Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Al S Emambakhsh

John P Wallner

Scott A Kelley

Al A Saberan

Xingyuan Sun

Michelle M Abraham

Gary R Lalonde

Michael P Pionk

Carlos H Murillogalindo

Jeffrey R Flattery

An air bag (10) comprises an adhesive material (60) located between and interconnecting first and second panels (40, 50). A stitching section (70) extends through the first panel (40) and through the adhesive material (60) and through the second panel (50) to block relative movement between the first and second panels. The adhesive material resists separation of the yarns (56, 58) of the panels (40, 50). The adhesive material (60) also fills thread openings (94) in the second panel (50) around the stitching section (70).

Air bag with adhesive at seams

A vehicle occupant restraint apparatus (10) includes a canister (14), an inflator (18), and a restraint assembly (20). The canister (14) has a plurality of tabs (58), a chamber (70), a side opening (62), and a deployment opening (72). The inflator (18) is movable to an installed position in the chamber (70) in a first direction through the side opening (62). The restraint assembly (20) includes an air bag (22) which is expandable from the deployment opening (72) in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction upon inflation of the air bag (22) when the restraint assembly (20) is in an installed position engaged with the canister (14). Cooperating structures (48, 50, 52, 54) guide movement of the restraint assembly (20) to its installed position in sliding contact with the canister (14) in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction. A closure wall (140) has a closed position blocking movement of the inflator (18) and the restraint assembly (20) from their installed positions. The tabs (58) on the canister (14) are receivable through slots (158) in the closure wall (140) and are bendable into fastening positions in which they retain the closure wall (140) in the closed position.

Vehicle occupant restraint apparatus and method of assembly

An air bag module (10) includes a housing (12). An air bag (22) is folded and stored in the housing (12). A retaining ring (30) secures the air bag (22) to the housing (12). The retaining ring (30) includes two relatively movable U-shaped members (152, 154). Assembly tabs (210, 212, 252, 254) on the retaining ring members (152, 154) are gripped to move the retaining ring (30), in a collapsed condition, in one direction (32) through a deployment opening (150) into the housing (12). The retaining ring (30) is then expanded and moved in an opposite direction (34) to interlock with the housing (12).

Air bag module with expandable retaining ring

A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises an inflatable air bag (12), an air bag canister (24) having walls defining an interior chamber (25) in which the air bag is stored, and a source of inflation fluid (20) for inflating the air bag. The source of inflation fluid includes (i) an inflator body (21) having opposite ends and (ii) a nozzle opening (23) disposed at one end of the inflator body. A deflector panel (50) is attached to the air bag. The deflector panel defines an opening (45) through which inflation fluid flows to inflate the air bag. The deflector panel has surfaces (71, 72) that deflect inflation fluid flow from the nozzle opening (23) and through the opening (45).

Apparatus for controlling flow of inflation fluid into an air bag

An air bag module (10) includes an inflatable air bag (14) and a container (12). The container (12) has a plurality of walls (27, 50, 60, 70) defining a chamber (18) in the container. The air bag (14) is folded and stored in the chamber. The container outer wall (70) includes a door (68) which is moved out of the inflation path of the air bag (14) by the air bag when the air bag inflates. The air bag (14) has a first stack of first folded portions (122) which extend in a direction (130) between the outer and inner walls (70, 27) of the container (12) and generally parallel to the upper and lower walls (50, 60) of the container. The air bag (14) has a second stack of second folded portions (126) which extend in a direction (144) between the upper and lower walls (50, 60) of the container (12) and generally parallel to the door (68) of the container (12). One of the first and second stacks of folded portions (122, 126) of the air bag (14) is disposed in an upper chamber portion (18a), and the other stack of folded portions of the air bag is disposed in the lower chamber portion (18b).

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Flat Rock, MI, United States of America

Al S Emambakhsh