Patent ID: 6250667
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is adapted to inflate away from a roof of the vehicle into a position between a side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant; andan inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a plurality of arc-shaped connections that define a plurality of arc-shaped chambers of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, each of said arc-shaped chambers comprising an arc-shaped upper side wall defined by one of said arc-shaped connections and an arc-shaped lower side wall defined by another of said arc-shaped connections;each of said arc-shaped chambers including a central portion and opposite terminal end portions, said central portion and said terminal end portions being adapted to inflate into a position adjacent the vehicle side structure between the side structure and the vehicle occupant, said arc-shaped chambers being positioned vertically adjacent to each other such that the lower side wall of one of said arc-shaped chambers forms the upper side wall of an adjacent arc-shaped chamber.