Patent ID: 6431590
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said apparatus comprising:an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant; and an inflation fluid source that provides inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels interconnected to form said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device including connections interconnecting said overlying panels; said connections helping to define at least one inflatable front chamber, at least one inflatable rear chamber, and at least one inflatable middle chamber, said at least one front chamber and said at least one rear chamber each having an inflation fluid inlet positioned near an upper edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and an inflation fluid outlet located near a lower edge of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said at least one middle chamber having an arc-shaped configuration defined by spaced arc-shaped connections, said arc-shaped connections having opposite ends positioned near said lower edge which define inflation fluid inlets of said at least one middle chamber, said inflation fluid inlets of said at least one middle chamber being positioned near said lower edge, said at least one middle chamber being free from an inflation fluid inlet and outlet near said upper edge, said inflation fluid inlets of said front and rear chambers directing inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source into said front and rear chambers, said inflation fluid outlets of said front and rear chambers directing inflation fluid from said front and rear chambers into said inflation fluid inlets of said at least one middle chamber to inflate said at least one middle chamber.