Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Diane M Schwark

Hector Javier Zarazua Mauleon

Michael Dagosto

Juan C Martinez

An air bag module includes an inflatable air bag, an inflator for inflating the air bag, a housing for supporting the air bag and inflator, and a cover for enclosing the air bag in the housing. The cover includes a fabric panel and a steering panel. The fabric panel has a main portion that at least partially envelops the air bag in a deflated and stowed condition and includes a tear seam that is rupturable upon inflation of the air bag to permit the air to deploy from the housing. The steering panel is for directing the air bag to deploy from the housing along a predetermined trajectory. The steering panel includes a panel of reinforcing material that overlies a portion of the fabric panel and is connected to the fabric panel. In a closed condition of the cover, the steering panel is fastened to the housing.

Air bag cover with integrated steering panel

A rupturable cover () for an air bag module () comprises an inner cover () and an outer cover () overlying the inner cover. The inner cover () has a first tear seam () for enabling rupturing of the inner cover in response to inflation of an air bag (). The outer cover () has a second tear seam () for enabling rupturing of the outer cover. The second tear seam () has a configuration different from the first tear seam (). At least a portion of the second tear seam () overlies the first tear seam () when the outer cover () is adhered to the inner cover () in any one of a plurality of different positions of alignment. The second tear seam () may have a wavy configuration.

Tear seam for air bag module

An apparatus () helps to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () having an instrument panel () by preventing a forceful impact between lower portions () of legs () of the occupant () and the instrument panel () during a vehicle collision. The apparatus () comprises an inflator () that is actuatable for providing inflation fluid and an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () for receiving inflation fluid from the inflator (). The protection device () inflates from a stored condition to an inflated condition () engaging the lower portions () of legs () of the occupant (). The protection device (), when in the stored condition, includes a rolled lower portion () and an upper portion () that is folded into a stack () of pleated sections.

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Lenox, MI, United States of America

Diane M Schwark