Patent ID: 8840141

Claim:
An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has an instrument panel and a windshield, the apparatus comprising: an air bag packaged in an air bag module, the air bag being inflatable to a deployed position between the instrument panel and a vehicle occupant; and a deployment restrictor secured to the air bag module, the deployment restrictor comprising a deflector panel having a portion that is positioned between the packaged air bag and the windshield and that at least partially covers the packaged air bag so that the deflector panel moves with the deploying air bag toward the windshield, the connection of the deployment restrictor to the air bag module limiting movement of the deflector panel toward the windshield and thereby redirecting the air bag to deploy away from where it would otherwise impact the windshield; wherein the deflector panel comprises a front portion secured to the air bag module, and side portions connected to the air bag module laterally of the packaged air bag, the connections of the front portion and side portions to the air bag module limiting movement of the deflector panel so that the deflector panel directs the air bag to deploy away from where it would otherwise impact the windshield; and wherein the deployment restrictor comprises a multilayer strap that extends between the connections of the side portions to the air bag module, the multilayer strap being positioned to receive the initial force generated by the deploying air bag.