A closed or sealed airbag system is described in which a semi-rigid, resilient force distribution plate is positioned proximate a pair of relatively flat inflatable airbags. Once inflated, the airbags retain the gas/fluid provided thereto, while the plate serves to redistribute a point of impact on the system across the entirety of the air bags so as to significantly reduce impact forces that otherwise would have been sustained by the object/person causing the initial point of impact. The airbags and plate are specifically engineered with features to distribute and dissipate force across their entire surface area, resulting in distributed deceleration of point load forces. Additional airbags and plates can be incorporated, including outer most plates on the outer facings of the system.

A roof airbag apparatus including: a first cushion disposed on one side of a panoramic sunroof in a width direction of the panoramic sunroof and connected to an inflator; a second cushion disposed on the other side of the panoramic sunroof in the width direction and connected to the inflator; a first wire connected to the second cushion and connected to the first cushion to pull the second cushion toward the first cushion when the first cushion is deployed; a second wire connected to the first cushion and connected to the second cushion to pull the first cushion toward the second cushion when the second cushion is deployed; and guide anchors on which the first wire and the second wire are movably supported.

A roof airbag apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: an airbag main body which is deployed from a roof of a vehicle by gas generated by an inflator part when the vehicle collides; a tether operation part which is mounted to the airbag main body, and has a tether; and an auxiliary airbag which is connected to the airbag main body, and deployed from the airbag main body when the connection with the tether is released.

There is proposed a vehicle seat configured to support an occupant (42) in a sitting position, the seat comprising: a squab (27), a backrest (28), and an airbag unit. The airbag unit comprises an inflatable airbag (1) provided in an initially rolled and/or folded airbag package (33), and an inflator (34) actuable to direct inflating gas into the airbag (1) to inflate the airbag into an inflated configuration. The airbag (1) comprises a pair of inflatable chambers (8, 9) which are physically connected to one another via a connecting interface (17), and are fluidly isolated from one another. The airbag unit is mounted and configured such that, upon actuation of said inflator (34) to inflate the airbag (1), said inflatable chambers (8, 9) inflate into respective deployed positions in which they: i) extend forwardly from respective opposing and laterally spaced-apart side regions of said backrest (28); and ii) extend upwardly, and laterally inwardly across an uppermost region of the seat towards said connecting interface (17), so as to thereby cooperate to define an inflated shroud around at least an uppermost region of the backrest (28) so as to extend over said sitting position and provide lateral protection to a said occupant (42) of the seat in said sitting position.

A restraint system (10) for helping to protect an occupant (60) of a vehicle (20) having a roof (32) and a cabin (40) including a seat (50) for the occupant (60) has an airbag (70). The airbag (70) has a stored condition within the roof (32) and is inflatable to a deployed condition extending into the cabin (40) and aligned with the seat (50). The airbag (70) includes a first portion (94) defining a first chamber (100) and a second portion (104) defining a second chamber (110). The first portion (94) is connected to the vehicle (20) and includes a vent (106). The first portion (94), in response to occupant (60) penetration with the second portion (104), vents inflation fluid from the vent (106) and elongates to enable folding of the airbag (70) away from the occupant (60).

A passenger protection apparatus includes an inflator and an airbag. The inflator is configured to supply gas. The airbag is configured to deploy to surround a sitting position of a passenger by the gas supplied from the inflator. One end of the airbag is supported on an upper portion of a vehicle, and the other end of the airbag contacts an in-vehicle member and is supported by the in-vehicle member.

A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant (60) of a vehicle (20) includes a first inflator (74) for providing inflation fluid at a first fluid pressure and a second inflator (76) for providing inflation fluid at a second fluid pressure greater than the first fluid pressure. An airbag (70) includes a stored condition within a roof (32) and is inflatable to a deployed condition extending into a cabin (40) and aligned with a seat (50) for the occupant (60). The airbag (70) includes a first portion (98) defining a first chamber (100) fluidly connected to the first inflator (74) and a second portion (102) defining a second chamber (104) fluidly connected to the second inflator (76) and fluidly isolated from the first chamber (100). The first portion (98) moves relative to the second portion (102) in response to occupant (60) penetration into the airbag (70).

An airbag device for a panorama roof may include: a panorama roof; a guide disposed under the panorama roof; a folded cushion supported by the guide; an operation unit mounted on the guide, and configured to operate the folded cushion to cover the panorama roof; an inflator configured to supply gas to the cushion; and a controller configured to control the operations of the operation unit and the inflator.

Overhead airbag cushions are disclosed suitable for installation to a vehicle having an alternative seating arrangement, e.g., campfire or living room style seating wherein vehicle seating positions face each other. The overhead airbag cushion deploys from above a vehicle seating position to be disposed to receive at least a head of an occupant of the vehicle seating position. A reaction surface of the overhead airbag cushion may engage a roof, a windshield, or other structure of the vehicle to limit deflection of the overhead airbag cushion during loading as the occupant impacts the overhead airbag cushion. Internal and/or external tethers may assist in positioning and supporting the overhead airbag cushion.

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.