The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 28, 2024
Filed:
Oct. 22, 2020
Zf Passive Safety Systems Us Inc., Washington, MI (US);
Kurt F. Fischer, Rochester, MI (US);
Douglas M. Gould, Lake Orion, MI (US);
Hylus Ranjit Raj Jayakar, Shelby Township, MI (US);
Gabriela Diaz, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC., Washington, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag configured to be deployed from a roof of the vehicle. The airbag includes a front panel configured to face the occupant and a rear panel configured to face away from the occupant. An external tether has ends connected to the rear panel on an exterior of the airbag. The external tether has a length measured between the ends that is shorter than the length of the rear panel extending between the connections of the external tether to the rear panel so as to cause the airbag to have a curved portion when inflated and deployed, the curved portion facing convexly toward the occupant. In one example configuration, the curved portion can be configured to receive the occupants head and to unbend in response to receiving the occupants head, wherein the unbending causes the front panel to crumple and form creases. The configuration of the external tether, position of the external tether on the rear panel, and connections of the external tether to the rear panel can be configured to position the curved portion to receive the occupants head and to control the formation and location of the creases on the front panel.