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Air bag with tether

  • US 6,712,389 B2
  • Filed: 02/01/2002
  • Issued: 03/30/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said device comprising:

  • flexible material defining an inflation fluid volume for receiving inflation fluid, said material including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said first panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings, said second panel portion having a plurality of discrete openings;

    said first panel portion overlying said second panel portion when said device is in the deflated condition; and

    a tether interconnecting said first panel portion and said second panel portion, said tether including a single thread, said single thread extending through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion in a serpentine manner, said single thread having loop thread portions located outside said inflation fluid volume;

    wherein said thread is tightly looped through said plurality of openings in said first panel portion and through said plurality of openings in said second panel portion, said thread having a first length of slack at a first end portion of said thread and a second length of slack at a second end portion of said thread when said device is in the deflated condition.

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