Occupant protection apparatus
First Claim
1. An occupant protection apparatus, comprising:
- an air bag comprising at least one first panel constructed of air bag material and at least one second panel constructed of air bag material,wherein said at least one second panel comprises a first inflator opening adapted to receive an end portion of an air bag inflator, said at least one first panel is attached to said at least one second panel with at least one seam so as to form a first assembly, said at least one seam defines a portion of a perimeter of a cavity bounded by said at least one first panel and said at least one second panel, said cavity is open along at least one unseamed portion extending along said at least one first panel and said at least one second panel between endpoints of said at least one seam,wherein at least one of said unseamed portions is oriented substantially downwards when said first assembly is installed within said air bag and said air bag is installed in a vehicle so that a substantial portion of inflation gas produced by the air bag inflator is directed in a downward direction into the air bag so that the air bag is configured to initially inflate predominantly in a downward direction,wherein said air bag is assembled in an air bag inflator module adapted to be installed in a steering wheel of a vehicle, said air bag inflator module comprising a cover, said cover including a tear seam so as to provide for at least a portion of said air bag to inflate downwards relative to said air bag inflator module, said cover comprising a lower door portion located on a bottom side of said cover and front door portions located on a face panel of the cover that faces an occupant, wherein the lower door portion is configured so that the lower door portion opens and deploys before the front door portions, during a normal operation of the occupant protection apparatus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
First and second panels of air bag material are secured to one another with at least one seam defining a portion of a perimeter of a cavity bounded by the first and second panels, which is open along at least one unseamed portion extending along the first and second panels between endpoints of at least one seam. An opening in the second panel receives an end portion of an air bag inflator. Inflation gas generated by the air bag inflator is discharged into the air bag through the at least one unseamed portion, at least one of which is oriented downwards when installed in a vehicle. An air bag module cover incorporates first and second laterally opening door portions and a lower downward opening door portion that provide for a downward and outward initial deployment of the air bag.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An occupant protection apparatus, comprising:
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an air bag comprising at least one first panel constructed of air bag material and at least one second panel constructed of air bag material, wherein said at least one second panel comprises a first inflator opening adapted to receive an end portion of an air bag inflator, said at least one first panel is attached to said at least one second panel with at least one seam so as to form a first assembly, said at least one seam defines a portion of a perimeter of a cavity bounded by said at least one first panel and said at least one second panel, said cavity is open along at least one unseamed portion extending along said at least one first panel and said at least one second panel between endpoints of said at least one seam, wherein at least one of said unseamed portions is oriented substantially downwards when said first assembly is installed within said air bag and said air bag is installed in a vehicle so that a substantial portion of inflation gas produced by the air bag inflator is directed in a downward direction into the air bag so that the air bag is configured to initially inflate predominantly in a downward direction, wherein said air bag is assembled in an air bag inflator module adapted to be installed in a steering wheel of a vehicle, said air bag inflator module comprising a cover, said cover including a tear seam so as to provide for at least a portion of said air bag to inflate downwards relative to said air bag inflator module, said cover comprising a lower door portion located on a bottom side of said cover and front door portions located on a face panel of the cover that faces an occupant, wherein the lower door portion is configured so that the lower door portion opens and deploys before the front door portions, during a normal operation of the occupant protection apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25)
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20. A method of providing an occupant protection apparatus, comprising:
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providing at least a first and second panel of air bag material; forming a first inflator opening in at least one second panel of air bag material; attaching said at least one first panel of air bag material to said at least one second panel of air bag material along at least one seam so as to form a first assembly, wherein said at least one seam is adapted so as to provide for at least one unseamed portion extending along said at least one first panel and said at least one second panel between endpoints of said at least one seam; inserting a retaining structure within a cavity bounded by said at least one first panel and said at least one second panel, wherein said retaining structure comprises a second inflator opening adapted to receive an outlet end portion of said air bag inflator; either inserting said first assembly within an air bag or constructing the air bag around said first assembly, wherein said air bag comprises a third inflator opening adapted to receive said outlet end portion of said air bag inflator, wherein said air bag inflator is adapted to extend through said third inflator opening of said air bag into an interior of said cavity; orienting said first assembly within said air bag so that at least one unseamed portion is oriented downwards when said air bag is installed in a vehicle so that a substantial portion of inflation gas produced by the air bag inflator is directed in a downward direction into the air bag so that the air bag is configured to initially inflate predominantly in a downward direction; assembling said air bag in an air bag inflator module adapted to be installed in a steering wheel of a vehicle, wherein said air bag inflator module comprises an air bag module cover; and adapting said air bag module cover with a tear seam so as to provide for at least a portion of said air bag to inflate downwards relative to said air bag inflator module, wherein the module cover includes a lower door portion located on a bottom side of said air bag module cover and front door portions located on a face panel of the module cover that faces an occupant, wherein the lower door portion is configured so that the lower door portion opens and deploys before the front door portions;
during a normal operation of the occupant protection apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 26)
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Specification