Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes a housing (20) including a vent opening (70). An air bag (14) is inflatable to deploy away from the housing (20). An inflation fluid source (26) provides inflation fluid for inflating the air bag (14). A vent member (80) has a closed condition blocking inflation fluid flow through the vent opening (70) and an open condition permitting inflation fluid flow through the vent opening. A first tether (114) is configured to release the vent member (80) for movement from the closed condition when the air bag (14) has deployed a first distance away from the housing (20). A second tether (140) is configured to place the vent member (80) in the closed condition when the air bag (14) has deployed a second distance away from the housing (20), the second distance being farther away from the housing than the first distance.

Abstract: An air bag (12) includes at least one tether (44) and an inflation fluid source (14) having two modes of operation. In the first mode of operation, the inflation fluid source (14) is activated to provide a first inflation fluid pressure in the air bag (12). In the second mode of operation, the inflation fluid source (14) is activated to provide a second inflation fluid pressure in the air bag (12) higher than the first pressure. The tether (44), which helps to control the shape of the air bag (12), tears in response to the second inflation fluid pressure in the air bag.

Abstract: An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) is located on a steering wheel (14) and includes a lower portion (28) and an upper portion (26). The upper portion (26) is rolled folded and the lower portion (28) is folded in a star pattern. The roll folded portion (26) has an outside surface formed by a front panel (30) of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) that is intended to face the occupant when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated. During inflation, the roll folded portion (26) unrolls such that at least a portion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflates forward of the steering wheel if the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, while inflating, encounters an obstruction located too far forward relative to the steering wheel.

Abstract: An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) is located on a steering wheel (14) and includes a lower portion (28) and an upper portion (26). The upper portion (26) is rolled folded and the lower portion (28) is folded in a star pattern. The roll folded portion (26) has an outside surface formed by a front panel (30) of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) that is intended to face the occupant when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated. During inflation, the roll folded portion (26) unrolls such that at least a portion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflates forward of the steering wheel if the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, while inflating, encounters an obstruction located too far forward relative to the steering wheel.

Abstract: An air bag (12) includes at least one tether (44) and an inflation fluid source (14) having two modes of operation. In the first mode of operation, the inflation fluid source (14) is activated to provide a first inflation fluid pressure in the air bag (12). In the second mode of operation, the inflation fluid source (14) is activated to provide a second inflation fluid pressure in the air bag (12) higher than the first pressure. The tether (44), which helps to control the shape of the air bag (12), tears in response to the second inflation fluid pressure in the air bag.