Patent ID: 6648368
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A roof rail air bag system for an automotive vehicle having a stored state and a deployed state, the air bag system comprising:an inflatable curtain attached to a roof rail of the vehicle, the inflatable curtain operative to cover at least one side window of the vehicle in the deployed state; an inflatable tube structure disposed along a bottom edge of the inflatable curtain, the inflatable tube structure having an input end fixed in a front pillar and a closed end fixed in a rearward pillar of the vehicle, the inflatable tube structure positioning the inflatable curtain over the at least one window when inflated; an inflator for rapidly providing inflation gas under pressure to the inflatable tube structure and the inflatable curtain when activated; and a gas manifold operable to receive gas from the inflator through a received end, the manifold having a first portion extending part way through the interior of the inflatable curtain and having a plurality of holes to deliver gas to the inflatable curtain, the manifold further having a second portion extending external to the inflatable curtain along the front pillar of the vehicle and operable to deliver gas through a delivery end to the inflatable tube structure, wherein the gas manifold delivers gas substantially simultaneously to the inflatable curtain and the inflatable tube structure.