Patent · US Expired

Vehicle occupant protection apparatus

US6135497A · kind A · utility

41Cited by
18References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 1998
Grant dateOct 24, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 29, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60R2021/0006
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus (10) includes a vehicle occupant protection curtain (12) which is movable from a retracted position to a deployed position extending across a vehicle window (15). The apparatus (10) further includes a track (44 or 48) and a runner (34). The runner (34) is connected to the curtain (12) to draw the curtain (12) from the retracted position to the deployed position upon movement of the runner (34) along the track (44 or 48) from a first position to a second position. The track (44 or 48) defines a plurality of intermediate positions to which the runner (34) is movable transversely of the track (44 or 48) in a direction toward the window (15). The track (44 or 48) blocks return movement of the runner (34) from each of the intermediate positions toward the initial position under the influence of tension imparted to the curtain (12) by a vehicle occupant moving against the curtain (12) in a direction outward of the window (15).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.