Variable profile air bag restraint

An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:

• an inflator activatable to discharge inflation gas upon the occurrence of predetermined vehicle conditions;
• an air bag cushion in fluid communication with the inflator such that upon discharge of inflation gas from the inflator the air bag cushion is inflated to a deployed state from a location of deployment in substantially opposing relation to the occupant;
• one or more profile restraining tether elements extending from locations on the air bag cushion to a releasable anchor structure so as to shorten the operative length of the profile restraining tether elements, the releasable anchor structure including a moveable retaining pin holding the profile restraining tether elements in place;
• and
• an actuation mechanism comprising a moveable plunger and a pyrotechnic initiator activatable during activation of the inflator, wherein the moveable plunger is operatively connected to the retaining pin such that upon activation of the initiator, the initiator generates pressure against the plunger moving the plunger away from the initiator such that the retaining pin is moved relative to the profile restraining tether elements thereby releasing the profile restraining tether elements from the releasable anchor structure.

An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:

• an inflator activatable to discharge inflation gas upon the occurrence of predetermined vehicle conditions, the inflator being supported within a housing having a wall including at least one vent opening;
• an air bag cushion having an interior surface in fluid communication with the inflator such that upon discharge of inflation gas from the inflator the air bag cushion is inflated to a deployed state from a location of deployment in substantially opposing relation to the occupant,
• one or more elongated profile restraining tether elements extending from points on the interior surface of the air bag cushion and releasably anchored to an anchor structure by a moveable retaining pin thereby shortening the operative length of the profile restraining tether elements;
• an actuatable variable inflation device to control the amount of inflation gas discharged into the air bag, the actuatable variable inflation device including a pyrotechnic initiator activatable in response to a signal from a sensor measuring the position of the occupant during activation of the inflator and a moveable plunger operatively connected to the retaining pin and to a vent blocking member alignable with the vent opening within the housing such that upon activation of the pyrotechnic initiator, the pyrotechnic initiator generates pressure against the plunger moving the plunger away from the initiator such that the retaining pin is moved relative to the profile restraining tether elements thereby releasing the profile restraining tether elements and such that the vent blocking member at least partially covers the vent opening within the housing thereby directing additional inflation gas into the air bag in conjunction with the release of the profile restraining tether elements.