Inventors:
Kurt F. Fischer - Oxford MI
Samuel A. Awotwi - Auburn Hills MI
Assignee:
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc. - Lyndhurst OH
International Classification:
B60R 2120
Abstract:
A deflector is incorporated in a passenger-side air bag assembly which is adapted to be mounted in either the upper portion of a dashboard or the middle portion of a dashboard. The vehicle air bag assembly includes a container, a folded air bag disposed in the container, and an inflator disposed at least partially in the container. Prior to the deployment of the air bag assembly, the deflector is also disposed within the container. The inflator is adapted to discharge a gas flow which forces the air bag and the deflector through a portion of the container to form a deployment opening and which flows within the air bag through the deployment opening to inflate the air bag. The air bag is designed to be inflated to a predetermined geometric form for restraining a vehicle occupant who is pitched forward during a vehicle collision. This predetermined geometric form includes a torso-contact area which is disposed at a predicted location of the torso of the vehicle occupant while being pitched forward during a vehicle collision. The deflector is preferably made of the same material as the air bag and is disposed within the air bag when the air bag is inflated.