladder upon detection of an impact,
• wherein upon inflation of said inner bladder, said braided tube increases its diameter and decreases its length substantially such that said braided tube deploys under tension in a substantially straight line between the first and second positions in the vehicle.

A safety system for protecting the occupants in a vehicle having a window opening and a first pillar and a second pillar on either side of the window opening comprising:

• (a) a first tube having a first end and a second end;
• (b) the first end of the first tube being pivotally mounted to the first pillar at a first position;
• (c) the second end of the first tube being pivotally mounted to the second pillar at a second position, said first tube being stowed around a portion of the periphery of the window opening between the first pillar and the second pillar;
• (d) means for generating gas in the first tube;
• (e) crash sensor means connected to the means for generating gas flow into the first tube such that when the crash sensor detects an impact, it initiates generation of gas by the means for generating gas in the first tube;
• (f) a second tube having a first end and a second end;
• (g) the first end of the second tube being pivotally mounted to the first pillar at a third position;
• and
• (h) the second end of the second tube being pivotally mounted to the second pillar at a fourth position, said second tube being stowed around a portion of the periphery of the window opening between the first pillar and the second pillar;
• wherein, upon inflation, the first tube and the second tube increase their diameter and decrease their length substantially, forming two semi-rigid members stretching under tension from the first pillar to the second pillar.

An inflatable tubular structure comprising:

• (a) a braided tube of continuous fibers, said fibers crossing each other at fiber crossing points and forming first and second angles at the fiber crossing points, the first angles having longitudinal bisectors and the second angles having circumferential bisectors;
• (b) an inner bladder running the length of the braided tube;
• (c) means for connecting said inner bladder to a source of inflating gas;
• and
• (d) means for mounting said braided tube at fixed positions on a vehicle,
• wherein when the braided tube is inflated and the diameter of the tube increases, the first angles increase and the second angles decrease, resulting in a substantial decrease of the length of the braided tube.