Patent ID: 7516982

Claim:
A gas bag module for a vehicle occupant restraint device comprising a gas bag ( 12 ) and a discharge arrangement ( 18 ) in fluid connection with the gas bag, the discharge arrangement ( 18 ) including a discharge opening through which gas can escape from the gas bag ( 12 ), the discharge arrangement ( 18 ) having at least one element made of an electrically activatable polymer actuator ( 22 ), to expose and/or alter the discharge opening, the polymer actuator ( 22 ) being integrated into a wall part with the discharge opening, the polymer actuator ( 22 ) comprising a carrier layer and an active layer made of a polymer, and the polymer changing its volume with a variation in voltage and being selected from the group of electrostrictive polymers, polymer gels, carbon nano-capillaries, conductive conjugate polymers and ion-conducting polymers.