Airbag deployment velocity sensor

An airbag device for a motor vehicle comprising;

• an airbag housing;
• an airbag mounted to the airbag housing, and defining a bag interior surface;
• a scan medium cartridge mounted fixed with respect to the airbag housing and containing a quantity of elongated scan medium stored within the cartridge, the scan medium passing through the cartridge and extending through an elongated scan medium outlet, the outlet having a first surface, and a second surface that diverge from each other to form a radiused taper, the scan medium being attached to the bag interior surface;
• a seal between the elongated scan medium and the outlet so that the seal is broken by withdrawing elongated scan medium from the storage cartridge;
• a sensor positioned within the scan medium cartridge for detecting scan medium being withdrawn from the cartridge;
• wherein the elongated scan medium has sensor affecting attributes, and wherein the sensor is positioned adjacent the scan medium so as the scan medium is withdrawn from the cartridge a signal corresponding to the tape withdrawn is generated.

An airbag device for a motor vehicle comprising:

• an airbag housing;
• an airbag mounted to the airbag housing, and defining a bag interior surface;
• a scan medium cartridge comprising a first portion sealed to a second portion, defining a volume there between, the scan medium cartridge mounted fixed with respect to the airbag housing containing a quantity of elongated scan medium stored within the defined volume, the scan medium passing through the cartridge and extending through an elongated scan medium outlet and the scan medium being attached to the bag interior surface;
• a sensor positioned within the scan medium cartridge far detecting scan medium being withdrawn from the cartridge;
• and
• a friction mechanism engaging the scan medium that resists the scan medium being pulled from the scan medium cartridge, the friction mechanism comprising portions of the first portion of the scan medium cartridge.