A vehicle occupant protection expandable bladder may comprise an initial expandable chamber, an occupant restraining expandable chamber and a releasable connection that is configured to connect the occupant restraining expandable chamber to the initial expandable chamber or to a vehicle. The vehicle occupant protection expandable bladder may be configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state in a vehicle. The deployed state may comprise a first phase in which gas flow from the initial expandable chamber to the occupant restraining expandable chamber is at least substantially restricted and a second phase in which gas flow from the initial expandable chamber to the occupant restraining chamber is unrestricted. The releasable connection may be configured to release the connection in the deployed state.

Far-side inflatable airbag assemblies are disclosed to be installed to deploy adjacent an occupant during a far-side collision event or a far-side oblique collision event, and may retain the occupant at the occupant's vehicle occupant position to protect the occupant from collision with structures within the vehicle, as well as from collisions with other occupants of the vehicle. The far-side inflatable airbag assemblies of the present disclosure may be particularly beneficial when installed between vehicle occupant positions of the vehicle.

A roof airbag for a vehicle longitudinally extends along a length between first and second longitudinal ends and laterally extends along a width between first and second lateral sides. An inlet for receiving inflation gases is provided at the first longitudinal end. A plenum is in fluid communication with the inlet for receiving the inflation gases from the inlet. The roof airbag includes a plurality of primary inflatable chambers, each primary inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the plenum to receive inflation gases from the plenum. A plurality of secondary inflatable chambers is in indirect fluid communication with the plenum to receive inflation gases indirectly from the plenum through the plurality of primary inflatable chambers. The primary inflatable chambers of the plurality of primary inflatable chambers are arranged to first drive deployment of the airbag and subsequently inflate the second inflatable chambers of the plurality of second inflatable chambers to tension the airbag in the lateral direction. The primary and secondary inflatable chambers cooperate to provide a barrier between occupants of the vehicle and the roof frame.

Airbag systems for use in a vehicle that is operable in a manual-steering mode or an automated-steering mode are provided. In one embodiment, an airbag system includes a primary airbag installed in a dashboard of a vehicle. The primary airbag is configured to be deployed when a collision event is detected, and, when deployed, the primary airbag is configured to protect a person seated in a driver seat of the vehicle. the airbag system also includes an auxiliary airbag configured to be deployed when the collision event is detected. During operation of the vehicle in a manual-steering mode, the deployment of the auxiliary airbag is configured to reduce contact between the primary airbag and a steering wheel of the vehicle when the primary airbag is deployed from the dashboard.

A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag mounted to the vehicle roof. The airbag has a stored condition and is inflatable to a deployed condition having a front-facing occupant receiving portion and an opposite rear-facing portion facing away from the occupant. The airbag has one or more connections with the vehicle roof, with the airbag and the connections being configured such that the roof serves as a reaction surface for supporting the airbag against movement in response to a forward moving occupant impacting the occupant receiving portion. The system is non-reliant on the rear-facing portion of the airbag engaging and using vehicle structure as a reaction surface for supporting the airbag against movement in response to the impacting occupant.

An apparatus helps to protect an occupant of a seat of a vehicle including an instrument panel and a display screen that is positioned rearward of an occupant facing surface of the instrument panel and that extends vertically above an upper surface of the instrument panel. The apparatus includes an airbag configured to have a stored condition in which the airbag is rolled and/or folded and positioned within the instrument panel at a location below the display screen. The airbag is configured to inflate and deploy from the instrument panel in response to receiving inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source. The airbag is configured to deploy in an upward direction through a space between the occupant and the instrument panel to a position in which the airbag is positioned between the display screen and the occupant.

In one aspect, an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes a frontal curtain airbag. The airbag has overlying panels that are interconnected. The airbag is deployable a deployed condition in which the airbag spans across a width of a windshield opening of the vehicle. A restraining panel is separate from and extends widthwise over the panels of the airbag. The restraining panel is connected to the airbag and has a width configured to cause opposing end portions of the deployed airbag to be bent toward one another and into a curved configuration. Pressurization in the deploying airbag tensions the restraining panel widthwise. The tensioned restraining panel maintains the bend in the deploying airbag so that an effective airbag depth is measured between the restraining panel and the airbag.

The present invention relates to a seat airbag for a vehicle in which a cushion storage space 810 capable of accommodating a front cushion 200 is provided at a front end 720 connected to the front cushion 200 in a side cushion 100, and the front cushion 200 folded in a bellows type is inserted and accommodated into the cushion storage space 810. The side cushion 100 and the front cushion 200 can be deployed sequentially with a time difference, so that the reliability of the cushion deployment can be secured.

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.

An assembly for a vehicle includes a first pillar and a second pillar spaced cross-vehicle from the first pillar. The assembly includes a crossbar movably supported by the first pillar and the second pillar. The crossbar is movable along the first pillar and the second pillar from a raised position to a lowered position. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the crossbar.