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Three-chambered side impact air bag

  • US 5,791,685 A
  • Filed: 02/20/1997
  • Issued: 08/11/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An air bag (20) for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during a crash comprising:

  • a cushion portion (22) which when laid flat, prior to being inflated, is generally rectangularly shaped, a lower portion (54) of the cushion (22) includes an inlet opening (26) through which inflation gas is received to inflate the cushion, the inlet opening (26) being arranged generally parallel to a first axis, a lower edge (30) of the cushion initially extending generally perpendicularly from the first axis;

    the air bag (20) further includes a neck portion (44) extending from the cushion generally about the inlet opening, the neck portion (44) including first means (42a,b) for mounting the air bag about an inflator (100) and an integral tether means (80), situated below the first means, for attaching the lower portion of the air bag to a nearby structure (90), for absorbing inflation forces as the air bag is inflated and for guiding the inflation trajectory of the air bag, a lower edge of the tether means (80) initially laying parallel to the lower edge of the cushion (22) and being an integral part of the lower portion of the cushion,the air bag further includes a slit (70) formed in the lower portion of the cushion initially separating the lower portion of the cushion from a lower portion of the neck portion, the slit defining first and second slitted segments (72a,b) in each of the neck portion and the cushion, one of the slitted segments positioned to overlay the other slitted segment and joined thereto, so that in this joined configuration the lower portion of the cushion is reoriented to lay generally at an angle below or above the first axis.

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