A vehicle occupant protection device includes: an airbag main body that includes a front-rear chamber that is deployed to a seat front side through a side of a head of an occupant by a gas ejected from an inflator operated when a collision of a vehicle is detected or predicted, and a tip end chamber that is deployed inward in a seat width direction from an end portion of the front-rear chamber on the seat front side; and a headrest that includes a main body portion that supports the head of the occupant from a seat rear side, and a side portion that is provided on at least a side of the main body portion, that protrudes to the seat front side until a deployment of the front-rear chamber is completed, and that is interposed between the front-rear chamber and the head of the occupant.

An airbag equipped with a sub-chamber may include a main chamber expanding by being injected with gas in a collision, and a sub-chamber formed by folding a panel-shaped chamber to be combined with the main chamber and have self-supporting force, the sub-chamber assisting supporting force of the main chamber by expanding with the main chamber.

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag configured to be deployed from a roof of the vehicle. The airbag includes a front panel configured to face the occupant and a rear panel configured to face away from the occupant. An external tether has ends connected to the rear panel on an exterior of the airbag. The external tether has a length measured between the ends that is shorter than the length of the rear panel extending between the connections of the external tether to the rear panel so as to cause the airbag to have a curved portion when inflated and deployed, the curved portion facing convexly toward the occupant. In one example configuration, the curved portion can be configured to receive the occupants head and to unbend in response to receiving the occupants head, wherein the unbending causes the front panel to crumple and form creases. The configuration of the external tether, position of the external tether on the rear panel, and connections of the external tether to the rear panel can be configured to position the curved portion to receive the occupants head and to control the formation and location of the creases on the front panel.

A passenger seat airbag apparatus for a vehicle, including a housing installed in a structure inside the vehicle, an airbag cushion accommodated in a folded state inside the housing, and inflated and deployed between the structure inside the vehicle and an occupant to restrain and protect the occupant when the vehicle collides, and a flap having one end connected to a wrapper for wrapping the folded airbag cushion to guide a deployed direction of the airbag cushion while the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed. The flap is formed on both sides thereof with expansion parts for expanding a width of the flap wider than a width of an inner space of the housing. This invention further includes a structure inside the vehicle when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, which stably guides a deployed direction of the flap and the airbag cushion, enhancing deployment shape and performance.

Vehicle safety systems comprising seatbelts and inflatable cushions deployable therefrom. Some embodiments comprise a first vertical seatbelt having a first inflatable cushion coupled thereto and a second vertical seatbelt having a second inflatable cushion coupled thereto. The first inflatable cushion and the second inflatable cushion may be configured to inflate at an at least substantially static location relative to an adjacent seat and may be configured to deploy adjacent to an occupant's chest and to inhibit movement of an occupant's head during an impact event. The system may further comprise a horizontal seatbelt coupled with one or both of the first vertical seatbelt and the second vertical seatbelt.

Disclosed herein is an airbag apparatus that includes a pair of main cushions installed to respective left and right sides of a seat back and deployed forward when gas is delivered to an internal filling chamber, to restrain a passenger from sides, and a pair of auxiliary cushions coupled to respective front ends of the main cushions while in communication with the main cushions and deployed laterally at one ends thereof to restrain the passenger from a front.

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.

Techniques for controlling a protection apparatus are provided. An example method includes detecting an offset collision or diagonal collision, and activating a suitable protection apparatus for protecting the side or head of a passenger at a timing in accordance with the degree of collision. An example controller may include a level calculation part for calculating a level of a front face collision, a ΔV.sub.offset calculation part for making an offset adjustment of a speed (ΔV), and a determination part for determining an offset collision or diagonal collision based on the level of the front face collision and the ΔV.sub.offset.

The invention relates to an airbag (10) for restraining a vehicle occupant (12) in an automotive vehicle, comprising an inflatable cushion portion (20) for damping an occupant impact and two inflatable tube portions (22) laterally opposed in the mounted state of the airbag (10) which are arranged on the occupant side on the cushion portion (20), wherein the tube portions (22) are connected to each other by a slide layer (24) arranged on the occupant side on the cushion portion (20) and are laterally movable at least in portions relative to the cushion portion (20). Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an airbag (10) as well as an airbag module (18) comprising said airbag (10).

An occupant protection system for protecting a vehicle occupant sitting in a seat includes a seatbelt that includes a lap belt for arresting the pelvis of the occupant, and an airbag that is stored in the lap belt. The airbag as deployed includes a main inflatable portion for protecting an upper body of the occupant, and a head protecting portion that is located in a vicinity of an upper end of the main inflatable portion for protecting a head of the occupant. The head protecting portion includes a front inflatable portion for covering a front side of the head, and a pair of side inflatable portions that extend rearward from left and right ends of the front inflatable portion for covering sides of the head. Each of the side inflatable portions is configured to be deployed in such a manner that a space is formed between itself and the head.