Vehicle safety devices, heat shields used in such devices and related methods are provided. The heat shield for use in vehicle airbags can include a woven base substrate and a needlepunched nonwoven substrate comprising silicon-containing fibers. The needlepunched nonwoven can be needlepunched to the woven base substrate such that, when the heat shield is positioned within an interior space of an airbag, the needlepunched nonwoven substrate faces apertures of an inflator within the airbag.

A side airbag device including an airbag (2); an inflator (3); and an inner tube (4) formed of a fabric and covering discharge holes (3a) of the inflator (3). The inner tube (4) protrudes toward a center of the airbag (2) in a deployed state and a first end (4b) is closed in the direction of gas discharge, and second ends (4c) that are in a vehicle height direction of the airbag (2) in the deployed state are open. The inner tube (4) is folded back at a folded-back portion (4d) inside the airbag (2) when the airbag (2) is folded in a case where the side airbag device is installed in a vehicle seat back.

Coupling spots are properly protected upon reception of gas pressure. A seam is possessed as a partition that partitions the interior of an airbag, and the seam is a coupling spot along which a frontal-side base fabric and a backside base fabric are coupled to each other. First and second reinforcing fabrics are provided on inner sides of the frontal-side base fabric and the backside base fabric, and the first and second reinforcing fabrics have remaining margins that are oriented toward the gas supply side in the downward direction rather than toward the seam, and each of the remaining margins functions as a shield wall against a flow of gas toward the seam.

An inflatable vehicle safety device is provided that comprises an inflator, a fluid compartment, and a heat shield. The inflator is capable of providing an inflation fluid used to inflate the fluid compartment. The heat shield, which is located within the fluid compartment, comprises a fabric layer and a thermal barrier layer located adjacent to the fabric layer. The thermal barrier layer includes at least one layer of silicone elastomer and one or more silicone topcoats. The heat shield has a thermal resistance value of six seconds or more at 725 C. when tested in a hot rod thermal resistivity test.

A heat-resistance increasing fabric sheet for an airbag is used in an airbag that is deployed and inflated by inflation gas discharged from a gas outlet portion of an inflator. The heat-resistance increasing fabric sheet is configured to increase the heat resistance of a member subjected to an increase in heat resistance. The heat-resistance increasing fabric sheet includes a base fabric sheet, a heat-resistant layer, and a top coat layer. The base fabric sheet is made of cotton fibers and arranged between the member subjected to an increase in heat resistance and the gas outlet portion. The heat-resistant layer is made of aluminum foil laminated on a surface of the base fabric sheet that faces the gas outlet portion. The top coat layer is made of a plastic film laminated on a surface of the heat-resistant layer that faces the gas outlet portion.

It is provided a gas bag for an airbag module of a motor vehicle, comprising at least two gas bag parts, which via at least one seam are connected to each other to form a gas bag to be filled with gas, so that the resulting gas bag has an inner wall facing the interior of the gas bag and an outer wall facing away therefrom, and comprising a flame protection layer that is arranged within the gas bag and is connected to the gas bag such that the flame protection layer sectionally covers the gas bag for protection against gases. In the flame protection layer at least one incision is formed, by which a foldable partial section is produced in the flame protection layer, which can be folded over a seam by means of which the gas bag parts are connected to each other.

Vehicle safety devices, heat shields used in such devices and related methods are provided. The heat shield for use in vehicle airbags can include a woven base substrate and a needlepunched nonwoven substrate comprising silicon-containing fibers. The needlepunched nonwoven can be needlepunched to the woven base substrate such that, when the heat shield is positioned within an interior space of an airbag, the needlepunched nonwoven substrate faces apertures of an inflator within the airbag.

Disclosed is an inflation gas deflector for an automotive airbag assembly. The inflation gas deflector includes at least one layer of inorganic platelets or a multiple layer composite of at least one support layer and at least one inorganic platelet layer carried by the support layer. Also disclosed is an airbag cushion incorporating the inflation gas deflector and an automotive airbag assembly including the inflatable airbag cushion, the inflation gas deflector, and an inflator.

Disclosed is an inflation gas deflector for an automotive airbag assembly. The inflation gas deflector includes at least one layer of inorganic platelets that is supported by a thin metal support, or a multiple layer composite of at least one metal support layer, at least one inorganic platelet layer carried by the metal support layer, and at least one other functional and/or support layer. Also disclosed is an airbag cushion incorporating the inflation gas deflector and an automotive airbag assembly including the inflatable airbag cushion, the inflation gas deflector, and an inflator.

An airbag apparatus for a vehicle my include an airbag housing accommodating an airbag cushion, an inflator supplying gas into the airbag cushion, a hard retainer fixing the inflator to the airbag housing, and a soft retainer having a first side coupled to the hard retainer and controlling a flow of the gas supplied from the inflator.