A method for controlling restraint devices of a motor vehicle includes measuring a movement variable of the motor vehicle, triggering a first restraint device on the basis of a first predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, triggering a second restraint device on the basis of a second predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, and activating a first device influencing the restraining force of the first restraint device and a second device influencing the restraining force of the second restraint device on the basis of the first predefined threshold value and/or the second predefined threshold value being exceeded.

Control for airbag deployment and/or the like is facilitated in a simple configuration. An airbag includes upper vent holes and lower vent holes. The upper vent holes are placed upward of the head facing portion and are open to an occupant side. The lower vent holes are placed downward of the upper vent holes and are open to the opposite side from an occupant.

In an airbag comprising at least one aperture (14) which is provided in an airbag shell (12) and to which a closure element (16) is attached a tether (34) via which the closure element (16) can be maintained in a closed position acts on the closure element (16). The invention moreover relates to a method of operating a vehicle occupant protection system.

An airbag apparatus for reducing an injury may include: an airbag cushion part having a vent hole part through which gas is discharged; a cover member having a communication hole part smaller than the vent hole part, and adjusting the amount of gas discharged through the vent hole part by selectively covering the vent hole part; and a vent tether connected to the airbag cushion part and the cover member, and pulling the cover member in connection with an expansion of the airbag cushion part.

An actuator of an airbag device includes a main body portion, which is attached to an attachment base, and a cap including a fitting protruding portion that is inserted into a fitting recessed portion of the main body portion. The fitting protruding portion has a holding portion, which is inserted into a holding hole of a coupling member when fitted to the main body portion and holds a leading end portion of the coupling member, and a movement permitting unit that, when a ceiling portion of the cap is subjected to pressure of a combustion gas of a squib, causes the ceiling portion to move, and causes the holding portion to move from a holding position, wherein the holding portion is inserted into the holding hole of the coupling member, to a holding released position, wherein the holding portion is removed from the holding hole.

An airbag system includes an airbag having a main portion having a first periphery. The main portion is inflatable in an inflation direction to a first thickness. An extension extends from the main portion and has a second periphery spaced from the first periphery. The extension is inflatable in the inflation direction to a second thickness. The first periphery and the second periphery define a gap therebetween. A depression is disposed between the main portion and the extension at the gap and the depression has a third thickness in the inflation direction less than the first thickness and the second thickness. The extension and the depression may receive a head of an occupant during an oblique impact, in which the head of the occupant may avoid the main portion of the airbag.

A restraint system includes a side air curtain, a sail panel, and a secondary cushion. The side air curtain is inflatable to an inflated position and has a top edge, a bottom edge, and a forward edge extending from the top edge to the bottom edge. The sail panel extends from the forward edge. The secondary cushion is inflatable to an inflated position and is elongated in a direction away from the bottom edge and the forward edge toward the top edge.

An airbag is a passenger seat airbag that inflates and deploys between a passenger seat and an instrument panel, and has side vent holes and a front vent hole. When an inflator is actuated in a state where a passenger close to the instrument panel exists, a valve cloth opens the front vent hole with the vicinity of the front vent hole away from the windshield.

A gas bag arrangement for a motor vehicle is provided. The gas bag arrangement contains a gas bag which can be deployed for the protection of a person present outside the motor vehicle along at least a section of the outside of the windshield or another portion of an outside of the motor vehicle, at least one pressure reducing device for reducing the internal pressure at least of a partial region of the at least partly inflated gas bag, and a means for moving at least a section of the at least partly inflated gas bag out of the field of view of a vehicle occupant of the vehicle.

An airbag includes at least one panel defining an interior of the airbag, a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and at least one tethering mechanism positioned within the lower chamber. The at least one tether mechanism is structured and attached to the at least one panel so as to restrict movement of a portion of the at least one panel during airbag inflation such that a first recess is formed along an exterior surface of the airbag when the airbag is inflated.