Patent ID: 7775553
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising an expansion part positioned in a folded state along an upper edge of a vehicle window and being capable of expanding in the form of a curtain along the window in a vehicle cabin in order to protect a vehicle occupant, wherein the expansion part has a primary inflation part that is inflated by the pressure of a gas, the primary inflation part comprising an occupant-protecting inflation part that inflates in a location facing the sitting location of the vehicle occupant, and an internal-pressure-regulating inflation part that is capable of being inflated by the gas from the occupant-protection inflation part in a location set apart from the sitting location, wherein the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part is in constant connection with the occupant-protecting inflation part via a communication channel having a reduced diameter to adjust the internal pressure of the occupant-protecting inflation part, the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part having a break part which is designed to break when subjected to a predetermined breaking force produced in accordance with an internal pressure of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part generated by the gas flowing inside the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part, wherein when the break part has broken, the break part allows a further increase in the capacity of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part and a corresponding reduction in the internal pressure of the internal-pressure-regulating inflation part to thereby adjust the internal pressure of the occupant-protecting inflation part of the expansion part, and wherein the break part sequentially breaks in a front-rear direction of the expansion part starting at an end of the break part facing the communication channel and proceeding to an opposite end of the break part.