Patent ID: 7052042

Claim:
An air bag in a folded state housed in an instrument panel, the air bag inflating by an inflator when a vehicle is crashed, the air bag comprising: a single opening portion at one end thereof into which a gas generated by the inflator flows; a gas flow path portion extending continuously from the opening portion; and an occupant restraint portion at an opposite closed end thereof, the occupant restraint portion having a single continuous open space therein when inflated with the gas, being spaced from the opening portion and extending continuously from the gas flow path portion, the gas flow path portion comprising a throated gas passageway between the opening portion and the occupant restraint portion, the throated passageway being narrow relative to the occupant restraint portion, whereby the gas flows from the opening portion to the occupant restraint portion through the gas flow path portion, and the gas flow path portion including at least one flow-constricting penetrating portion disposed adjacent to said opening portion, which constricts and regulates the gas flowing into the air bag, and a size of said at least one penetrating portion being selected so as to achieve a predetermined flow rate of the gas from the inflator into the air bag based on size of the air bag, and wherein said gas flow path portion of said air bag is a portion which extends only above an upper surface of the instrument panel to substantially cover the upper surface when the air bag is inflated.