Air bag module
First Claim
1. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle and a deflated, folded condition;
said inflatable device comprising a first sheet material element which defines an inflation fluid volume and which contains inflation fluid when said inflatable device is in the inflated condition;
said inflatable device, when in the folded condition, having a first section which is folded into a first group of first folded portions and a second section which is folded into a second group of second folded portions, said inflatable device having a passage through which inflation fluid flows into said second section of said inflatable device to inflate said second section;
said vehicle safety apparatus further comprising means for blocking inflation of said second section of said inflatable device until said first section of said inflatable device is at least partially inflated, said means for blocking comprising a second sheet material element which is folded with said inflatable device when said inflatable device is in the folded condition, said second sheet material element extending across said passage and blocking flow of inflation fluid into said passage when said inflatable device is in the folded condition.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag module (10) includes an inflatable device or air bag (30) and a diverter flap (100) for controlling inflation of the air bag. The air bag (30) has a first section (50) which is engageable with a vehicle windshield (18) and a second section (80) for engagement by the vehicle occupant. When the air bag (30) is in the folded condition, the flap (100) extends across a passage (92) into the second section (80) of the air bag. The flap (100) initially blocks flow of inflation fluid into the passage (92) and diverts the inflation fluid into the folded first section (50) of the air bag (30). Inflation of the second section (80) of the air bag (30) is delayed until the first section (50) of the air bag is at least partially inflated.
56 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle and a deflated, folded condition; said inflatable device comprising a first sheet material element which defines an inflation fluid volume and which contains inflation fluid when said inflatable device is in the inflated condition; said inflatable device, when in the folded condition, having a first section which is folded into a first group of first folded portions and a second section which is folded into a second group of second folded portions, said inflatable device having a passage through which inflation fluid flows into said second section of said inflatable device to inflate said second section; said vehicle safety apparatus further comprising means for blocking inflation of said second section of said inflatable device until said first section of said inflatable device is at least partially inflated, said means for blocking comprising a second sheet material element which is folded with said inflatable device when said inflatable device is in the folded condition, said second sheet material element extending across said passage and blocking flow of inflation fluid into said passage when said inflatable device is in the folded condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle safety apparatus for mounting in an instrument panel of a vehicle to help protect an occupant of a front seat of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an inflated condition for helping to protect the occupant and a deflated, folded condition; said inflatable device comprising a first sheet material element which defines an inflation fluid volume and which contains inflation fluid when said inflatable device is in the inflated condition; said inflatable device when in the inflated condition having a forward section which is engageable with a windshield of the vehicle and a rear section for engagement by the vehicle occupant; said forward section of said inflatable device being folded into a stack and said rear section of said inflatable device being rolled into a roll disposed adjacent to said stack when said inflatable device is in the folded condition; said stack and said roll defining a passage through which inflation fluid flows into said roll to inflate said rear section of said inflatable device; said vehicle safety apparatus further comprising a second sheet material element which is folded with said inflatable device when said inflatable device is in the folded condition, said second sheet material element extending across said passage and blocking flow of inflation fluid into said roll when said inflatable device is in the folded condition thereby to block inflation of said rear section of said inflatable device until said forward section of said inflatable device is at least partially inflated. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification