Patent ID: 7500695

Claim:
A shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement ( 8 ) for the passenger compartment of a vehicle ( 1 ), said shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement ( 8 ) comprising: a flexible container ( 9 ) that is gas-filled when in an original expanded rest configuration and that is configured to be compressed when absorbing energy under impact by a passenger; and means ( 13 ) for returning the container ( 9 ) to the original expanded rest configuration following compression thereof, said means for returning comprising a control unit ( 17 ) configured 1) to regulate, via an air inlet valve ( 15 ), the working pressure of the flexible container ( 9 ) as a function of the amount of energy the container ( 9 ) potentially must absorb in the event of passenger impact; and (2) to repressurize the flexible container ( 9 ) following passenger impact with the container ( 9 ).