Abstract: A vehicle includes an expandable curtain disposed in a roof of the vehicle and is configured to selectively deploy from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration. An expandable bladder is configured to inflate at least partially during deployment of the expandable curtain. The expandable bladder includes a neck portion mechanically coupled to the expandable curtain and a head portion extending from the neck portion.

Abstract: An occupant protection system may comprise an expandable curtain, expandable bladder and tether. The curtain may be configured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed state. In the deployed state, the curtain may comprise a transverse portion having a support side face and a rear side face. The bladder may be configured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed, wherein in the deployed state, the bladder comprises an occupant facing surface and a rear surface configured to face the support side face of the curtain. The tether may be attached at a first location to the bladder and at a second location such that in the deployed state of the curtain and bladder, the tether extends behind the rear side face of the curtain and frictionally engages the rear side face of the curtain, thereby creating a resistance to lateral movement of the bladder.

Abstract: A vehicle airbag assembly includes a vehicle trim panel including at least one door having an outer surface facing a vehicle cabin and an inner surface facing an airbag prior to deployment, In a pre-deployed state the door extends across an opening and is movably coupled to a rim to open upon deployment of the airbag to permit passage of the airbag through the opening. At least one edge of the door has a tear seam that couples the door to the vehicle trim panel. A bridging member is adjacent the inner surface of the door. The bridging member is configured to contact the inner surface at a location away from the rim and support the door in the pre-deployed state. The bridging member extends at least partially across the opening and is movable upon deployment of the airbag such that the airbag is permitted to pass through the opening.

Abstract: A vehicle airbag assembly includes a vehicle trim panel including at least one door having an outer surface facing a vehicle cabin and an inner surface facing an airbag prior to deployment, In a pre-deployed state the door extends across an opening and is movably coupled to a rim to open upon deployment of the airbag to permit passage of the airbag through the opening. At least one edge of the door has a tear seam that couples the door to the vehicle trim panel. A bridging member is adjacent the inner surface of the door. The bridging member is configured to contact the inner surface at a location away from the rim and support the door in the pre-deployed state. The bridging member extends at least partially across the opening and is movable upon deployment of the airbag such that the airbag is permitted to pass through the opening.

Abstract: An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle is provided. The airbag assembly comprises an airbag and a deployable ramp configured to unfurl with the airbag when the airbag is deployed. The deployable ramp is configured to transition from a stowed configuration, in which the deployable ramp is stowed with the airbag before deployment, into a ramped configuration when deployed. The deployable ramp comprises a movable element configured to move in response to the deployment of the airbag from a first position in the stowed configuration, to a second position in the ramped configuration. The movable element is arranged such that a thickness of the deployable ramp increases when the movable element is in the second position and the deployable ramp is positioned and shaped in the ramped configuration to assist the airbag in riding over a component of the vehicle as the airbag is deployed.

Abstract: A vehicle interior trim panel, the panel comprising a tear-open airbag deployment region formed from a plurality of sections that cooperate to cover an airbag in an installed configuration, the sections being joined by a tear seam, the panel further comprising at least one support feature that extends at least partially across the tear seam, wherein the support feature comprises a thinned portion at, or near to, a centre line of the tear seam.

Abstract: A side-curtain airbag for motor vehicles has cushion that, when inflated, is positioned in spaced alignment with a side window. At least one spacer is located at a distal end of the cushion and is in fluid communication therewith. The spacer contacts a portion of the vehicle structure adjacent to the window and positions the cushion in the desired spaced relationship with the side window. The disclosed airbag provides greater resistance to impact and thereby reduces the distance of travel of the head of a motor vehicle occupant beyond the side window glass during a side impact collision.

Abstract: A side curtain airbag assembly for a motor vehicle has an airbag that includes a pair of deployable outwardly extending tongues. The tongues project are positioned so as to engage an upstanding structural member such as a “B” pillar when they are inflated/deployed so that the “B” pillar is sandwiched between the two tongues. The tongues act to resist longitudinal movement of the airbag thereby reducing outward bulging of the airbag if it is subject to an impact force from an interior of the motor vehicle. The tongues are inflated via respective tubes that receive inflation gasses from the airbag and conduct the gasses into the tongues. The inlet ends of the tubes are adjacent a lower end thereof to ensure that the tongues are not inflated until the airbag is fully deployed downward. The tubes may extend within the interior of the airbag or along the exterior.

Abstract: An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle is provided. The airbag assembly comprises an airbag and a deployable ramp configured to unfurl with the airbag when the airbag is deployed. The deployable ramp is configured to transition from a stowed configuration, in which the deployable ramp is stowed with the airbag before deployment, into a ramped configuration when deployed. The deployable ramp comprises a movable element configured to move in response to the deployment of the airbag from a first position in the stowed configuration, to a second position in the ramped configuration. The movable element is arranged such that a thickness of the deployable ramp increases when the movable element is in the second position and the deployable ramp is positioned and shaped in the ramped configuration to assist the airbag in riding over a component of the vehicle as the airbag is deployed.

Abstract: A curtain airbag for a motor vehicle includes an inflatable cushion and a protective sheet having an attachment edge attached to the airbag and a free-length extending from the attachment edge. The cushion formed into a folded condition from which it is deployable in a deployment direction, and the free-length of the sheet is positioned adjacent to the deployment direction of the cushion. The airbag is installed in the vehicle to deploy adjacent to a daylight opening of the vehicle. Deployment of the cushion during inflation causes the protective sheet to be drawn along with the cushion in the deployment direction so that the sheet overlays the outboard-facing side of the cushion (between the cushion and the daylight opening) and thereby provides a degree of protection against damage to the cushion that may be caused by, for example, broken window glass.

Abstract: A side curtain airbag assembly for a motor vehicle has an airbag that includes a pair of deployable outwardly extending tongues. The tongues project are positioned so as to engage an upstanding structural member such as a “B” pillar when they are inflated/deployed so that the “B” pillar is sandwiched between the two tongues. The tongues act to resist longitudinal movement of the airbag thereby reducing outward bulging of the airbag if it is subject to an impact force from an interior of the motor vehicle. The tongues are inflated via respective tubes that receive inflation gasses from the airbag and conduct the gasses into the tongues. The inlet ends of the tubes are adjacent a lower end thereof to ensure that the tongues are not inflated until the airbag is fully deployed downward. The tubes may extend within the interior of the airbag or along the exterior.

Abstract: A curtain airbag for a motor vehicle includes an inflatable cushion and a protective sheet having an attachment edge attached to the airbag and a free-length extending from the attachment edge. The cushion formed into a folded condition from which it is deployable in a deployment direction, and the free-length of the sheet is positioned adjacent to the deployment direction of the cushion. The airbag is installed in the vehicle to deploy adjacent to a daylight opening of the vehicle. Deployment of the cushion during inflation causes the protective sheet to be drawn along with the cushion in the deployment direction so that the sheet overlays the outboard-facing side of the cushion (between the cushion and the daylight opening) and thereby provides a degree of protection against damage to the cushion that may be caused by, for example, broken window glass.

Abstract: A curtain airbag assembly for a vehicle has an airbag with a receiving portion shaped to clamp onto or around a portion of a seat of the vehicle when the airbag is deployed to assist in securing the airbag in place. The receiving portion is formed by supplementary material adjacent to a seam between inner and outer panels of the airbag, the supplementary material forming a clamping pocket which grips an outboard portion of the seat upon inflation of the airbag. Alternatively, the receiving portion is formed by first and second overlapping portions of the airbag which overlap one another when the airbag is deflated, the overlapping portions forming a clamping pocket configured to grip the outboard portion of the seat upon inflation of the airbag.

Abstract: A curtain airbag assembly for a vehicle has an airbag with a receiving portion shaped to clamp onto or around a portion of a seat of the vehicle when the airbag is deployed to assist in securing the airbag in place. The receiving portion is formed by supplementary material adjacent to a seam between inner and outer panels of the airbag, the supplementary material forming a clamping pocket which grips an outboard portion of the seat upon inflation of the airbag. Alternatively, the receiving portion is formed by first and second overlapping portions of the airbag which overlap one another when the airbag is deflated, the overlapping portions forming a clamping pocket configured to grip the outboard portion of the seat upon inflation of the airbag.

Abstract: An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle includes an inflator and a curtain airbag securable to a body structure of the motor vehicle. The airbag includes two or more deployment tubes and two or more inflatable chambers. Vents connect the deployment chambers with the inflatable chambers. Gasses from the inflator pass first into the deployment tubes to rapidly inflate them to vertically extending positions and draw the airbag over a window opening. The gasses then pass through the vents into the inflatable chambers to complete the deployment of the curtain airbag. The rapid inflation and deployment of the deployment chambers provides cushioning for an occupant's head early in a crash event, followed by the inflation of the inflatable chambers to provide additional head protection and increasing the resistance of the curtain airbag to ejection through the underlying window apertures.

Abstract: An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle includes an inflator and a curtain airbag securable to a body structure of the motor vehicle. The airbag includes two or more deployment tubes and two or more inflatable chambers. Vents connect the deployment chambers with the inflatable chambers. Gasses from the inflator pass first into the deployment tubes to rapidly inflate them to vertically extending positions and draw the airbag over a window opening. The gasses then pass through the vents into the inflatable chambers to complete the deployment of the curtain airbag. The rapid inflation and deployment of the deployment chambers provides cushioning for an occupant's head early in a crash event, followed by the inflation of the inflatable chambers to provide additional head protection and increasing the resistance of the curtain airbag to ejection through the underlying window apertures.