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Air bag with tether

  • US 5,813,696 A
  • Filed: 10/28/1996
  • Issued: 09/29/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

  • an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a base portion and having a body portion connected with said base portion and inflatable in a direction away from said base portion into an inflated condition; and

    an elongate tether for controlling inflation of said body portion of said inflatable device;

    said tether having an intermediate portion which has a generally circular configuration and which is sewn to said body portion of said inflatable device with a circular stitching section;

    said tether having first and second end portions sewn to said base portion of said inflatable device;

    said tether having a generally rectangular shorter portion extending in a first direction from said intermediate portion of said tether, said shorter portion of said tether including said first end portion of said tether;

    said tether having a generally rectangular longer portion extending in a second direction from said intermediate portion of said tether, said longer portion of said tether including said second end portion of said tether, said longer portion of said tether being wider than said shorter portion of said tether and thereby having a greater tensile strength than said shorter portion of said tether;

    said inflatable device having a partially inflated condition in which said shorter portion of said tether is extended and resists movement of said body portion of said inflatable device away from said base portion, said longer portion of said tether being unextended when said inflatable device is in the partially inflated condition;

    said shorter portion of said tether being rupturable under the force of said inflating inflatable device to enable movement of said inflatable device from the partially inflated condition to a fully inflated condition in which said longer portion of said tether is extended and resists movement of said body portion of said inflatable device away from said base portion.

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