Patent ID: 7258191

Claim:
An air bag system incorporated into a motor vehicle bumper comprising: a) a bumper on a motor vehicle, said bumper having a rear surface, a front surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface, said front surface having a convex outer portion adjacent said top surface, said convex outer portion curving downwardly to a reduced thickness of said bumper in a lower portion thereof; b) at least one compartment integral with said bumper located behind said convex outer portion; c) an air bag disposed within said compartment; d) a breakaway panel in said bumper corresponding with said air bag compartment, said breakaway panel formed in a leading edge of said convex outer portion; e) a gas cartridge for said air bag to provide inflation means when deployment is required, said gas cartridge being located directly behind said air bag; f) a pressure sensor disposed in the upper surface of said bumper directly above said air bag to determine when deployment of said air bag is required; and g) a sensor signal communicating between said pressure sensor and said gas cartridge to initiate deployment of said air bag upon impact detected by said pressure sensor.