Inflatable curtain with fluid release means

Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain having an inflatable volume;
• an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable curtain;
• a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain;
• actuatable means for providing an opening in at least one of said fill tube and said inflatable curtain for directing said inflation fluid from said inflatable volume to deflate said inflatable curtain, said actuatable means being actuatable in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source,
• wherein said opening comprises an opening in said fill tube, said actuatable means comprising a device actuatable to provide said opening in said fill tube after inflation of said curtain for releasing said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain.

Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain having an inflatable volume;
• an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable curtain;
• a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain;
• actuatable means for providing an opening in at least one of said fill tube and said inflatable curtain for directing said inflation fluid from said inflatable volume to deflate said inflatable curtain, said actuatable means being actuatable in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source,
• wherein said opening comprises an opening in said fill tube, said actuatable means comprising a device actuatable to provide said opening in said fill tube for releasing said inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain,
• wherein said device comprises a member movable from an unactuated condition blocking said opening to an actuated condition unblocking said opening,
• wherein said member is urged to move from said unactuated condition to said actuated condition under the pressure of said inflation fluid acting on said member when said inflation fluid source is actuated,
• wherein said device further comprises means for maintaining said member in said unactuated condition after said inflation fluid source is actuated, said means for maintaining thereafter permitting said member to move to said actuated condition to release said inflation fluid starting a predetermined time after said inflation fluid source is actuated,
• wherein said means for maintaining comprises a body of viscous material that resists movement of said member from said unactuated condition toward said actuated condition, said member when urged toward said actuated condition under the pressure of said inflation fluid displacing said viscous material which permits movement of said member toward said actuated condition.

Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant;
• an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable curtain;
• a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from the inflation fluid source to the inflatable curtain, said fill tube having a portion positioned in said inflatable curtain;
• and
• a device mounted on said fill tube actuable after inflation of said curtain for releasing the inflation fluid from said inflatable curtain.

Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable curtain that is inflatable away from the roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant, said inflatable curtain having an inflatable volume;
• an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable curtain;
• a fill tube for delivering the inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source to said inflatable curtain;
• an actuatable device actuatable to provide a first opening in at least one of said fill tube and said inflatable curtain for directing said inflation fluid from said inflatable volume to deflate said inflatable curtain, said actuatable device being actuatable in response to actuation of said inflation fluid source, said device comprising a member movable along a straight line to provide a first opening, said member being movable to provide a second opening in said apparatus for directing inflation fluid from said first opening to deflate said inflatable curtain.