A vehicle comprising: an airbag device comprising a housing and an airbag, the airbag having a packed configuration and an expanded configuration, the airbag expanding through the aperture in the housing when moving from the packed configuration to the expanded configuration; a composite material panel positioned to cover the airbag device, the panel comprising a break line running over the panel, the break line being proximal to the aperture so that when the airbag moves to the expanded configuration the airbag forces the panel to tear along the break line; and a first protection flap, the first protection flap having an initial configuration where the first protection flap is located adjacent the airbag in the packed configuration and a deployed configuration where the first protection flap covers at least one edge of the panel that runs along one side of the break line when the panel has torn due to the airbag moving to the expanded configuration.

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a seat in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a housing positioned therein includes an airbag for positioning in the housing and defining an inflatable volume for receiving inflation fluid from an inflator. The airbag includes an occupant-facing panel. A tether has a first end connected to the occupant-facing panel for forming a pocket therein and a second end connected to a portion of the airbag positioned within the housing. The second end includes a folded-over portion. First stitching extends through the folded-over portion in a direction extending transverse to a centerline of the tether. Second stitching extends through the folded-over portion and parallel to the first stitching. The first and second stitchings are spaced a predetermined length from one another.

An embodiment apparatus for a knee airbag includes an airbag located inside a cockpit, the cockpit configured to be located in a front side of an interior of a vehicle, an airbag door disposed in the cockpit at a position facing an occupant knee area, the airbag door being configured to open when the airbag is deployed, an absorber located at a front end of the airbag, and a guide part surrounding at least two surfaces of the absorber and the airbag.

There is provided a vehicle crash pad coupled to a passenger airbag door having a passenger airbag installed in a passenger seat direction, the vehicle crash pad including a base forming a frame, a scrim coupled to an inside of the base of the passenger airbag door in an insert-injection method, a skin disposed above the base portion and having a surface exposed to an outside, a foam disposed between the base and the skin, and X shaped incision grooves formed in a rear surface of the base in an area of the passenger airbag door.

A tethering clip assembly is configured to tether first and second components of a vehicle together before and during deployment of an airbag. The tethering clip assembly may include a securing base configured to secure to the first component, a retainer configured to secure to the second component, and one or more tethers that couple the securing base to the retainer. The securing base, the retainer, and the tether(s) are integrally formed together.

The invention relates to an airbag assembly comprising an airbag through-opening arranged over the chute channel of the airbag, which opening is closed by at least one airbag flap and an, in particular sprayed-on, covering made of plastic and secured over the airbag flap, wherein the covering has at least one target break line at the edge of the airbag flap in order to enable the unfolding of the airbag cushion, and wherein the airbag flap is connected via a joining point to a flap support wall in a moulded manner, which is in contact with the inner side of the chute channel wall in a secured manner, wherein am additional flat element is inserted (as a cover) in the chute channel between the airbag cushion and the airbag flap, which flat element at least partially overs the airbag flap and the inner side of the chute channel wall.

An occupant protection device of the present embodiment includes a lower panel and an airbag device disposed on a front side of a lower end portion of the lower panel with a gap. The airbag device includes an airbag that is deployed and inflated so as to rise from a lower side of the lower end portion of the lower panel to the side of a back surface, as a design surface, of the lower panel to protect the knee of the occupant when inflation gas flows in, and a blocking member that rotates backward and blocks the gap when the airbag is inflated. A contact surface portion which is contact with the blocking member that rotates backward is formed on the lower end portion of the lower panel. The contact surface is formed on the lower side of a flange portion that extends forward from a bent portion.

An instrument panel for a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle comprises a molded plastic substrate and a skin covering the substrate. The substrate has inner and outer surfaces, and is adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment adjacent a windshield. The inner surface is adapted to receive an air bag chute assembly for deploying an air bag. The inner surface is inscribed by a door groove defining a deployment door at least partially tearing open to expel the air bag. The outer surface is inscribed by a hinge groove following a chord path bisecting the outer surface of the deployment door and configured to bend in response to an edge of the deployment door impacting the windshield. The impact force against the windshield is reduced while stiffness of the door against the air bag remains high to facilitate tearing open of the door by the air bag.

A sealed modular trim supplemental side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) module assembly includes a SABIC and a vehicle trim assembly encapsulating the SABIC. The SABIC is sealed within the vehicle trim assembly and provided as a complete compact module configured for subsequent attachment to a vehicle roll bar.

A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an airbag cushion. A reaction surface is configured to move between a retracted position and a deployed position upon deployment of the airbag cushion, such that the reaction surfaces will direct the airbag cushion toward an occupant area upon deployment of the airbag cushion. Multiple embodiments of reaction surfaces are disclosed, including deployable instrument panel sections, flexible straps, and hoods.