Patent ID: 7566070

Claim:
An airbag apparatus for a motorcycle, the airbag apparatus comprising: a retainer having forward and rearward sides with the rearward side closer to a rider of the motorcycle than the forward side; an airbag that is in a compact, folded configuration in the retainer and which is to be deployed and inflated out from the retainer for protecting the motorcycle rider during emergency conditions; a forward compact body of the folded airbag in the retainer adjacent the forward side thereof and having a first predetermined folded configuration and a first fold release resistance thereof; a rearward compact body of the folded airbag in the retainer adjacent the rearward side thereof and having a second predetermined folded configuration and a second fold release resistance that is lower than the first fold release resistance so that the folded airbag has a predetermined deployment sequence out from the retainer; a rearward initial stage of the predetermined deployment sequence wherein the rearward compact body initially deploys out from the retainer beyond the rearward side thereof to form an inflated lower, rider-side portion of the airbag; and a forward subsequent stage of the predetermined deployment sequence wherein the forward compact body subsequently deploys out from the retainer beyond the forward side thereof generally opposite to and after the deployment of the rearward compact body therefrom to form an inflated lower, forwardly extending portion of the airbag subsequent to the formation of the inflated lower, rider-side portion thereof.