Patent ID: 7744122

Claim:
An airbag assembly mounted in connection with a steering wheel assembly in a vehicle, the steering wheel assembly includes a rotatable steering column and a steering wheel arranged at one end of the steering column and to rotate with the steering column, comprising: a housing arranged on a first side of the steering wheel and including an airbag having an interior and an opening communicating with the interior; a gas generating inflator arranged on a second side of the steering wheel opposite the first side of the steering wheel, the inflator generating gas to inflate the airbag through the opening and directing the generated gas into a conduit situated between the inflator and the interior of the airbag, the conduit extending from the second side of the steering wheel through the steering wheel to the first side of the steering wheel; and an aspirating structure connected to the steering wheel and arranged on the second side of the steering wheel and in connection with the conduit, the aspirating structure being arranged to induce air from a passenger compartment in the vehicle into the aspirating structure, mix the induced air with the gas generated by the inflator within the aspirating structure and then cause the mixed air and gas to flow into and through the conduit so that the mixed air and gas then flows into the interior of the airbag to thereby aspirate the gas generated by the inflator, the aspirating structure comprising a nozzle having an inlet and an outlet, the inflator being arranged to direct gas into the nozzle between the inlet and the outlet to induce air from the passenger compartment to flow into the inlet and mix with the gas from the inflator with the mixed flow being directed toward the opening of the airbag.