Occupant protection system

An occupant protection system for a vehicle having a roof portion, wherein the roof portion includes at least one airbag recess, the system comprising:

• at least one occupant seat having a frame integrated with a backrest section and a seat section, the seat section including a seat cushion;
• a first airbag assembly having a first inflatable airbag, the first airbag assembly being containable within the airbag recess;
• a second airbag assembly having a second inflatable airbag and a deployment location, the second airbag assembly being mounted to the frame that is integrated with the seat section, the frame being external to the seat cushion;
• the first inflatable airbag being configured to extend downward from the roof portion to below a passenger shoulder-thorax protection region while in an inflated state, the second inflatable airbag being configured to extend upward from the airbag deployment location through a passenger pelvic-thorax protection region while in an inflated state, the first inflatable airbag is operable to inflate at a lower pressure than the second inflatable airbag thereby loading the pelvic-thorax region and pushing a passenger away from a vehicle door;
• and
• wherein an air gap of up to 6 inches exists between the first inflatable airbag and the second inflatable airbag while in the inflated states.

A method of protecting occupants within a vehicle having a roof portion that includes at least one airbag recess, at least one occupant seat having a frame integrated with a backrest section and a seat section, wherein the seat section includes a seat cushion, the method comprising:

• providing an occupant protection system including,
• a first airbag assembly having a first inflatable airbag, the first airbag assembly being containable within the airbag recess,
• a second airbag assembly having a second inflatable airbag and a deployment location, the second airbag assembly being mounted to the frame that is integrated with the seat section, the frame being external to the seat cushion;
• sensing the occurrence of a vehicular condition;
• deploying the first airbag, at a lower pressure than the second airbag, upon sensing the vehicular condition, thereby causing inflation of the first airbag, wherein the first airbag extends downward from the roof portion to below a passenger shoulder-thorax protection region while in an inflated state;
• and
• deploying the second airbag, at a higher pressure than the first airbag, upon sensing the vehicular condition, thereby causing inflation of the second airbag, wherein the second airbag extends upward from the deployment location through a passenger pelvic-thorax protection region while in an inflated state.