Vehicle occupant safety apparatus

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof, a headliner supported on the roof, and a side structure including a window, said apparatus comprising:

• a first vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition wherein said first protection device is stored along an outboard side of said headliner above the vehicle window, said first protection device being inflatable into a position between the side of the occupant's head and the vehicle side structure;
• an actuatable first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said first inflatable device to inflate said first inflatable device;
• a second vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition wherein said second protection device is stored along said outboard side of said headliner above the vehicle window, said second protection device being inflatable into a position between the top of the occupant's head and the vehicle roof and overlying the top of the occupant's head;
• a second inflation fluid source actuatable independently of said first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said second inflatable device to inflate said second inflatable device;
• and
• control means responsive to at least one sensed vehicle condition for actuating said first and second inflation fluid sources.

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a side structure, a roof, and a headliner supported on the roof, said apparatus comprising:

• a first vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side of the occupant's head and the vehicle side structure;
• an actuatable first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said first inflatable device to inflate said first inflatable device;
• a second vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between the vehicle roof and the vehicle headliner into a position between the top of the occupant's head and the vehicle roof and overlying the top of the occupant's head;
• a second inflation fluid source actuatable independently of said first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said second inflatable device to inflate said second inflatable device;
• and
• control means responsive to at least one sensed vehicle condition for actuating said first and second inflation fluid sources;
• wherein said first inflatable device is a window air bag inflatable into a position between the vehicle occupant and a window of the vehicle, and second inflatable device is a headliner air bag inflatable into a position between the vehicle occupant and a roof of the vehicle;
• wherein said first inflation fluid source comprises means for directing inflation fluid to flow from said first inflation fluid source in a generally downward direction in the vehicle to inflate said first inflatable device in a generally downward direction in the vehicle entirely below the first inflation fluid source, and said second inflation fluid source comprises means for directing inflation fluid to flow from said second inflation fluid source in a lateral direction in the vehicle to inflate said second inflatable device in a lateral direction in the vehicle.

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof, a headliner supported on the roof, and a side structure including a window, said apparatus comprising:

• a first vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side of the occupant's head and the vehicle side structure;
• an actuatable first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said first inflatable device to inflate said first inflatable device;
• a second vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the top of the occupant's head and the vehicle roof and overlying the top of the occupant's head;
• a second inflation fluid source actuatable independently of said first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said second inflatable device to inflate said second inflatable device;
• and
• control means responsive to at least one sensed vehicle condition for selectively actuating one or both of said first and second inflation fluid sources;
• said first and second vehicle occupant protection devices having a deflated condition wherein said first and second protection devices are stored along an outboard side of said headliner above the vehicle window.

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof, a headliner supported on the roof, and a side structure including a window, said apparatus comprising:

• a first vehicle occupant protection device inflatable into a position between the side of the occupant's head and the vehicle side structure;
• an actuatable first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said first inflatable device to inflate said first inflatable device;
• a second vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between the vehicle roof and the vehicle headliner into a position between the top of the occupant's head and the vehicle roof and overlying the top of the occupant's head;
• a second inflation fluid source actuatable independently of said first inflation fluid source for directing inflation fluid into said second inflatable device to inflate said second inflatable device;
• and
• control means responsive to at least one sensed vehicle condition for actuating said first and second inflation fluid sources;
• said first and second vehicle occupant protection devices having a deflated condition wherein said first and second protection devices are stored along an outboard side of said headliner above the vehicle window.