Air bag assembly with tether
First Claim
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1. An air bag assembly in a vehicle for side impact protection of a vehicle occupant having a head portion, the air bag assembly comprising:
- an inflator for generating gas;
an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator, the air bag positionable laterally outboard the occupant during deployment; and
a tether being substantially external to the air bag, the tether having a first end connected to the air bag and a second end connected to the vehicle, the second end of the tether positioned for biasing the air bag laterally inboard towards the occupant during air bag inflation, whereby the tether provides lateral support to the air bag during air bag deployment.
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Abstract
An air bag assembly in a vehicle has an inflator for generating gas and an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator. The air bag assembly also includes a tether being substantially external to the air bag. The tether has a first end connected to the air bag and a second end connected to the vehicle. Preferably, the second end of the tether is spaced laterally apart from the first end of the tether such that upon air bag deployment, the tether provides lateral support to the air bag.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An air bag assembly in a vehicle for side impact protection of a vehicle occupant having a head portion, the air bag assembly comprising:
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an inflator for generating gas; an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator, the air bag positionable laterally outboard the occupant during deployment; and a tether being substantially external to the air bag, the tether having a first end connected to the air bag and a second end connected to the vehicle, the second end of the tether positioned for biasing the air bag laterally inboard towards the occupant during air bag inflation, whereby the tether provides lateral support to the air bag during air bag deployment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An air bag assembly in a vehicle for side impact protection of a vehicle occupant, the air bag assembly comprising:
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an inflator for generating inflator gas; an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator, the air bag having an inboard face and an opposite outboard face, the inboard face positionable laterally outboard the occupant during deployment; and a tether being substantially external to the air bag and being adjacent the inboard face of the air bag when the air bag is deployed, the tether having a first end connected to the air bag and a second end connected to the vehicle, the second end of the tether being spaced laterally inboard from the first end of the tether, the second end of the tether positioned for biasing the air bag laterally inboard towards the occupant during air bag inflation; whereby upon air bag deployment, the tether provides lateral support to the air bag.
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19. An air bag assembly in a vehicle comprising:
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an inflator for generating inflator gas; an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator; a tether being substantially external to the air bag, the tether having a first end connected to the air bag, a second end connected to the vehicle, and a middle portion extending between the first end and the second end; and a connecting member slidably connecting the middle portion of the tether to the vehicle, the connecting member being a bracket attached to the vehicle, the bracket having a passageway through which the middle portion of the tether slidably extends; whereby upon air bag deployment the tether provides lateral support to the air bag and the connecting member limits movement of the middle portion of the tether.
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Specification