An occupant monitoring device for a vehicle is configured to monitor an occupant sitting on a seat provided in the vehicle and includes a light projector, an imaging device, and a processor. The light projector is configured to project light toward the occupant sitting on the seat. The imaging device is configured to capture an image of the occupant sitting on the seat. The processor is configured to control the light projector and the imaging device to capture the image of the occupant sitting on the seat. In a case where a collision of the vehicle is neither predicted nor detected, the processor causes the imaging device to capture an image of behavior of the occupant corresponding to either one of travel control and behavior of the vehicle so as to change occupant protection control.

A variable control apparatus for an airbag of a vehicle includes: a plurality of tethers each of which having one side coupled to a front sheath among a plurality of sheaths of an airbag cushion, each of the plurality of tethers formed to have a length shorter than a distance between the front sheath and a rear sheath when the airbag cushion is fully deployed; a release mechanism provided at a rear sheath side of the airbag cushion, connected to the respective other sides of the plurality of tethers, and selectively releasing a tether among the plurality of tethers upon an operation of the release mechanism; and a controller configured to variably control a deployment shape of the airbag cushion by operating the release mechanism based on a collision direction of the vehicle, a seat state of a seat of the vehicle, or a sitting posture of a passenger in the vehicle.

A knee airbag arrangement for a vehicle. The knee airbag arrangement includes an inflatable airbag and an external tether. The airbag is adapted to be inflated to a position between an instrument panel of the vehicle and a knee/shin region of a vehicle occupant. The knee airbag is adapted to form a first deployment mode or a second deployment mode when in a deployed state. The external tether controls deployment of the airbag to the second deployment mode. The depth (D.sub.2) of the airbag in the second deployment mode is greater than a depth (D.sub.1) of the knee airbag in the first deployment mode. A depth of the airbag in a deployed state is a greatest extent of the airbag perpendicular to the instrument panel in the knee/shin region.

A gas bag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system of a motor vehicle comprises an inflatable gas bag which includes at least one first inflatable chamber configured to protect the head of a vehicle occupant and at least one second inflatable chamber configured to protect a shoulder and/or thorax region of the vehicle occupant, wherein the gas bag is to be arranged in or on a side of a vehicle seat facing the vehicle interior space; and at least one connecting element connected to the gas bag for connecting the gas bag to the vehicle seat or to another component of the vehicle. The connecting element is connected to the gas bag such that a partial section of the connecting element extends on a side of the gas bag which in the folded and/or inflated condition of the gas bag faces away from a vehicle occupant.

An air bag device has an inflator and a bag unit configured to be deployed on a front part of a vehicle body with a gas supplied from the inflator. The bag unit includes a first bag, a second bag, and a connector, which are annularly connected to one another, and when the bag unit is deployed, the first bag and the second bag are erected on the vehicle body into a mountain-like shape in such a way that the bag unit forms a substantially triangular shape as a whole.

An airbag assembly includes a housing and an airbag. The airbag is supported by the housing and includes a vent. The airbag assembly includes a tether supported by the housing and fixed to the vent. The airbag assembly includes a tether release operatively coupled to the tether. The airbag assembly includes a tether retractor supported by the housing and fixed to the tether.

A cushion 108 of an airbag device 100 includes: an inner inflating section 158 which convexly inflates toward the rear of a vehicle and which restrains the head 146 of an occupant 144 from the front of the vehicle; protrusions 124 and 126 which are provided to the sides of the inner inflating section 158 in a vehicle width direction and which are capable of inflating so as to protrude further toward the rear of the vehicle than the inner inflating section 158; and outer inflating sections 160 and 162 which are provided between the inner inflating section 158 and the protrusions 124 and 126 and which temporarily convexly inflate toward the rear of the vehicle within a smaller range than the expansion range of the inner inflating section 158 and the protrusions 124 and 126. The outer inflating sections 160 and 162 are squashed by the inner inflating section 158 and the protrusions 124 and 126 and, as a result, the protrusions 124 and 126 are in a posture of being pulled toward a side of the inner inflating section 158.

An airbag device for a front passenger seat includes a front passenger seat airbag main body, a center airbag portion, an actuator and a control section. The actuator is configured to switch a strap between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the center airbag portion is retained in a folded state. In the second state, the other end portion of the strap is released and the center airbag portion is allowed to inflate and expand. The control section sets the actuator to the first state when there is a full overlap frontal collision, and sets the actuator to the second state when there is a collision that is any of an oblique collision against a driver seat side of a vehicle front portion or a small overlap collision.

A variable control apparatus for an airbag of a vehicle includes: a plurality of tethers each of which having one side coupled to a front sheath among a plurality of sheaths of an airbag cushion, each of the plurality of tethers formed to have a length shorter than a distance between the front sheath and a rear sheath when the airbag cushion is fully deployed; a release mechanism provided at a rear sheath side of the airbag cushion, connected to the respective other sides of the plurality of tethers, and selectively releasing a tether among the plurality of tethers upon an operation of the release mechanism; and a controller configured to variably control a deployment shape of the airbag cushion by operating the release mechanism based on a collision direction of the vehicle, a seat state of a seat of the vehicle, or a sitting posture of a passenger in the vehicle.

An airbag system includes a vehicle having a vehicle seat rotated between an upright position to a fully reclined position. An airbag is positioned forward of a passenger seated on the vehicle seat, the airbag positioned in a stowed condition and a fully inflated condition. A horizontal cushion of the airbag in the fully inflated condition extends from a main airbag section. The horizontal cushion is contacted by a head of the passenger and prevents rotation of the head into direct contact with one or both knees of the passenger.