Patent ID: 6752418
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A method for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof, said method comprising the steps of:providing 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, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising overlying panels that are interconnected to define an inflatable volume of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; determining a thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when inflated, said thickness being measured between overlying points on said overlying panels at a location where a head of an occupant may contact said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; determining a pressure using a predetermined mathematical equation that expresses said pressure in terms of said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said pressure having a magnitude sufficient to prevent a head having a given mass from striking the side structure through said thickness of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device when the head impacts said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device at and below a given velocity; and providing an inflation fluid source for providing inflation fluid to said inflatable volume to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to at least said pressure.