Patent ID: 8540276

Claim:
An airbag assembly comprising: a housing defining a cavity and a deployment opening, wherein the housing comprises a wall that defines at least a portion of the cavity; an inflator; and an airbag cushion comprising a proximal portion and a distal end, wherein the proximal portion of the airbag cushion is coupled with the inflator such that an interior of the airbag cushion is in fluid communication with a portion of the inflator from which inflation gases are configured to be released, wherein the airbag cushion is in a packaged configuration within the cavity of the housing and comprises a deployment accordion fold and a rolled region, wherein the deployment accordion fold is defined by at least a portion of the proximal portion of the airbag cushion, wherein the accordion fold is upstream from the rolled region such that inflation gases from the inflator must pass through the portion of the airbag cushion that defines the accordion fold before they can enter the rolled region, and wherein the distal end of the airbag cushion is at an interior of the rolled region, wherein the rolled region of the airbag cushion is adjacent to the wall of the housing and is positioned between the wall of the housing and the deployment accordion fold prior to deployment of the airbag cushion, and wherein the wall of the housing is configured to act as a reaction surface during deployment of the airbag cushion such that: the deployment accordion fold presses the rolled region of the airbag cushion against the wall of the housing and maintains the rolled region in contact with the wall of the housing and generally at rest relative to the housing as the deployment accordion fold fills with inflation gases; at least a portion of the accordion fold exits the housing through the deployment opening before the rolled region exits the housing; and the rolled region is pulled, via the portion of the airbag cushion that defines the accordion fold, outwardly from the housing and out of said contact with the wall of the housing.