Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag configured to be deployed from a roof of the vehicle. The airbag includes a front panel configured to face the occupant and a rear panel configured to face away from the occupant. An external tether has ends connected to the rear panel on an exterior of the airbag. The external tether has a length measured between the ends that is shorter than the length of the rear panel extending between the connections of the external tether to the rear panel so as to cause the airbag to have a curved portion when inflated and deployed, the curved portion facing convexly toward the occupant. In one example configuration, the curved portion can be configured to receive the occupants head and to unbend in response to receiving the occupants head, wherein the unbending causes the front panel to crumple and form creases.

Abstract: A deployment ramp helps to direct a side airbag to deploy along a desired deployment trajectory from a vehicle seatback to a deployed position adjacent a side structure of the vehicle. The deployment ramp includes a mounting wall configured to be connected to a seat frame of the seatback. The deployment ramp also includes a deployment wall configured to deflect outboard of the vehicle seatback in response to airbag deployment and at least partially cover padding and/or a cover of the seatback. The deployment ramp further includes a bottom wall that extends between the mounting wall and the deployment wall, the bottom wall forming a reaction surface for side airbag deployment in the deployment trajectory.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a far-side collision in which the vehicle is impacted on a side opposite the seat in which the occupant is seated includes a curtain airbag configured to inflate and deploy from a roof of the vehicle in response to a far-side collision. The curtain airbag has an inflated and deployed condition in which the curtain airbag is positioned inboard of the vehicle occupant.

Abstract: A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag having a stored condition within the roof and being inflatable to a deployed condition extending into the cabin and aligned with the seat. The airbag includes a first portion extending along the roof and a second portion extending away from the roof toward the occupant. The second portion being configured to fold away from the occupant in response to occupant penetration into the airbag.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for helping to protect occupants of a vehicle seat in the event of a collision. The vehicle seat includes a base with a bottom cushion, a backrest with a back cushion, and a side rest having a side cushion that extends upward from the bottom cushion and forward from the back cushion. The apparatus comprises a deployable restraint stored in a pre-deployment condition in the side rest. The deployable restraint comprising an airbag and an inflator for inflating and deploying the airbag. When inflated to a deployed condition the restrain cushions the occupant against impacts with the side rest.

Abstract: A knee airbag includes a cushion portion, which includes overlying panels interconnected along a perimeter connection to define an inflatable volume of the knee airbag. The panels are interconnected within the perimeter connection along one or more interior connections that define inflatable chambers within the inflatable volume. The knee airbag also includes a tether connected to an exterior surface of the cushion portion at spaced locations. The tether has a length that is shorter than the distance between the locations on the cushion portion to which the tether is connected. The tether is configured to become tensioned in response to inflation of the cushion portion and causing a bend to form in the cushion portion.

Abstract: An occupant restraint system for retaining an occupant in a vehicle seat includes a support extending adjacent a back of the vehicle seat so that the back of the vehicle seat extends between the occupant and the support. At least one strap has first and second ends attached to the support. The at least one strap extends around the occupant and the back of the seat so that the back of the vehicle seat and the occupant are between the support and the at least one strap.

Abstract: A knee airbag module includes an inflatable knee airbag, an inflator for inflating the knee airbag, a housing for supporting the knee airbag and inflator, a cover for enclosing the knee airbag in the housing, and a deployment flap positioned beneath the cover. The housing includes an opening through which the knee airbag deploys. The deployment flap is connected to the housing and spans across at least a portion of the opening. The knee airbag has a width that extends laterally beyond the lateral extent of the housing when the airbag is deployed. The knee airbag also includes a central portion that spans the width of the housing when the knee airbag is deployed. The deployment flap is configured to initially inhibit deployment of the central portion of the knee airbag while remaining portions of the knee airbag initially deploy. The deployment flap is configured to thereafter rupture and permit deployment of the central portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect occupants of a vehicle in the event of a collision includes a deployable restraint having a stored, predeployment condition in a vehicle floor. The restraint is deployable from the floor to restrain the feet and/or lower legs of an occupant from swinging forward and upward in response to a vehicle collision. In one configuration, the deployable restraint can include a module comprising an airbag and an inflator for inflating and deploying the airbag. The module can include a door that opens in response to deployment of the airbag and that serves as a reaction surface for the airbag. In another configuration, the deployable restraint can include a restraining panel configured to move to a deployed position extending above the vehicle floor adjacent the occupants lower leg and feet.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a one-piece woven (OPW) air bag includes method for manufacturing an OPW airbag. The method includes providing yarns, warping the yarns on at least one beam of a loom, and simultaneously weaving yarns into a fabric air bag structure having two layer portions defining an inflatable volume and single layer portions forming seams delimiting the inflatable volume. A plurality of the yarns overlay one another to form nonwoven alignment elements in at least one of the single layer portions. The air bag structure is cut to define the OPW air bag. The alignment elements are aligned with alignment elements on a panel. The air bag structure is sewn to the panel with the alignment elements aligned with one another.

Abstract: A restraint system is provided for helping to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle and includes an airbag having a main portion inflatable from a stored condition to a deployed condition in front of the occupant. Arms extend from the main portion and are spaced apart from one another to form an uninflated volume for receiving the occupant in response to a vehicle collision. The arms are configured to inflate to opposite sides of the occupant prior to occupant penetration into the airbag.

Abstract: A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag. The airbag has a stored condition within the vehicle seat and is inflatable to deploy laterally in the cabin to a deployed condition in front of the occupant. The airbag is configured to utilize the vehicle seat as a reaction surface for restraining the movement of the airbag in response to occupant penetration into the airbag.

Abstract: A restraint system (10) for helping to protect an occupant (60) of a vehicle (20) having a roof (32) and a cabin (40) with a seat (50) for the occupant (60) includes an airbag (70) having a stored condition within the roof (32) and being inflatable to a deployed condition extending into the cabin (40) and aligned with the seat (50). First and second tethers (110, 120) each have a first end (112, 122) connected to the airbag and a second end (114, 124). A first retractor (140) is connected to the vehicle (20) and to the second end (114) of the first tether (110). A second retractor (150) is connected to the vehicle (20) and to the second end (124) of the second tether (120). The first and second retractors (140, 150) control the length of each of the first and second tethers (110, 120) when the airbag (60) is in the deployed condition.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an airbag configured to be mounted to a roof of a vehicle and deployable downward from the vehicle roof. The airbag has a stored condition in which the airbag is deflated and concealed behind a vehicle headliner. The airbag has an inflated and deployed condition in which a first portion is configured to extend along a portion of a windshield, a second portion is configured to extend rearward from the first portion toward an occupant, and a third portion is configured to extend downward from the second portion and to be positioned between the occupant and a display screen. A deployment tether is configured to initially delay deployment of the second portion of the airbag while the third portion deploys. The deployment tether is configured to rupture after the initial delay so the second portion can fully inflate and deploy.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a seat in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a housing positioned therein includes an airbag for positioning in the housing and defining an inflatable volume for receiving inflation fluid from an inflator. The airbag includes an occupant-facing panel. A tether extends along a centerline and has a first end connected to a portion of the airbag positioned within the housing and a second end connected to the occupant-facing panel for forming a pocket therein. The second end includes a folded-over portion. Stitching extends through the folded-over portion in a direction extending transverse to the centerline.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes a curtain airbag (CAB) having a packaged condition in which the CAB is rolled and/or folded to be installed along a roof rail in a vehicle. The CAB is configured to be inflated and deployed along a side structure of the vehicle structure. The apparatus includes an anti-twist structure for being positioned within the rolls and/or folds to inhibit relative twisting of the packaged CAB within the rolls and/or folds. The apparatus includes a CAB mount for extending about and supporting the packaged CAB in the vehicle. The CAB mount cooperates with the anti-twist structure to fix the position and orientation of the anti-twist structure, and thus the packaged CAB, relative to the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag configured to be mounted on a vehicle steering wheel. The airbag includes an inflatable main chamber configured to cover the steering wheel, and an inflatable lateral chamber configured to cover a vehicle A-pillar. The apparatus also includes a tether actuation unit and a tether connected to the tether actuation unit and to a portion of the airbag that helps define the lateral chamber. The tether actuation unit has an unactuated condition maintaining a connection with the tether that restricts deployment of the lateral chamber. The tether actuation unit also has an actuated condition releasing its connection with the tether and causing the lateral chamber to fully deploy.

Abstract: A coupling device (16) for mounting an airbag module (14) to be oscillating on a steering wheel structure (12) of a vehicle steering wheel (10) includes a mounting member (18) which includes, relative to a steering wheel axis, an axial bottom side (20) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the steering wheel structure (12) as well as an opposite axial top side (22) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the airbag module (14), a contact face (24) for a damping element (26) provided on the axial bottom side (20) for oscillating coupling of the mounting member (18) to the steering wheel structure (12), and comprising a locking element (28) disposed on the top side (22) of the mounting member (18) for locking with the prefabricated airbag module (14), wherein the locking element (28) is configured so that the airbag module (14) can be coupled to the mounting member (18) by a locking connection substantially in an axially fixed manner or in an axially

Abstract: An adaptor for connecting a fill tube to an inflator includes a sleeve configured to fit over a discharge end portion of the inflator and to be connected to the inflator. The adaptor also includes an end portion comprising a nipple configured to receive and connect with the fill tube, wherein the sleeve is configured to direct inflation fluid discharged from the inflator toward the nipple, and the nipple is configured to direct the inflation fluid into the fill tube.

Abstract: An apparatus helps to protect an occupant of a seat of a vehicle including an instrument panel and a display screen that is positioned rearward of an occupant facing surface of the instrument panel and that extends vertically above an upper surface of the instrument panel. The apparatus includes an airbag configured to have a stored condition in which the airbag is rolled and/or folded and positioned within the instrument panel at a location below the display screen. The airbag is configured to inflate and deploy from the instrument panel in response to receiving inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source. The airbag is configured to deploy in an upward direction through a space between the occupant and the instrument panel to a position in which the airbag is positioned between the display screen and the occupant.