Patent ID: 6779562
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:a gas bag inflatable along a side structure of the vehicle between the occupant and the side structure, and a gas conduit pipe for inflating said gas bag, said gas conduit pipe comprising an inflow opening defining a direction of gas flow, a peripheral wall defining an interior of said pipe, at least one outflow opening arranged in said peripheral wall of said pipe in communication with an interior of said gas bag, an edge of said outflow opening being defined by an upstream section and a downstream section of said peripheral wall, which sections both project into said interior of said pipe, said downstream section projecting further into said interior of said pipe than said upstream section, said downstream section, when viewed from the exterior of the pipe, having the shape of a scoop gill, said scoop gill forming a guide surface for catching and guiding a gas flow stream to increase gas flow through said outflow opening into the interior of said gas bag.