The present invention discloses a multiple-chamber airbag structure where the airbag design has at least a stiff lower section to reduce the chest velocity and a soft upper section to meet the HIC requirements. Although stowed and deployed as a unitary airbag, the present invention includes separate chambers, which allows for independent gas inflation and stiffness control with venting.

A method for producing a woven fabric comprises weaving fibers in a warp direction and a weft direction to form a fabric having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the warp fibers and weft fibers each comprises one or more filaments of a synthetic polymer having substantially uniform cross-sectional composition. At least a portion of the filaments in the fibers on the top and/or bottom surface of the fabric are then fused together in the presence of a heat transfer liquid or vapor added during the fusing step or added in a prior step of the fabric production process and retained by the filaments. The fusing step produces a treated fabric having a tensile strength in both the warp and weft directions of 1000 N or greater and having, in the absence of any coating, a static air permeability (SAP) of 3 l/dm.sup.2/min or lower.

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat includes an airbag defining an inflatable volume for receiving inflation fluid from an inflator having first and second ends. The airbag has a first sleeve configured to receive the first end of the inflator and a second end configured to receive the second end of the inflator. The first and second sleeves extend from the airbag.

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat includes an airbag defining an inflatable volume for receiving inflation fluid from an inflator having first and second ends. The airbag has a first sleeve configured to receive the first end of the inflator and a second end configured to receive the second end of the inflator. The first and second sleeves extend from the airbag.

A non-coated air bag fabric according to the present invention includes a plurality of weft yarns and a plurality of warp yarns, in which the weft yarns and the warp yarns are constituted by multifilament yarns in which polyethylene terephthalate fibers are used, the number of filaments in each of the multifilament yarns ranges from 122 to 242, and a coefficient of kinetic friction of a surface of the fabric ranges from 1.15 to 1.25 or less, the coefficient of kinetic friction being calculated when a friction block in which polyvinyl chloride is used is brought into contact with the fabric placed on a stage that is rotating at a rotation speed of 663 rpm, at a load of 5 N, using a torque type friction and wear tester.

An airbag assembly includes an airbag and a panel. The panel extends from a first apex to a second apex each spaced from the airbag. The panel includes a depressed region between the first apex and the second apex. The depressed region is attached to the airbag. During a vehicle impact, the momentum of the occupant may move the occupant toward the depressed region of the panel. The airbag may absorb energy from the occupant, and the apexes encourage the occupant to be retained in the depressed region.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a synthetic fiber which is for use in fabrics having uniform fiber density, permeability and the like, is appropriate for high-density, high-speed weaving, and exhibits excellent weft insertion stability. This synthetic fiber is characterized by having: a fiber density of 200-720 dtex; an average intermediate loading modulus of more than 75 cN/dtex and less than 150 cN/dtex; and a variation coefficient of the intermediate modulus of 5% or less.

The present disclosure provides a vehicle airbag device including: an airbag that inflates and deploys due to supply of gas, that has a main body and a projection that projects in a vehicle rearward direction, and that has a gap portion, between the main body and the projection, which opens in the vehicle rearward direction; and a coupling portion that couples together a first attachment portion set at the airbag at a front end portion side of the gap portion and a second attachment portion set at a side portion of the projection, and which, when inflation and deployment of the airbag, stretches between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion, which is positioned further in the vehicle rearward direction than the first attachment portion.

Airbag assemblies are disclosed that can reduce rotational velocity of an occupant's head during a collision event and thereby mitigate traumatic brain injury/head injury to an occupant. An airbag includes a pair of lobes or protrusions to deploy and extend from the rear face of the airbag on either side of the occupant's head to limit rotation of the head. A pair of vertical tethers within an interior of the airbag configure the lobes and contour the rear face to form one or more low fabric tension zones or bubbles. The lobes maintain high fabric tension, similar to a pressurization of a main inflatable chamber of the airbag.

The airbag device includes an airbag including a base fabric and an occupant protection fabric whose outer peripheries are joined together. The occupant protection fabric is positioned on the vehicle rear side of the base fabric and configured to restrain an occupant, and includes: at least one protruding portion that protrudes to the vehicle rear side; a flat portion that is continuously formed from the at least one protruding portion and is designed to come into contact with the occupant; and a tether that is disposed between the base fabric and the at least one protruding portion in the airbag, extending from the flat portion to the joint between the occupant protection fabric and the base fabric. The tether is joined at its end on the joint side with a base edge of the at least one protruding portion and the outer periphery of the base fabric.