Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Alberto Rodriguez

Kurt F Fischer

Heather R Kramer

Amit Sharma

John Klakulak

Douglas M Gould

Angelo J Adler

John G Bauer

Hector Javier Zarazua Mauleon

Eyad Nayef

Eric J Eckelberg

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () having a deflated condition and an inflated condition. Tear stitching () interconnects portions () of the protection device (). The tear stitching () includes first and second stitch lines () positioned next to each other. The first stitch line () is adapted to rupture in response to tension of a first magnitude exerted on the interconnected portions () while inflating to an initially deployed condition. The second stitch line () is adapted to remain intact and being capable itself of maintaining the protection device in the initially deployed condition subsequent to rupture of the first stitch line () and throughout inflation and deployment of the protection device ().

Air bag with improved tear stitch

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () having a deflated condition and an inflated condition. Tear stitching () interconnects portions (and) of the protection device () and is rupturable to permit the interconnected portions to move relative to each other. The tear stitching () includes a break point () and first and second segments () that extend away from the break point. The tear stitching () is arranged on the protection device () such that tension forces acting to rupture the tear stitching act primarily on the break point () so that the tear stitching ruptures first at the break point and then along the first and second segments () of the tear stitching.

An apparatus () helps protect an occupant () of a vehicle (). The apparatus () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () that includes panel () of material that helps define an inflatable volume () of the protection device. A vent opening () vents inflation fluid from the inflatable volume (). A pleat () is folded in the panel (). The pleat () is positioned against a vehicle surface () while the protection device () is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening ().

Vented air bag

An apparatus () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () that includes a first panel () with at least one first vent opening (). A second panel () secured to the first panel () includes a base portion () and a door portion (). The base portion () includes at least one second vent opening () and is folded to position the door portion () between the first panel () and the base portion (). The door portion () has an open condition positioned away from the vent openings () permitting inflation fluid to vent through the vent openings. The door portion () has a closed condition positioned between the first and second vent openings () blocking inflation fluid from venting through the first and second vent openings. The door portion () is movable to the closed condition when the protection device () deploys. The door portion () has a generally triangular configuration with a base merging with the base portion () of the door panel () and first and second edge portions () that extend away from the base and converge at a terminal end () of the door portion.

Air bag with adaptive venting

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes 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 () includes upper portion () and a lower portion (), each of which is at least one of rolled and folded. The upper portion () and the lower portion () are positioned overlying each other when in the stored condition. A deployment flap () includes a sheet of material having a first end portion () secured to the vehicle. The deployment flap () has a central portion () that wraps around the lower portion () and a second end portion (), opposite the first end portion (), that is tucked under the lower portion while the protection device () is in the stored condition.

Air bag with deployment flap

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant (or) of a vehicle () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () and an inflation fluid source. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () has a stored, deflated position and an inflated position. The inflation fluid source provides inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () has a first panel portion () for, when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () is inflated, protecting an adult size vehicle occupant (). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () has a second panel portion () for, when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () is inflated, defining a downwardly open pocket () for receiving a portion of a child size vehicle occupant ().

Vehicle occupant protection apparatus with pocket and method of making same

A vehicle air bag ( ) comprises an outer bag ( ) having an inflation fluid volume ( ). The outer bag ( ) has a retainer portion ( ) defining a central opening ( ). The retainer portion ( ) has a plurality of fastener openings ( ) spaced apart around the central opening ( ). An inner bag ( ) is located in the inflation fluid volume ( ) of the outer bag ( ). The inner bag ( ) has a retainer portion ( ) defining an inflation fluid opening ( ) for receiving inflation fluid. The retainer portion ( ) has a plurality of fastener openings ( ) spaced apart around the inflation fluid opening ( ). The inner bag ( ) has at least one vent opening ( ) movable from a closed condition to an open condition, in response to increase in fluid pressure in the inner bag, to enable flow of inflation fluid from the inner bag into the inflation fluid volume ( ) of the outer bag ( ). The air bag ( ) further comprises a plurality of fasteners ( ) extending through the fastener openings ( ) in the retainer portion ( ) and through the fastener openings ( ) in the retainer portion ( ) to secure the inner bag to the outer bag without sewing. The retainer portion ( ) is free of stitching openings.

Inflatable air bag with inner bag and outer bag

An apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in a vehicle collision comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,) having a mouth section (,) with a first opening (,) through which inflation fluid flows to inflate the occupant protection device. An inflator (,) provides the inflation fluid. A member (,) is located between the mouth section (,) and the inflator (,). The member (,) has a second opening (,) for directing the inflation fluid from the inflator (,) into the first opening (,). The second opening (,) has first and second portions (,and,). The second portion (,) of the second opening (,) overlies the first opening (,) in the mouth section (,). Inflation fluid from the inflator (,) thus enters the occupant protection device by flowing through the second portion (,) and through the first opening (,). The mouth section (,) includes a deflector part (,) blocking inflation fluid flow through the first portion (,) of the second opening (,) in the member (,) into the occupant protection device (,).

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Alberto Rodriguez