Inflatable vehicle occupant protection device

#The present invention relates to an inflatable apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision.

#It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. One particular type of inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain that inflates from adjacent the roof of the vehicle downward inside the passenger compartment between a vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle in the event of a side impact or rollover. A known inflatable curtain is inflated from a deflated condition by inflation fluid directed from an inflator to the inflatable curtain through a fill tube.

#The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable into a position between a vehicle part and a vehicle occupant. The apparatus also includes an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The inflation fluid source contains a stored inflation fluid consisting essentially of 65-95% helium gas and 5-35% nitrogen gas stored under pressure.

#The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon consideration of the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an inflatable apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment the present invention illustrating the apparatus in a deflated condition;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in an inflated condition;

#As representative of the present invention, an inflatable apparatus 10 helps to protect an occupant of a vehicle 12. The present invention is applicable to any inflatable apparatus that is inflatable between a vehicle occupant and a vehicle part in the event of a vehicle collision. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the apparatus 10 includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in the form of an inflatable curtain 14 that is mounted adjacent the side structure 16 of the vehicle 12 and a roof 18 of the vehicle. The side structure 16 of the vehicle 12 includes side windows 20. An inflator 24 is connected in fluid communication with the inflatable curtain 14 through a fill tube 22. The inflator 24 contains a stored quantity of pressurized inflation fluid (not shown) for inflating the inflatable curtain 14.

#The fill tube 22 has a first portion 30 for receiving inflation fluid from the inflator 24. The fill tube 22 has a second portion 32 disposed in the inflatable curtain 14. The second portion 32 of the fill tube 22 has a plurality of openings (not shown) that provide fluid communication between the fill tube 22 and the inflatable curtain 14. The fill tube 22 helps to distribute the inflation fluid evenly along the length of the inflatable curtain 14 in order to help inflate and deploy the curtain evenly along its length. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the fill tube 22 could be omitted, in which case the inflator 24 would be connected directly to the inflatable curtain 14.

#The apparatus 10 includes a housing 26 (FIG. 1) that stores the inflatable curtain 14 in a deflated condition. The fill tube 22, the deflated inflatable curtain 14, and housing 26 have an elongated configuration and extend along the vehicle roof 18 and along the side structure 16 of the vehicle 12 above the side windows 20. The roof 18 may be either a standard roof that is fixed in place or a convertible roof that can be moved or removed. The apparatus 10 includes means 28, such as clamps or brackets, that connect the fill tube 22 and the inflatable curtain 14 to the vehicle side structure 16. The means 28 may also help connect the inflatable curtain 14 to the fill tube 22.