Air bag with deployment flap
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition to a deployed condition in which the protection device is positioned between an instrument panel of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, each of the upper and lower portions being at least one of rolled and folded, the upper and lower portions also being positioned overlying each other when in the stored condition; and
a deployment flap comprising a sheet of material having a first end portion secured to the vehicle, a central portion wrapped around the lower portion, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion tucked under the lower portion while the protection device is in the stored condition.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) inflatable from a stored condition to a deployed condition in which the protection device is positioned between an instrument panel (36) of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant. The protection device (14) includes upper portion (142) and a lower portion (144), each of which is at least one of rolled and folded. The upper portion (142) and the lower portion (144) are positioned overlying each other when in the stored condition. A deployment flap (120) includes a sheet of material having a first end portion (130) secured to the vehicle. The deployment flap (120) has a central portion (134) that wraps around the lower portion (144) and a second end portion (132), opposite the first end portion (130), that is tucked under the lower portion while the protection device (14) is in the stored condition.
42 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition to a deployed condition in which the protection device is positioned between an instrument panel of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, each of the upper and lower portions being at least one of rolled and folded, the upper and lower portions also being positioned overlying each other when in the stored condition; and a deployment flap comprising a sheet of material having a first end portion secured to the vehicle, a central portion wrapped around the lower portion, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion tucked under the lower portion while the protection device is in the stored condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23)
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16. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition to a deployed condition in which the protection device is positioned between a portion of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising a first portion and a second portion placed separately in the stored condition by at least one of rolling and folding; and a deployment flap comprising a sheet of material wrapped at least partially around and tucked under the second portion to frictionally engage and thus inhibit initial inflation and deployment of the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition to a deployed condition in which the protection device is positioned between an instrument panel of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the protection device having a stored condition in which each of the upper and lower portions are at least one of rolled and folded separately from each other; a housing for containing and supporting the protection device in the stored condition; at least one fastener that extends through the protection device to secure the protection device to the housing; and a deployment flap comprising a sheet of material wrapped externally around the lower portion of the protection device to inhibit inflation of the lower portion while permitting unrestricted inflation of the upper portion, the deployment flap comprising; a first end portion positioned between the housing and the protection device, the at least one fastener extending through the first end portion to connect the first end portion to the housing; a central portion wrapped around the lower portion of the protection device; and a second end portion opposite the first end portion tucked in a fold of the lower portion while the protection device is in the stored condition. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification