Air bag with diverter and expanded volume chamber

An air bag assembly comprising:

• a side impact air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) with a first side and an opposite rear part (60) with a second side;
• an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (26a) which channel the inflation gas into the rear part of the first chamber in a determinable direction, the inflator positioned adjacent the second side;
• the air bag further including a flow diverter (70, 90) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a significant portion of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the determinable direction, the flow diverter including a side wall spaced from the inflator, the side wall including an open top, the open top positioned adjacent the second side and wherein the inflation gas flows through the open top;
• including a rear separator panel (112) to separate the first and second panels in a small region in the vicinity of the rear part of the first chamber;
• wherein a rear edge of each of the first and second panels includes an extending arcuate portion and wherein the rear separator panel separates the first and second panels apart along the arcuate portion of the first and second panels.

A side impact air bag assembly for side impact protection system comprising:

• an air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined-together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) and an opposite rear part;
• the spacing between the first card second panels in the vicinity of the rear part being larger than the spacing between other portions of the first and second panels to define a localized wider, rearwardly extending, bulbous portion of the air bag which acts as a pressure accumulator to initially absorb the influx of pressure caused by the inflation gas to thereby cause the forward edge of the air bag to be propelled forward more slowly than if the air bag did not include the accumulator;
• an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag;
• a flow diverter (70, 90) having an open top and positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert same to flow in a vertical direction into the wider portion of the air bag.

An air bag assembly comprising:

• a side impact air bag (50), which when inflated is adapted to be positioned between an occupant to be protected and a side of a vehicle, having an inflatable first chamber (50a) formed of two joined together first (52a) and second (52b) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (26) with a first side and an opposite rear part (60) with a second side;
• an inflator (26) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (26a) which channel the inflation gas into the rear part of the first chamber in a determinable direction, the inflator positioned adjacent the second side;
• the air bag further including a flow diverter (70, 90) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a significant portion of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the determinable direction, the flow diverter including a side wall spaced from the inflator, the side wall including an open top, the open top positioned adjacent the second side and wherein the inflation gas flows through the open top;
• wherein the air bag further includes an inflatable, bulbous portion located in the rear part of the first chamber, wherein the bulbous portion is located opposite and above the diverter.