Plastic film airbag

A method for protecting an occupant in a crash by means of an inflatable restraint, comprising the steps of:

• arranging an inflatable airbag comprising at least one sheet of film in a housing,
• arranging in connection with said at least one film sheet a thermoplastic elastomeric material at specific locations such that said locations are thicker in comparison to an average thickness of said at least one film sheet,
• selecting said locations at which the thermoplastic elastomeric material is arranged in connection with said at least one film sheet in view of considerations of stress on said at least one film sheet during deployment of said airbag, and
• supplying gas into an interior of said airbag in response to a crash of the vehicle.

In a vehicle having an inflatable occupant protection system, an inflatable occupant restraint module comprising:

• a housing mounted in the vehicle and having an interior;
• a deployable airbag contained within said housing interior prior to deployment, said airbag comprising first and second attached material sheets, each of said first and second sheets comprising at least one layer of non-perforated inelastic film substantially coextensive with said sheet and thermoplastic elastomeric material arranged in connection with said at least one layer of inelastic film and extending over at least a portion of said sheet, said thermoplastic elastomer constituting tear propagation arresting means for arresting the propagation of a tear in said at least one layer of inelastic film,
• an inflator coupled to said housing for inflating said airbag, said inflator comprising gas supply means for supplying a gas into an interior of said airbag defined between said first and second sheets, said airbag being attached to and in fluid communication with said inflator;
• and
• an initiator for initiating said gas supply means to supply the gas into the interior of said airbag in response to a crash of the vehicle.

In a vehicle having an inflatable occupant protection system, an inflatable occupant restraint assembly for protecting an occupant in the event of a crash comprising:

• at least one airbag module mounted in the vehicle, said at least one module comprising:
• at least two inflatable airbags;
• a net surrounding said at least two airbags for retaining said at least two airbags in an interior thereof, said net comprising an interlaced network of material strips and defining an interior volume less than the volume of said at least two airbags when inflated;
• inflation means arranged in connection with said at least two airbags for inflating said airbags;
• and
• initiation means for initiating said inflation means in response to the crash of the vehicle.

In a vehicle having an inflatable occupant protection system, an inflatable occupant restraint module comprising:

• a housing having an interior;
• an airbag contained within said housing interior prior to deployment, said airbag being attached to said housing;
• inflation means coupled to said airbag for inflating said airbag, said inflation means comprising gas supply means in flow communication with an interior of said airbag for supplying a gas into said interior of said airbag;
• pressure control means coupled to said airbag for controlling outflow of gas supplied by said gas supply means from said inflated airbag as a function of the pressure within said airbag;
• initiation means coupled to said gas supply means for initiating said gas supply means in response to a crash of the vehicle;
• mounting means arranged in connection with said module for mounting said module to the vehicle;
• and
• a net surrounding said airbag for limiting the deployment of said airbag, said net defining an interior volume less than the volume of said airbag when inflated.

In a vehicle having an inflatable occupant protection system, an inflatable occupant restraint module comprising:

• a housing having an interior;
• an airbag contained within said housing interior prior to deployment, said airbag being attached to said housing;
• inflation means coupled to said airbag for inflating said airbag, said inflation means comprising gas supply means in flow communication with an interior of said airbag for supplying a gas into said interior of said airbag;
• pressure control means coupled to said airbag for controlling outflow of gas supplied by said gas supply means from said inflated airbag as a function of the pressure within said airbag, said pressure control means comprising
• a movable flap arranged in connection with said airbag to vary a vent opening of said airbag providing a passage between an interior of said airbag and an area exterior of said airbag, said flap being biased to close said vent opening, and
• a reinforcement member having a first portion attached to said airbag and a second portion separated from said airbag and defining said vent opening with said airbag;
• initiation means coupled to said gas supply means for initiating said gas supply means in response to a crash of the vehicle;
• and
• mounting means arranged in connection with said module for mounting said module to the vehicle.

In a vehicle having an inflatable occupant protection system, an inflatable occupant restraint module comprising:

• a housing having an interior;
• an airbag contained within said housing interior prior to deployment, said airbag being attached to said housing and comprising at least one non-perforated sheet of film defining an airbag interior and tear propagation arresting means arranged in connection with said at least one film sheet for arresting the propagation of a tear in said at least one film sheet;
• inflation means coupled to said airbag for inflating said airbag, said inflation means comprising gas supply means in flow communication with an interior of said airbag for supplying a gas into said interior of said airbag;
• pressure control means coupled to said airbag for controlling outflow of gas supplied by said gas supply means from said inflated airbag as a function of the pressure within said airbag;
• initiation means coupled to said gas supply means for initiating said gas supply means in response to a crash of the vehicle;
• and
• mounting means arranged in connection with said module for mounting said module to the vehicle.

In a vehicle having an inflatable occupant protection system, an inflatable occupant restraint module comprising:

• a housing having an interior;
• an airbag contained within said housing interior prior to deployment, said airbag being attached to said housing and having a seam;
• inflation means coupled to said airbag for inflating said airbag, said inflation means comprising gas supply means in flow communication with an interior of said airbag for supplying a gas into said interior of said airbag;
• pressure control means coupled to said airbag for controlling outflow of gas supplied by said gas supply means from said inflated airbag as a function of the pressure within said airbag, said pressure control means being arranged in said seam;
• initiation means coupled to said gas supply means for initiating said gas supply means in response to a crash of the vehicle;
• and
• mounting means arranged in connection with said module for mounting said module to the vehicle.