Abstract: An air bag assembly includes an inflator for discharging inflator gas. The inflator includes upper and lower longitudinal ends and an elongated longitudinal inflator axis. The inflator has a longitudinally elongated solid body portion and also has an outlet end portion located at the upper longitudinal end of the inflator atop the elongated solid body portion. The outlet end portion includes a plurality of discharge ports through which inflator gas is discharged. A base plate is connected to the inflator and extends radially outward therefrom. The base plate is positioned closer to the upper longitudinal end of the inflator than to the lower longitudinal end. The longitudinal inflator axis is generally perpendicular to the base plate to advantageously provide a T-shaped. An air bag is positioned above the base plate for deployment in an upwardly direction away from the base plate.

Abstract: An air bag assembly includes an axially elongated inflator for generating gas. The inflator includes first and second ends and has a gas discharge opening located on the first inflator end. The air bag assembly also includes an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator. A diffuser cup engages the first inflator end on which the gas discharge opening is located. The diffuser cup diffuses the inflator gas into the air bag such that the inflator gas is spread more evenly into the air bag during air bag inflation. Preferably, the diffuser cup also retains the first inflator end to an end wall of a housing.

Abstract: An air bag module includes an axially elongated, extruded housing having a nautilus-shaped profile defined by a single continuously extending spiral-shaped wall. The spiral-shaped wall has first and second free ends and the spiral-shaped wall has a generally continually increasing radius of curvature from the first end to the second end. The housing preferably has a decreased radius portion for holding an inflator therein and an increased radius portion for holding an air bag therein. The decreased radius portion has a radius of curvature which is less than a radius of curvature of the increased radius portion.

Abstract: An air bag module includes an inflation detection device. The air bag module includes an air bag, an inflator for generating inflator gas to inflate the air bag, and a breakable device disposed on the air bag. The breakable device has a broken condition when the air bag is inflated to a properly inflated condition and the breakable device has an unbroken condition when the air bag is inflated to less than the properly inflated condition. Upon air bag deployment, the breakable device is broken when the air bag is inflated to the properly inflated condition and the breakable device remains unbroken when the air bag is inflated to less than the properly inflated condition. Thus, the breakable device verifies that the air bag has been properly inflated after air bag deployment.