Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Eric J Eckelberg

Kurt F Fischer

Alberto Rodriguez

Heather R Kramer

Amit Sharma

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes a housing () and an air bag () supported by the housing. An inflator () is supported by the housing (). The inflator () includes a first stage () including at least one first outlet passage () and a second stage () including at least one second outlet passage (). The first and second outlet passages (and) are provided for discharging inflation fluid into the air bag (). An anchor () is secured to the inflator () and at least partially blocks inflation fluid flow through the second outlet passage (). The anchor () is configured to disconnect from the inflator () in response to inflation fluid discharged through the second outlet passage () when the second stage () is actuated. At least one tether () has a first end () connected to the air bag () and a second end () secured to the anchor ().

Air bag module with releasable tether

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 ().

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Macomb, MI, United States of America

Eric J Eckelberg