A roof airbag apparatus includes a roof airbag cushion disposed in a folded state in a panorama roof and configured to inflate and deploy as gas is supplied from an inflator; and a diffuser disposed in the roof airbag cushion and configured to guide a deployment of the roof airbag cushion in a width direction of a vehicle when the roof airbag cushion is inflated.

An inflatable safety restraint system that is downwardly deployable from a roof of a vehicle for protecting an occupant of the vehicle. The inflatable safety restraint system includes at least one inflatable airbag and at least one joint closing the shape of the at least one inflatable airbag to circumscribe an internal cavity. At least one inflator is in fluid communication with the at least one inflatable airbag for inflating the at least one airbag. Upon deployment, the inflatable safety restraint system defines a closed shape for surrounding the occupant of the vehicle.

A vehicle includes a passenger compartment having a roof structure having a front header, a pair of side headers and a rear header. A headliner is disposed beneath the roof structure. At least one inflatable bladder is disposed along at least one of the front header, the pair of side headers and the rear header. The at least one inflatable bladder is connected to an inflator. A rib structure is disposed adjacent to the at least one inflatable bladder. The inflatable bladder inflates to a maximum height of 12 cm below the at least one of the front header, the pair of side headers and the rear header.

A rooftop airbag apparatus may include: a rear cushion installed above a rear seat, connected to a rear inflator, and expanded and deployed as gas is injected from the rear inflator; and a rear tether connected to the rear cushion to bend a front side of the rear cushion downward when the rear cushion is deployed.

One general aspect includes a deployable containment system for a vehicle roof panel, the system including: a pair of guide channels proximate to an opening through the vehicle roof panel, each guide channel of the pair having a first end and a second end; a housing mounted to the first end of the pair of guide channels. The deployable containment system also includes a shield configured to deploy from the housing and travel along the pair of guide channels so as to cover at least a portion of the opening. The deployable containment system also includes an actuator disposed proximate to the pair of guide channels, the actuator configured to deploy the shield from the housing after a deployment event.

An occupant protection device includes a vertical air bag. The vertical air bag is deployable downward at least from above a shoulder of an occupant seated in a seat of a vehicle. During deployment, the vertical air bag is bent in such a manner that a deployed direction distal end portion is, at a portion in front of an upper body of the occupant seated in the seat, oriented towards a waist of the occupant. During the development, in a state in which the vertical air bag is bent, the deployed direction distal end portion comes in contact with a frontal portion of the occupant seated in the seat.

A roof airbag apparatus including: a leading deployment part connected to a diffuser; a trailing deployment part connected to the leading deployment part, and deployed with a time difference from the deployment of the leading deployment part; and an overlap deployment part connected to the trailing deployment part, overlapped by the trailing deployment part, and deployed with a time difference form the deployment of the trailing deployment part.

An occupant protection system for a vehicle may include an expandable curtain and/or an expandable bladder configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state. In the deployed state, the expandable curtain may include first and second sides configured to extend along respective portions of first and second interior sides of the vehicle. The expandable curtain may also include a transverse portion extending between the first and second sides, and the first and second sides, and the transverse portion of the expandable curtain may form a contiguous barrier. The expandable bladder when deployed may be supported by the expandable curtain during contact by an occupant. The occupant protection system may also include a deployment control system configured to cause the expandable curtain and/or the expandable bladder to expand to the deployed state. The occupant protection system may be used in vehicles having a carriage-style seating arrangement.

An automotive front seat overhead airbag includes a supporting air chamber and a protective air chamber mounted on a roof. The supporting air chamber is inflated from the roof towards a dashboard upon inflation. The protective air chamber is in communication with the supporting air chamber. After the supporting air chamber is inflated, the protective air chamber is inflated from the supporting air chamber towards the human body. A first protective space is reserved between the supporting air chamber and the protective air chamber on a side facing the human body. The first protective space corresponds to the head of the human body for protecting the head and neck of the human body. An automobile includes a roof and a dashboard, and further includes the automotive front seat overhead airbag described above. An upper end of the supporting air chamber is connected to a gas generator.

An occupant protection system for a vehicle may include an expandable curtain and/or an expandable bladder configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state. In the deployed state, the expandable curtain may include first and second sides configured to extend along respective portions of first and second interior sides of the vehicle. The expandable curtain may also include a transverse portion extending between the first and second sides, and the first and second sides, and the transverse portion of the expandable curtain may form a contiguous barrier. The expandable bladder when deployed may be supported by the expandable curtain during contact by an occupant. The occupant protection system may also include a deployment control system configured to cause the expandable curtain and/or the expandable bladder to expand to the deployed state. The occupant protection system may be used in vehicles having a carriage-style seating arrangement.