Abstract: The airbag has a front portion, in which a front chamber is formed, a rear portion, in which a rear chamber is formed, and a partition, which partitions the front and rear chambers from each other. The partition has a communication passage for connecting the front and rear chambers to communicate to each other. A pressure regulating valve is located in the passage. At an early stage of a supply period during which an inflator supplies inflation gas to the airbag, the valve is closed to restrict flow of the inflation gas from the rear chamber to the front chamber via the passage. The valve is opened during the supply period to permit the inflation gas to flow therethrough. A front portion of the airbag is roll-folded, while a rear portion is accordion-folded. The airbag front portion and the airbag rear portion are located in front of the inflator.

Abstract: A knee airbag (100) which is deployed between the vehicle occupants and a vehicle structure (2) and a gas generator (4) for filling the knee airbag (100) with inflating gas, wherein the knee airbag (100) has a base chamber (10) which is filled first with inflating gas, and at least one further upper chamber (20, 30) which receives the inflating gas conducted through the base chamber (10). A flow obstacle (12, 23) for the inflating gas is arranged between the base chamber (10) and the one or more upper chambers (20, 30). The one or more upper chambers (20, 30) is rolled up or collapsed and is secured in the rolled-up or collapsed state, the securing (21, 22) being designed in such a manner that it fails when a predetermined degree of filling of the base chamber (10) is reached.

Abstract: The present invention incorporates a tether release system within a conventional airbag system or a conventional vehicle occupant protection system. Release of an associated tether may simultaneously open a vent on an associated airbag. A housing contains an actuator contained within the housing for actuation of the tether release system upon receipt of a crash detection signal, for example. A first moving member is configured for receipt of a propulsive force emanating from the actuator upon actuation of the tether release system. A movable tether release member is contained within the housing wherein the movable tether release member operably communicates with the first moving member upon actuation of the tether release system, for release of an associated tether.

Abstract: An occupant protection device includes (i) an electronic control unit having a control board, (ii) a parallel connection bus having two lines, (iii) multiple satellite sensors connected to the parallel connection bus, (iv) a squib connected to the parallel connection bus, and (v) an accident prevention diode located close to the squib. The control board includes an interface and a processor. Each of the satellite sensors includes a distributed system interface which is located between the two lines. The parallel connection bus is supplied with a sensor drive voltage. The electronic control unit starts to operate at least one of the occupant protection portions based on a result of the collision determination by the control board.

Abstract: Provided are a check valve for an airbag and an airbag device that can improve the reproducibility of the flow path blocking function while reducing the resistance upon inflation and deployment of the airbag and that can be applied to a place where a flow path is divided into a plurality of flow paths. A first embodiment of an airbag device according to the present invention has an airbag that is normally folded and that is inflated and deployed in an emergency, and an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag. The airbag has a plurality of inflation chambers, a duct portion disposed so as to connect the plurality of inflation chambers, and a check valve for an airbag having a tubular portion sewn to the duct portion, and tongue-shaped portions formed at the tip of the tubular portion.

Abstract: An airbag provided with a pocket. An airbag (21) comprises a main bag body (31), an opening (32) formed in the main bag body (31), a small bag body (33) extending from the opening (32) to the inside of the main bag body, and a joining section (34) at which a part of the small bag body is joined to the main bag body. The joining section (34) is provided in the area which, when the airbag is expanded, extends from both the side surfaces of the airbag or from the top surface (72) of the airbag to the rear surface (73) which comes in contact with and holds the occupant.

Abstract: A side curtain air bag system deploys downward during a crash event into a protection zone overlapping an out-of-position head region. An inflator discharges an inflation gas upon the occurrence of the crash event. The system employs an inflatable bag including first, second, and third chambers. The second chamber has a respective deployed position coinciding with the out-of-position head region. The first chamber has a respective deployed position between the B-pillar and the deployed position of the second chamber. The third chamber has a respective deployed position along a lateral edge of the inflatable bag so that the second chamber is disposed between the first and third chambers. The chambers are configured so that the third chamber substantially fills prior to expansion of the second chamber, whereby the inflatable bag substantially completes its downward movement prior to full expansion of the second chamber.

Abstract: An inflation portion of an airbag, which is inflated by inflation gas, is partitioned into an upstream inflation portion and a downstream inflation portion via a partition member. When being tensioned in a planar manner, the partition member has a length in a longitudinal direction that is longer than a length in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A pressure regulating valve that is closed at an early stage of a supply period of the inflation gas to the inflation portion and is opened from the middle of the supply period includes a slit-like inner opening that is provided on the partition member and extends in the transverse direction and a pair of valve body portions that are provided around the inner opening and are selectively positioned close to and separated from each other.

Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag comprising foam bulk at least partially surrounded by a flexible membrane, the airbag compressible from a second volume to a first volume; a locking mechanism for maintaining the airbag compressed to the first volume; a one-way valve openable to deliver air to the airbag when the locking mechanism is released; and wherein when the locking mechanism is released, the airbag expands.

Abstract: A valve mechanism for a gaseous medium of an airbag is provided. The valve mechanism includes a first and second layer, which respectively include a passage opening that is substantially closed in a closed position of the valve mechanism by a corresponding cover region of the other respective layer. An adjusting element in the form of a tube with an adjustable volume provides a temporary passage position of the valve mechanism by lifting one of the cover regions of the corresponding layer from the corresponding passage opening.

Abstract: An airbag includes a high pressure expansion chamber, a low pressure expansion chamber, and a communication passage, which connects the high pressure expansion chamber and the low pressure expansion chamber to each other. A gas supply port, which supplies inflation gas into the airbag, is located inside the low pressure expansion chamber to discharge the inflation gas toward the inside of the communication passage. The communication passage extends from the edge of a communication port, which connects the high pressure expansion chamber and the low pressure expansion chamber, toward the inside of the high pressure expansion chamber. At deployment and inflation of the airbag, the communication passage is located between a seam formed at the outer periphery of the base fabric sheet of the airbag and the gas supply port.

Abstract: A curtain airbag apparatus is provided with a curtain airbag that is embedded, in a folded or rolled state, in an upper edge portion of at least one door opening and deploys into a form of a curtain, the curtain airbag having: a first deployment portion deploying downward by inflating with gas supplied from upon a side collision and rollover of the vehicle; a second deployment portion deploying downward by inflating with gas supplied at least upon a rollover of the vehicle, such that the second deployment portion is located in an area that does not overlap, as viewed laterally, an area in which the first deployment portion is located; and an internal pressure difference creator that makes an internal pressure of the second deployment portion higher than an internal pressure of the first deployment portion at least upon a rollover of the vehicle.

Abstract: An airbag includes a fabric component defining an inflatable chamber. The airbag has an opening for receiving an inflation gas. A tubular heat shield is assembled with the airbag adjacent the opening. The tubular heat shield is a sheet of a flexible material rolled to form a tube and fixed to the airbag inside the airbag. The tubular heat shield has a passage for receiving at least a portion of an inflator. The flexible material of the tubular heat shield is selected from a group of materials consisting of fabrics, polymers, metals and metal alloys.

Abstract: An inflation portion of an airbag is divided by a partitioning member into an upstream inflation portion and a downstream inflation portion. Part of the partitioning member forms a pair of overlapping portions overlapped with each other in a band-like shape inside the upstream inflation portion. The overlapping portions are joined to each other by a joint portion located at a boundary between the overlapping portions and non-overlapping portions. The partitioning member includes an opening, which is formed by cancelling the joint between the overlapping portions by the joint portion, and a pressure regulating valve, which includes a pair of valve bodies, which sandwiches the opening. Stress relaxation portions are provided at the overlapping portions. The stress relaxation portions relax stress acting on parts of the joint portion that are adjacent to the opening as the pressure regulating valve is opened.

Abstract: This disclosure discloses a side-collision airbag apparatus comprising: a side-collision airbag; an inflator configured to inject gas; and an inflator holder configured to support the inflator; wherein: the inflator comprises: an inflator main body portion that is substantially cylindrical in shape and produces the gas; an injecting portion that protrudes from a tip end of the inflator main body portion; and a clasp portion positioned between the inflator main body portion and the injecting portion; the inflator holder comprises: a holding portion configured to hold the inflator; and a diffuser portion having a diffuser tube that has a cross-section substantially elliptical in shape; and the diffuser tube comprises a contraction opening at an end portion in an injection direction of the gas, and is provided so that an end portion opposite the injection direction of the gas faces to the radial outer peripheral side of the clasp portion.

Abstract: A side airbag device for a side collision is provided in which a first bag half body (20) on an occupant side and a second bag half body (21) on a door side are formed by sandwiching a third base fabric (19) between a first base fabric (17) on the occupant side and a second base fabric (18) on the door side, and gas supplied from an inflator (22) to the second bag half body (21) is supplied to the first bag half body (20) via a through hole (19a) formed in an end part of the third base fabric (19) that is on the side distant from the inflator (22), and therefore, after the second bag half body (21) is firstly deployed to ensure that there is the minimum necessary occupant restraint performance, the first airbag half body (20) is deployed, thereby sufficiently enhancing occupant restraint performance.

Abstract: When an air bag body beings to expand due to gas flowing from an inflator into the air bag body, a left side folded piece and a right side folded piece which have been folded into concertinas expand quickly to thrust laterally to the left and right. Vent holes are located to be exposed in upper faces of the folded pieces. Accordingly, the gas can flow out from the interiors of the folded pieces through the vent holes as soon as the folded pieces begin to expand.

Abstract: An inflation portion of an airbag, which is inflated by inflation gas, is partitioned into an upstream inflation portion and a downstream inflation portion via a partition member. When being tensioned in a planar manner, the partition member has a length in a longitudinal direction that is longer than a length in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A pressure regulating valve that is closed at an early stage of a supply period of the inflation gas to the inflation portion and is opened from the middle of the supply period includes a slit-like inner opening that is provided on the partition member and extends in the transverse direction and a pair of valve body portions that are provided around the inner opening and are selectively positioned close to and separated from each other.

Abstract: An inflatable side airbag has an inflatable duct for the delivery of inflation gas. The inflatable duct of the inflatable side airbag provides for rapid deployment of a multi-chamber air bag while controlling the rate of inflation and the relative pressure of the chambers. The inflatable duct allows a single inflator to inflate a high pressure pelvis chamber and a lower pressure thorax chamber while preventing fluid communication between the two chambers upon completion of inflation.

Abstract: A curtain airbag of a curtain airbag system includes a gas supply passage that extends in a longitudinal direction in an upper portion of the airbag and guides gas from an inflator toward the front of the vehicle, a front main chamber deployed downward in the event of a side impact or rollover when supplied with gas from the gas supply passage, a front auxiliary chamber deployed when supplied with gas from the gas supply passage or the front main chamber at least in the event of rollover, and an uninflatable portion (gas-flow guide portion) that blocks forward gas flow at a front side of a gas passage communicating with the gas supply passage and the front main chamber, and guides the gas to the front main chamber.

Abstract: An active bolster has an expandable inner wall including a bay having first and second opposing ends and a central bowl. An expandable outer wall overlies the inner wall to provide a main cavity therebetween. An inflator is mounted within the bay having an outlet nozzle with a plurality of outlet passages for radially discharging an inflation gas against the bay and the outer wall in response to inflate the main cavity during a crash. The inner wall of the central bowl includes a plurality of first dispersion ribs substantially parallel with one another and following arcuate paths to provide at least one gas channel with opposite ends emptying from the central bowl into the main cavity. The outer wall includes a plurality of second dispersion ribs oriented to channel inflation gas from the central bowl toward the outer peripheral edges.

Abstract: A side airbag with interior partitioned into plural chambers. The side airbag configured in a bag shape by an outer cloth and an inner cloth is partitioned by partitioning members into a lower chamber (one or more high pressure chambers) on the high pressure side during inflation and deployment and a upper chamber (low pressure chamber). The partitioning members are each configured from a single piece of cloth or from plural pieces of cloth that have been integrated together in advance. The partitioning members are each provided with a partitioning wall, a diffuser and a non-return valve.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes an airbag cushion, an inflator to provide inflation gas to inflate the airbag cushion, a diffuser provided between the inflator and the airbag cushion and a deflector provided between the inflator and the diffuser. The diffuser forces the inflation gas to change flow direction at least one time before the inflation gas exits into the airbag cushion. The deflector deflects particulates emitted from the inflator into a predetermined portion of the diffuser to inhibit particulates from entering into the airbag cushion. The predetermined portion of the diffuser may be an upper corner of the diffuser.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus for vehicle includes: an airbag body formed by joining outer peripheral portions of two base cloths, the two base cloths being superimposed on each other; an inflator introducing gas to an inside of the airbag body; and a vent hole formed on the airbag body and configured of a slit, the vent hole communicating between the inside and an outside of the airbag body, the slit being formed so as to be directed from the outer peripheral portions toward central portions of the two base cloths over the two base cloths.

Abstract: Closing movement of at least one of two or more air chambers is started at an early stage, and an inflated air chamber is tightly closed and maintained in an inflated state for a long time. Inside of an airbag is partitioned into air chambers, with a partitioning cloth, and a diffuser that stores a gas generator is disposed in the air chambers, through the partitioning cloth. Gas from a gas generator is rectified by the diffuser, and is supplied from outlet parts, into the air chambers, thereby inflating and deploying the air chambers. An occupant side base cloth, a semi-perimeter portion around the lower outlet part, is connected to a back-side base cloth of the airbag, and in accordance with an inflation of the lower air chamber, a tension is imposed on the occupant side base cloth from the back-side base cloth, thereby elongating the lower air chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides an airbag device that is capable of restraining a rectification cloth that switches a vent hole to an opened or closed state so as not to be twisted, and that is capable of switching the vent hole from an opened state to a closed state, and further, switching to the opened state. At an initial stage at which an airbag main body inflates and expands, the vent hole 8 is arranged between the leg portions 5, and when the airbag main body is in a predetermined internal pressure state, the vent hole is closed by means of the band-shaped portion 4. If an occupant or the like comes into contact with the airbag main body, a tense state of each of the leg portions is released, the rectification cloth is established in a slackened state, and the vent hole 8 is established in an opened state.

Abstract: An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle includes an inflator and a curtain airbag securable to a body structure of the motor vehicle. The airbag includes two or more deployment tubes and two or more inflatable chambers. Vents connect the deployment chambers with the inflatable chambers. Gasses from the inflator pass first into the deployment tubes to rapidly inflate them to vertically extending positions and draw the airbag over a window opening. The gasses then pass through the vents into the inflatable chambers to complete the deployment of the curtain airbag. The rapid inflation and deployment of the deployment chambers provides cushioning for an occupant's head early in a crash event, followed by the inflation of the inflatable chambers to provide additional head protection and increasing the resistance of the curtain airbag to ejection through the underlying window apertures.

Abstract: A vehicle airbag structure deploying an airbag at a predetermined designed position in an initial stage of deployment, while suppressing a swinging motion, to allow the airbag to continuously deploy and inflate toward a vehicle seat and reliably receive an occupant at an appropriate position. The vehicle airbag structure includes: an intermediate panel provided between a front panel and a rear panel; a joining the rear panel and the front panel to form an airbag; an intermediate panel forming a gas duct to guide inflator gas; and a gas circulation hole formed by a portion of the intermediate panel facing in a circumferential direction to generate, inside the airbag, a gas flow in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: An air bag having a tri-state vent, in an initial state the vent is configured to be closed, the vent in a medial state configured to be at least partially open or fully open as the air bag is starting to inflate permitting some inflator gas to exit through the vent and the vent in a final state configured to be at least partially closed or fully closed as the air bag continues to inflate.

Abstract: An airbag includes an airbag body and an inner tube. The inner tube includes a gas upstream section located in an upstream region of an inflation gas stream fed from a gas generator and a gas outlet section that opens toward an inflatable region of the airbag body and feeds an inflation gas to the inflatable region. The gas outlet section includes a check valve section. The check valve section has a flexible and a generally tubular shape extending and opening toward the inflatable region due to pressure of an inflation gas so as to stream the inflation gas into the inflatable region. After the gas generator has finished discharging the inflation gas, the check valve section folds back toward the gas upstream section due to an internal pressure of the inflatable region and closes off the gas outlet section.

Abstract: An airbag cushion of flexible sheet material has a vent opening with a vent cover of flexible sheet material stitched to an interior surface of the airbag cushion aligned with the vent opening in the airbag cushion to form a pocket. The vent cover has a vent opening therein allowing inflation gas to escape from the cushion via the vent opening. A vent flap of flexible sheet material is disposed at least partially within the pocket and inboard of the vent openings in the airbag cushion and vent cover. A tether extends inboard from vent flap to a tether end that is fixed in a releasable manner to a tether end securing device fixed to a module housing. The tether end is released in response to a sensor signal.

Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle occupant restraint system is provided. The airbag comprising a first and a second chamber, which can be inflated for the protection of a vehicle occupant; having an outflow element with an outflow duct via which the gas can flow out of the first chamber when the internal pressure in the first chamber exceeds the internal pressure in the second chamber and which can be compressed under the action of the internal pressure in the second chamber such that an outflow of gas out of the second chamber is counteracted, when the internal pressure in the first chamber is lower than the internal pressure in the second chamber, the outflow element has a two-layer material piece and the outflow duct is formed by folding in a portion of the material piece between the material layers of the material piece.

Abstract: An airbag module, especially for a vehicle occupant restraint system, includes an assembly of an inflator (16) having a mounting flange (32) and an inflator supporting member (18) for resilient support of the inflator (16). The inflator supporting member (18) includes a holding member (24) made of metal sheet and at least one mounting foot (26) arranged at the holding member (24) for connection to an inflator base (12). The holding member (24) and the mounting flange (32) are fixed to each other by plastic shaping of at least one of the two members.

Abstract: An inflator for producing inflation gas from a propellant has a housing for storing the propellant, a diffuser for attachment to the inflator housing and a sealing member. The diffuser has one or more open passages for passing inflation gas upon ignition of the propellant and a plurality of sealed passages oriented opposite to the one or more open passages. The sealing member covers the sealed passages. The sealing member is consumed when exposed to an open flame thereby opening the sealed passages to vent inflation gases opposite the opposed one or more open passages to create a thrust neutral exhaust upon an inadvertent ignition of the propellant due to exposure to fire.

Abstract: An airbag and an airbag device can support itself without using the reaction force from a front glass and cost reduction and commonality of components are achieved. An airbag of the present invention is normally accommodated in an instrument panel in a folded state and is inflated and deployed between a front glass and an occupant by gas being supplied thereto in an emergency. The airbag has rectification means disposed therein that controls the flow of the gas. The rectification means has a first opening through which gas is supplied such that part of the airbag on the occupant side is pressed against the instrument panel, a second opening through which gas is supplied such that the airbag is lifted upward, and a third opening through which the gas is supplied to a base end portion of the airbag on the front glass side.

Abstract: A method of operating a restraint system comprises deploying an airbag in response to a pre-crash sensing system prior to collision in a first stage and controlling an inflation of the airbag in a second stage in response to acceleration signals of the vehicle.

Abstract: The subject of the present invention is a pyrotechnic method for generating gas at two successive flow rates—a first flow rate then a second flow rate, said first flow rate being higher than said second flow rate—which comprises: the combustion of a first pyrotechnic charge (10) in a first combustion chamber (1) discharging into a second combustion chamber (2) via at least one nozzle (3); and the combustion of a second pyrotechnic charge (20) in said second combustion chamber (2) discharging to the outside via at least one vent (21). Characteristically, said first chamber (1) operates at high pressure and said second chamber (2) operates at low pressure. Another subject of the invention is a pyrotechnic gas generator suitable for the implementation of said method. The invention is most particularly applicable in the context of side protection airbags (“curtain airbags”), used in automobile safety.

Abstract: An airbag module including an airbag, a gas generator introduced into an opening in the airbag, and a gas generator support on which the gas generator is fixed. The gas generator is arranged with respect to the gas generator support such that in case of activation the airbag pulls the gas generator onto the gas generator support. The gas generator support has an opening through which the non-inflated airbag is pulled such that a first region of the airbag, which does not surround the gas generator, is located on the one side of the opening and a second region of the airbag, which surrounds the gas generator, is located on the other side of the opening, and the opening is dimensioned such that the gas generator cannot be pulled through the opening.

Abstract: Gas supplied from gas discharge ports is guided without providing a metal guide tube on the inflator of an airbag device, and the airbag is protected from the gas. An inner tube (50) is connected to a gas inlet (13) formed in an airbag (10), and an inflator (40) around which a fabric member (60) is wound is inserted into and attached to a gas passage (54) formed in the inner tube (50). The fabric member (60) is wound around the inflator (40) several times into a tubular shape such that it covers a plurality of gas discharge ports (42) provided in the inflator (40) and such that one end thereof opens to the inside of the airbag (10), and the fabric member (60) is inserted into the inner tube (50). When the inflator (40) is activated, gas from the gas discharge ports (42) is guided to the inside of the inner tube (50) by the fabric member (60) and is guided and supplied to air chambers (31) and (32) through the gas passage (54), thereby inflating and deploying the airbag (10).

Abstract: An airbag module for a motor vehicle includes an inflatable airbag cushion, an inflator, and a flow director. The inflatable airbag cushion includes one or more panels that form an inflatable portion. The inflator is configured to provide inflation gas for inflating the airbag cushion upon deployment. The flow director is configured to direct inflation gas into the inflatable portion. The inflatable portion includes a first inflatable region and a second inflatable region. The flow director is configured to direct the inflation gas directly into the first inflatable region. The first inflatable region and the second inflatable region are in fluidic communication, and a check valve permits the inflation gas to flow from the first inflatable region to the second inflatable region and prevents the inflation gas from flowing from the second inflatable region to the first inflatable region.

Abstract: An air-bag includes a rear panel and a front panel secured to one another to define an inflatable volume. A tether interconnects the panels and has an area of mechanical weakness provided by at least one line of slits or perforations. The tether has a first configuration in which the area of mechanical weakness is substantially intact, and is configured to adopt a second configuration via rupture of the area of mechanical weakness. The first configuration of the tether is effective, during inflation of the air-bag, to limit the maximum depth of the air-bag to a predetermined distance measured between the front and rear panels, and the second configuration is effective to allow an increase in the maximum depth of the air-bag beyond the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A system for controlling gas pressure in a dual-chamber airbag for vehicles, may include a cushion unit having an upper chamber and a lower chamber divided by a diaphragm therein, an inflator supplying gas to the upper chamber, and a unidirectional vent control member provided in the diaphragm and supplying the gas inside the upper chamber into the lower chamber in one direction.

Abstract: An air bag module (30) includes an air bag (14) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition and a structure (34) for supporting the air bag. A first tether (106) has a first end connected to the structure via an actuatable fastener (122) and an opposite second end connected to the air bag (14). A second tether (104) having a first end secured to the first tether (106) by a releasable connection (132) at a location between the first and second ends of the first tether. The second tether has a second end connected to a deployable portion of the air bag (14).

Abstract: Heat shields are used to shield an airbag from hot gasses issuing from an inflator. The heat shields can be a piece of thin metal that is coupled to the airbag cushion or the inflator. The heat shield can be held in place by being attached or coupled to the airbag and/or the inflator.

Abstract: The airbag has a front portion, in which a front chamber is formed, a rear portion, in which a rear chamber is formed, and a partition, which partitions the front and rear chambers from each other. The partition has a communication passage for connecting the front and rear chambers to communicate to each other. A pressure regulating valve is located in the passage. At an early stage of a supply period during which an inflator supplies inflation gas to the airbag, the valve is closed to restrict flow of the inflation gas from the rear chamber to the front chamber via the passage. The valve is opened during the supply period to permit the inflation gas to flow therethrough. A front portion of the airbag is roll-folded, while a rear portion is accordion-folded. The airbag front portion and the airbag rear portion are located in front of the inflator.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus for a vehicle may include an inflator, and an airbag cushion having a depressed head support portion formed in a rear portion of the airbag cushion so that when the airbag cushion may be deployed by gas supplied from the inflator, the head support portion receives a head of a passenger, and shoulder support portions protruding from lateral sides of the head support portion in a rearward direction and forming a space between the shoulder support portions to have the head support portion therebetween when the airbag cushion may be deployed, and a support tether provided in the airbag cushion and extending in a transverse direction across the shoulder support portions such that a gas path may be defined in a front portion of the airbag cushion below the support tether, the gas path guiding the gas downwards.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) inflatable between a vehicle surface (36) and the vehicle occupant. A vent (160) releases inflation fluid from the protection device (14). The vent (160) has an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition. A tether (150) has a first connection with the vent (160) and a second connection with the protection device (14). Tension on the tether (150) actuates the vent (160). The vent (160) is initially in the non-actuated condition upon initial deployment of the protection device (14). Further deployment of the protection device (14) causes the tether (150) to place the vent (160) in the actuated condition. Occupant penetration into the protection device (14) causes the tether (150) to place the vent (160) in the non-actuated condition.

Abstract: A valve mechanism for a gaseous medium of an airbag is provided. The valve mechanism includes a first and second layer, which respectively include a passage opening that is substantially closed in a closed position of the valve mechanism by a corresponding cover region of the other respective layer. An adjusting element in the form of a tube with an adjustable volume provides a temporary passage position of the valve mechanism by lifting one of the cover regions of the corresponding layer from the corresponding passage opening.

Abstract: A support structure for a vehicle airbag that can be displaced from a storage position to a restraint position by a gas flow, comprises a plurality of hollow bodies that are connected to each other to form a channel system. A device is provided inside the channel system for the targeted influencing of the gas flow.

Abstract: The present invention can include an automobile having a multi-stage inflation system. The multi-stage inflation system can include an engine control unit, a multi-stage inflation unit, a curtain airbag, a curtain airbag pressure indicator, and/or a rollover side impact detection unit. The rollover side impact detection unit can detect when a side impact or a rollover occurs to the automobile. When the rollover or the side impact is detected, the engine control unit can instruct the multi-stage inflation unit to deploy and inflate the curtain airbag in multiple stages. The multi-stage inflation unit can include a pyrotechnic inflation unit with multiple compartments. At each of the stages, a different one of the multiple compartments can be activated to substantially inflate the curtain airbag. The multi-stage inflation unit can also optionally include a cold gas inflation unit to supplement the pyrotechnic inflation unit.