Abstract: An inflatable knee bolster for a vehicle occupant is mounted in opposing relation to the knees of a vehicle occupant. The bolster is an expansible chamber of multipiece construction having a face portion and a separate three dimensional expansible body portion. The face portion and body portion are joined about their peripheries to define and substantially enclose the chamber. The expansible body portion is formed from injection molded polymeric material and has one or more integrally molded at least partially collapsible pleated profile elements disposed along the sides and across the top of the body portion in raised and lowered profile with respect to the face portion. Deformable mounting brackets extend outwardly from the body portion for attachment to the vehicle. The materials forming the face and body portions are of either similar or dissimilar chemical and physical character.

Abstract: An inflatable knee bolster for a vehicle occupant is mounted in opposing relation to the knees of a vehicle occupant. The bolster is an expansible chamber of multipiece construction having a face portion and a separate three dimensional expansible body portion. The face portion and body portion are joined about their peripheries to define and substantially enclose the chamber. The expansible body portion is formed from injection molded polymeric material and has one or more integrally molded at least partially collapsible pleated profile elements disposed along the sides and across the top of the body portion in raised and lowered profile with respect to the face portion. Deformable mounting brackets extend outwardly from the body portion for attachment to the vehicle. The materials forming the face and body portions are of either similar or dissimilar chemical and physical character.

Abstract: An inflatable knee bolster for a vehicle occupant is mounted in opposing relation to the knees of a vehicle occupant. The bolster is an expansible chamber of multipiece construction having a face portion and a separate three dimensional expansible body portion. The face portion and body portion are joined about their peripheries to define and substantially enclose the chamber. The expansible body portion is formed from injection molded polymeric material and has one or more integrally molded at least partially collapsible pleated profile elements disposed along the sides and across the top of the body portion in raised and lowered profile with respect to the face portion. Deformable mounting brackets extend outwardly from the body portion for attachment to the vehicle. The materials forming the face and body portions are of either similar or dissimilar chemical and physical character.

Abstract: An inflatable knee bolster for a vehicle occupant is mounted in opposing relation to the knees of a vehicle occupant. The bolster is an expansible chamber of multipiece construction having a face portion and a separate three dimensional expansible body portion. The face portion and body portion are joined about their peripheries to define and substantially enclose the chamber. The expansible body portion is formed from injection molded polymeric material and has one or more integrally molded at least partially collapsible pleated profile elements disposed along the sides and across the top of the body portion in raised and lowered profile with respect to the face portion. Deformable mounting brackets extend outwardly from the body portion for attachment to the vehicle. The materials forming the face and body portions are of either similar or dissimilar chemical and physical character.

Abstract: An inflatable knee bolster for a vehicle occupant is mounted to the bottom of the vehicle's instrument panel, having an outer wall that is projected outwardly from a stored position to an extended position adjacent the occupant's knees by inflation of an expansible chamber by an inflator, characterized by. The bolster is an expansible chamber comprising a unitary hollow blow molded polypropylene body that has an outer wall and an inner wall which are interconnected at their bottoms by a bottom wall and at their tops and sides by U-shaped normally folded accordion pleats. These pleats extend from the bottom side corners of the body up the sides and across the top of the body. A pair of spaced attachment tabs extend from the bottom wall for attachment to vehicle structure, and a pair of spaced frangible tabs extending from the top of the outer wall for attachment to vehicle structure to maintain the outer wall in stored position.

Abstract: The present invention provides variable deployment performance by controlling the heat content of the inflator gas which exits an air bag sub-module, disposed in a module, into an air bag cushion. The air bag sub-module includes a sub-module housing which receives an inflator in a central cavity formed therein. The module housing includes low output module ports formed in the module housing and high output module ports. Heat sinking material is disposed within the sub-module housing between an outer wall of the sub-module housing and the inflator such that the heat sinking material surrounds the low output module ports. The air bag sub-module provides a first fluid flow path for the heated inflator gas to flow under high level deployment conditions and a second fluid flow path for the inflator gas to flow under reduced level deployment conditions. The first fluid flow path comprises a low resistance fluid flow path in which the heated inflator gas exits the inflator through the high output module ports.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an air bag assembly comprises an air bag and a primary inflator for inflating the air bag. The air bag has a full inflated volume and a lesser partial inflated volume which is achieved by anchoring a plurality of tethers with a heat-sensitive link to reduce the inflated volume of the air bag to the partial inflated volume. A secondary inflator is selectively operable to release the tethers and coact with the primary inflator to inflate the air bag to the full inflated volume. Actuation of only the primary inflator inflates the air bag to only partial volume as constrained by the tethers. Actuation of the secondary inflator melts the link to release the tethers and inflate the air bag to full volume. In another embodiment, the secondary inflator is replaced by a tether control which includes an actuator that is selectively operable to release the tethers.

Abstract: An inflatable knee bolster for a vehicle occupant is mounted to the bottom of the vehicle's instrument panel. Having an outer wall that is projected outwardly from a stored position to an extended position adjacent the occupant's knees by inflation of an expansible chamber by an inflator, characterized by. The bolster is an expansible chamber comprising a unitary hollow blow molded polypropylene body that has an outer wall and an inner wall which are interconnected at their bottoms by a bottom wall and at their tops and sides by U-shaped normally folded accordion pleats. These pleats extend from the bottom side corners of the body up the sides and across the top of the body. A pair of spaced attachment tabs extend from the bottom wall for attachment to vehicle structure, and a pair of spaced frangible tabs extending from the top of the outer wall for attachment to vehicle structure to maintain the outer wall in stored position.

Abstract: An air bag module includes an inflator and an air bag for inflation upon the discharge of gas by the inflator. The module further includes a mounting and diffuser bracket for securing the inflator and air bag to the vehicle. The mounting and diffuser bracket includes a diffuser portion positioned radially outward of the discharge end of the inflator. The diffuser portion preferably includes wing portions substantially surrounding the discharge ports of the inflator such that upon discharge of gas by the inflator, the wing portions redirect and diffuse the discharging inflator gas into the air bag. Advantageously, the wing portions also provide a localized heat shield for the air bag.

Abstract: An air bag module includes an inflator for generating gas and an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator. The module further includes a container for housing the air bag and inflator therein. Preferably, the container is integrally molded as one piece and includes at least two spaced apart integral living hinges. Preferably, the container has a clamshell construction including a first half and a second half pivotally connected to each other by a closure hinge portion. The container preferably includes deployment end portions opposite the closure hinge portion which are releasably connected to each other. Preferably, at least one of the deployment end portions is pivotally connected to the container.

Abstract: An air bag module includes an inflator for generating gas and an air bag deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator. The air bag module further includes a canister for housing the inflator and a clamshell cover for housing the air bag. The clamshell cover is attached to the canister. Preferably, the clamshell cover includes first and second halves and a bendable thin hinge portion pivotally connecting the first and second halves. Upon air bag deployment, the air bag breaks open and deploys out through the hinge portion of the clamshell cover.

Abstract: An inflatable restraint cushion for restraining a vehicle occupant is used in a vehicle having a vehicle side structure including a door having a beltline portion defining a lower boundary of a side window opening. The cushion includes an inboard contact face for inflation adjacent the vehicle occupant and an opposite outboard contact face for inflation adjacent the vehicle door. The outboard contact face includes a generally horizontally extending beltline notch portion shaped for matably aligning with and engaging the beltline portion of the door when the cushion is inflated. Upon engagement of the cushion by the occupant, the beltline notch portion of the cushion reacts against and is laterally and vertically supported by the beltline portion of the door to provide lateral stability to the cushion.

Abstract: According to the invention, an air bag module includes a frame of channel-shape cross section and a box shaped cover of molded plastic construction which encloses a folded air bag. The box-shaped cover is slid between the side walls of the frame and first and second interfitting slide locking features are provided respectively on the frame and the cover to interlock the cover to the frame. A cylindrical inflator is installed into the frame and cover. A retainer strap encompasses the frame and the cover to restrain the relative longitudinal movement therebetween so that the frame and cover are effectively attached together. The retainer strap also has at least one apertured end flap which overlies an end of the inflator, and a fastener is installed between the end flap aperture and the inflator to attach the inflator to the frame and the cover.