Folded air bag

An inflatable air bag for restraining a vehicle occupant when inflated, said air bag comprising:

• a first portion having a first plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship, said first portion of said air bag including a surface area which is to be adjacent the torso of the occupant when said air bag is inflated,
• a second portion having a second plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship, said second portion of said air bag including a surface area which is to be adjacent the vehicle windshield when said air bag is inflated, said first and second portions of said air bag form a main section of said air bag which is located between the occupant of the vehicle and a dashboard of the vehicle when said air bag is inflated, said main section of said air bag including a front panel which is disposed in a plane adjacent to the dashboard of the vehicle when said air bag is inflated;
• and
• a connector section which extends between said main section of said air bag and the dashboard of the vehicle when said air bag is inflated, said connector section extending transversely to said plane of said front panel when said air bag is inflated, said connector section including means extending along the first plurality of folds for retarding an initial flow of the inflating fluid into the first portion of said air bag and for directing said initial flow of inflating fluid into the second portion of said air bag.

An inflatable air bag for restraining a vehicle occupant when inflated, said air bag comprising:

• a first portion having a first plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship, said first portion of said air bag including a surface area which is to be adjacent the torso of the occupant when said air bag is inflated,
• a second portion having a second plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship, said second portion of said air bag including a surface area which is to be adjacent the vehicle windshield when said air bag is inflated, said first and second portions of said air bag form a main section of said air bag which is located between the occupant of the vehicle and a dashboard of the vehicle when said air bag is inflated;
• means extending along the first plurality of folds for retarding an initial flow of inflating fluid into the first portion of said air bag and for directing said initial flow of inflating fluid into the second portion of said air bag;
• and
• a connector section interconnecting said main section of said air bag and the dashboard of the vehicle when said air bag is inflated, said connector section of said air bag including a frame which extends around some of the folds of the first plurality of folds when the first plurality of folds is in the stacked relationship prior to inflation of said air bag, some of the folds of said first plurality of folds being offset from said frame in a direction away from the occupant of the vehicle when said plurality of folds is in the stacked relationship prior to inflation of said air bag.

An inflatable air bag for restraining a vehicle occupant when inflated, said air bag comprising:

• a first portion having a first plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship, said first portion of said air bag including a surface area which is to be adjacent the torso of the occupant when said air bag is inflated,
• a second portion having a second plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship, said second portion of said air bag including a surface area which is to be adjacent the vehicle windshield when said air bag is inflated;
• a third plurality of folds, each fold of said third plurality of folds being formed in said first and second portions of said air bag and having a longitudinal central axis which extends perpendicular to a longitudinal central axis of each of the folds of said first plurality of folds and to a longitudinal central axis of each of the folds of said second plurality of folds, said first and second pluralities of folds being formed after said third plurality of folds and extending through said plurality of folds;
• and
• means extending along the first plurality of folds for retarding an initial flow of inflating fluid into the first portion of said air bag and for directing said initial flow of inflating fluid into the second portion of said air bag.

An inflatable air bag for restraining a vehicle occupant when inflated, said air bag comprising:

• a first portion for extending adjacent the torso of the occupant when said air bag is inflated, said first portion having a plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship;
• a second portion for extending adjacent the vehicle windshield when said air bag is inflated, said second portion having a second plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship;
• and
• a connector portion extending between a dashboard of the vehicle and the first and second portion when said air bag is inflated, said connector portion encircling the first plurality of folds and retarding an initial flow of inflating fluid into the first portion and directing the initial flow of inflating fluid into the second portion.