Patent ID: 7946611

Claim:
An airbag module for protecting the lower body of an occupant located in an occupant compartment of a vehicle, the airbag module configured to be mounted behind an instrument panel of the vehicle and comprising: a housing; a mounting mechanism, wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to mount the housing to the instrument panel; and an airbag configured to be filled with an inflation gas, wherein the housing surrounds the airbag, wherein the housing includes two connected portions, wherein the housing is configured so that when the airbag is inflated and deploys the two portions of the housing disconnect and the first housing portion bends downward into a position where the first portion forms a ramp to guide the airbag from a stored position into the occupant compartment and wherein the second portion bends up into a position adjacent to the instrument panel so that when the airbag is fully deployed the second portion is sandwiched between the airbag and the instrument panel, and wherein the mounting mechanism includes at least one side attachment bracket that connects to a vehicle frame or the instrument panel, and wherein the at least one side attachment bracket lies in the same plane as a top surface of the mounting mechanism, the top surface of the mounting mechanism being connected to or integrated with a top portion of the housing.