Air bag module with partial external hood or tether

1. An air bag assembly ( 20 ) comprising:

a folded air bag ( 24 ) having a first half and a second half, each half positioned opposite an imaginary plane generally bisecting the folded air bag, the folded air bag capable of being inflated, the folded air bag having a top, a bottom, an upper side portion, a lower side portion side and at least one lateral side portion and means for inflating the air bag, and

a partial hood enveloping substantially all of only one of the first or second half of the folded air bag, configured to cause the air bag to inflate in an asymmetric manner during inflation in a direction away from that half of the folded air bag covered by the hood, the hood being operatively disengageable from the folded air bag as the air bag continues to inflate, the hood configured to interact with the inflating air bag to be moved from a position enveloping a portion of the folded air bag toward a disengaged position at the lateral side portion of the inflated air bag.

2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the hood has an open side into which the folded air bag is received, a closed side initially positioned adjacent at least the lateral side of the folded air bag and a top which is angled relative to a forward direction of inflation of the air bag to encourage disengagement of the hood or tether from the air bag as the air bag inflates.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the hood includes an open side facing a portion of the air bag unrestricted by the hood.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the hood angles or tapers rearward relative to the direction of inflation of the air bag.

5. The assembly as defined in claim 1 including a support member supporting the air bag and the means for inflating the air bag, the support member generally located below the folded air bag and wherein a bottom portion of the hood is located beneath a portion of the support member.

6. An air bag assembly ( 20 ) comprising:

a folded air bag ( 24 ) capable of being inflated and means for inflating the air bag, a hood or tether ( 40 ) configured to interact with only one half of the inflating air bag to thereby inhibit the inflation of this one half of the air bag relative to other portions of the air bag, during initiation of inflation;

wherein as the air bag continues to inflate, the hood is configured to be moved laterally off from the air bag.

7. The assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the size of the hood or tether is relatively smaller than the size of the inflated air bag.

8. The assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein a side of the hood adjacent a side of the folded air bag is closed.

9. An air bag assembly comprising:

an air bag foldable into a folded configuration, when in the folded configuration the air bag has a first portion and a generally opposing second portion, the first and second portions are contiguous portions of the air bag, both the first portion and the second portion of the air bag inflatable to about the same size;

means for inflating the air bag including inflating the first and second portions of the air bag, and

first means, operatively enveloping only the first portion of the folded air bag while in a folded configuration and interacting with only the first portion of the air bag as the first portion begins to inflate, for retarding the size of the first portion of the inflating air bag relative to the size of the second portion, as the air bag initially expands from its folded configuration; the first means subsequently laterally disengaging from the air bag.

10. The assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether ( 40 ) configured to interact with the first portion of the inflating air bag to thereby inhibit the inflation of this portion of the air bag.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein the hood or tether is configured to be pushed laterally off from the air bag as the air bag continues to inflate.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the size of the hood or tether is relatively smaller than the size of the inflated air bag.

13. The assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein the first means includes a hood or tether having at least a partially closed side adjacent a lateral part of the air bag in its folded configuration, an open side generally opposite the closed side and a top which is angled relative to a forward direction of inflation of the air bag to encourage disengagement of the hood or tether from the air bag as the air bag inflates.

14. The assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein the hood or tether angles or tapers rearward relative to the direction of inflation of the air bag.

15. The assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein a hood includes an open side facing a portion of the air bag unrestricted by the hood.

16. An air bag assembly including:

a folded air bag having a first side portion and a second side portion,

means for inflating the air bag, and

a partial, external catch mechanism placed only about the first side portion of the folded air bag to retard inflation of the first side portion of the air bag relative to inflation of the second side portion of the air bag during the first moments of inflation of the air bag, the external catch directing the air bag to inflate away from the location of the catch; wherein the catch mechanism includes a hood or tether ( 40 ) configured to interact with one side of the inflating air bag to thereby inhibit the inflation of this one side of the air bag;

wherein the hood or tether is configured to be pushed laterally off from the air bag as the air bag continues to inflate.

17. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein the size of the hood or tether is relatively smaller than the size of the inflated air bag.

18. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein the hood or tether has at least a partially closed side adjacent a lateral part of the air bag, an open side and a top which is angled relative to a forward direction of inflation of the air bag to encourage disengagement of the hood or tether from the air bag as the air bag inflates.

19. The assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein the hood or tether angles or tapers rearward relative to the direction of inflation of the air bag.