Reduced volume air bag
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has an instrument panel and a windshield, the apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition in the instrument panel to a deployed condition between the instrument panel and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising;
a front portion comprising an inflatable volume presented toward the occupant and positioned for receiving a penetrating occupant when the protection device is in the deployed condition;
a rear portion comprising an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion by a space and positioned between the front portion and the instrument panel when the protection device is in the deployed condition;
a lower portion comprising an inflatable volume that interconnects lower portions of the front portion and the rear portion and provides fluid communication between the front and rear portions; and
lateral support members comprising inflatable volumes that connect the front and rear portions and provide fluid communication between the front and rear portions, the lateral support members biasing the front portion away from the rear portion and resisting movement of the front portion toward the rear portion in response to the penetrating occupant,the space extending from an opening in an upper extent of the protection device defined by the length of each lateral support member.
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) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition. The protection device (14) includes a front portion (70) that has a panel (72) presented toward the occupant (20) when the protection device (14) is in the inflated condition and a rear portion (80) spaced from the front portion (70) when the protection device (14) is in the inflated condition. A lower connecting portion (90) connects the front portion (70) to the rear portion (80) and defines the lower extent of the protection device (14). A space (100) is positioned outside the inflatable volume (60) of the protection device (14) and is defined between the front portion (70), the connecting portion (90), and the rear portion (80). The space (100) extends from an upper extent of the protection device (14) down to below a midline of the protection device (14).
28 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has an instrument panel and a windshield, the apparatus comprising:
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable from a stored condition in the instrument panel to a deployed condition between the instrument panel and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising; a front portion comprising an inflatable volume presented toward the occupant and positioned for receiving a penetrating occupant when the protection device is in the deployed condition; a rear portion comprising an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion by a space and positioned between the front portion and the instrument panel when the protection device is in the deployed condition; a lower portion comprising an inflatable volume that interconnects lower portions of the front portion and the rear portion and provides fluid communication between the front and rear portions; and lateral support members comprising inflatable volumes that connect the front and rear portions and provide fluid communication between the front and rear portions, the lateral support members biasing the front portion away from the rear portion and resisting movement of the front portion toward the rear portion in response to the penetrating occupant, the space extending from an opening in an upper extent of the protection device defined by the length of each lateral support member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has an instrument panel and a windshield, the apparatus comprising:
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an inflatable volume positioned between the instrument panel and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising; a front wall comprising an inflatable volume that spans the width of the protection device and has a height adapted to receive the head and torso of a penetrating occupant; a rear wall comprising an inflatable volume that spans the width of the protection device and extends adjacent the windshield down along an occupant-facing surface of the instrument panel; a lower portion comprising an inflatable volume that interconnects the front and rear walls, the lower portion providing fluid communication between the front and rear walls; and inflatable lateral support members comprising inflatable volumes that interconnect the front and rear walls and maintain an open central space between the front and rear walls, the open central space extending from an opening in an upper extent of the protection device defined by the length of each lateral support member.
Specification