Inflatable personal restraint systems and associated methods of use and manufacture

1. A personal restraint system for use with an occupant seated in a vehicle, the personal restraint system comprising:

a web configured to extend around a portion of the occupant when the occupant is seated in the vehicle; and

an airbag that includes:

a first inflatable chamber attached to the web, the first inflatable chamber having a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to a portion of the web when inflated; and

a second inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the first inflatable chamber, the second inflatable chamber extending outwardly from the first inflatable chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant when inflated, wherein the second inflatable chamber has an inverted “L” shape when inflated.

2. The personal restraint system of claim 1 wherein the first inflatable chamber has a first exterior surface portion attached to the web and a second exterior surface portion facing away from the web when the first inflatable chamber is inflated, and wherein the second inflatable chamber has a third exterior surface portion attached to the second exterior surface portion of the first inflatable chamber.

3. The personal restraint system of claim 2 wherein the first inflatable chamber is oriented along a centerline when inflated, and wherein third exterior surface portion of the second inflatable chamber is attached to the second exterior surface portion of the first inflatable chamber at a location that is offset from the centerline of the first inflatable chamber.

4. The personal restraint system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a gas source;

a conduit operably coupling the gas source to the first inflatable chamber; and

a sensor operably coupled to the gas source, wherein the sensor is configured to

transmit a signal to the gas source in response to a rapid deceleration of the vehicle above a preset magnitude, and wherein the gas source is configured to dispense gas into the first inflatable chamber in response to the signal.

5. The personal restraint system of claim 1 wherein the first inflatable chamber tensions the web when inflated.

6. The personal restraint system of claim 1 wherein the second inflatable chamber inflates in front of the occupant when inflated.

7. The personal restraint system of claim 1 wherein the first inflatable chamber is at least partially inflated before the second inflatable chamber is inflated.

8. The personal restraint system of claim 7 , further comprising a gas source operably coupled to the first inflatable chamber, wherein the gas source dispenses gas into the first inflatable chamber to inflate the first inflatable chamber, and wherein the gas flows through an opening in the first inflatable chamber into the second inflatable chamber to inflate the second inflatable chamber.

9. The personal restraint system of claim 7 wherein the gas flows from the second inflatable chamber into the first inflatable chamber when the second inflatable chamber is deflated.

10. The personal restraint system of claim 1 :

wherein the web is a shoulder web; and

wherein the second inflatable chamber forms an impact barrier chamber extending from the first inflatable chamber in a generally lateral direction in front of an upper portion of the occupant when inflated.

11. The personal restraint system of claim 1 wherein the web is a first web and the airbag is a first airbag, and wherein the personal restraint system further comprises:

a second web configured to extend around a portion of the occupant when the occupant is seated in the vehicle;

a second airbag carried by the second web, wherein the second airbag includes:

a third inflatable chamber attached to the second web, the third inflatable chamber having a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to a portion of the second web when inflated; and

a fourth inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the third inflatable chamber, the fourth inflatable chamber extending outwardly from the third inflatable chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant when inflated.

12. A personal restraint system for use in a vehicle, the personal restraint system comprising:

a web operably coupled to the vehicle;

an airbag having a tensioning chamber in fluid communication with an impact barrier chamber, wherein the tensioning chamber is attached to the web and the impact barrier chamber is attached to the tensioning chamber, and wherein the tensioning chamber has a generally tubular shape that tensions the web when inflated, and wherein the impact barrier chamber has a generally inverted “L” shape when inflated that forms a deformable impact cushion for an occupant of the vehicle;

an inflator operably coupled to the tensioning chamber; and

a sensor operably coupled to the inflator, wherein the sensor is configured to activate the inflator in response to a rapid deceleration of the vehicle, whereby the inflator inflates the tensioning chamber and the impact barrier chamber.

13. The personal restraint system of claim 12 wherein the tensioning chamber has a first exterior surface portion attached to the web and a second exterior surface portion attached to a third exterior surface portion of the impact barrier.

14. The personal restraint system of claim 12 wherein the web is a shoulder web and the tensioning chamber has a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to the shoulder web when inflated, and wherein the impact barrier chamber extends outwardly from the tensioning chamber in a lateral direction when inflated.

15. The personal restraint system of claim 12 , further comprising a gas transfer passage between the tensioning chamber and the impact barrier chamber, wherein the tensioning chamber receives gas from the inflator, and the impact barrier chamber receives gas from the tensioning chamber.

16. The personal restraint system of claim 15 wherein the impact barrier chamber vents into the tensioning chamber through an opening in the tensioning chamber when the impact barrier deflates.

17. The personal restraint system of claim 12 wherein the web is a first web, the airbag is a first airbag, and the tensioning chamber is a first tensioning chamber, and wherein the restraint system further includes a second web operably coupled to the vehicle and a second airbag having a second tensioning chamber attached to the second web.

18. The personal restraint system of claim 17 wherein the impact barrier chamber is a first impact barrier chamber, the first web is a shoulder web and the second web is a lap web, and wherein the personal restraint system further comprises a second impact barrier chamber attached to the second tensioning chamber, wherein the first impact barrier chamber extends toward a first portion of the occupant and the second impact barrier chamber extends toward a second portion of the occupant.

19. A personal restraint system for use with an occupant in a vehicle, the personal restraint system comprising:

strap means for restraining the occupant in the vehicle, wherein the strap means extend at least partially around a portion of the occupant;

an airbag carried by the strap means, wherein the airbag includes a first chamber in fluid communication with a second chamber, the first chamber having a first surface portion attached to the strap means and a second surface portion attached to the second chamber, wherein the second chamber has a third surface portion that extends laterally from the first chamber when the first and second chambers are inflated, and wherein the second chamber has an inverted “L” shape when inflated; and

means for automatically inflating the first and second chambers of the airbag in response to a rapid deceleration of the vehicle.

20. The personal restraint system of claim 19 wherein the first chamber has a generally tubular shape that tensions the strap means when inflated, and wherein the second chamber extends laterally outward in front of the occupant when inflated.

21. The personal restraint system of claim 19 wherein the first chamber is inflated with gas flowing directly from the inflating means, and wherein the second chamber is inflated with the gas flowing indirectly from the inflating means through the first chamber into the second chamber.

22. The personal restraint system of claim 19 wherein the first and second chambers are inflated with gas from the inflating means, and wherein the second chamber vents into the first chamber when the second chamber deflates.

23. A method of restraining an occupant in a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a rapid deceleration of the vehicle;

inflating a first chamber of an airbag in response to detecting the deceleration, wherein the first chamber has a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to a web when inflated; and

inflating a second chamber of the airbag from the first chamber after the first chamber is at least partially inflated, wherein the second chamber extends outwardly from the first chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant, and wherein the second chamber has a generally inverted “L” shape when inflated.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein inflating the first chamber of the airbag further includes tensioning the web with the first chamber when the first chamber is inflated.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising venting the second chamber into the first chamber in response to an impact from the occupant against the second chamber.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the airbag is a first airbag and the web is a first web, and wherein the method further comprises:

inflating a third chamber of a second airbag in response to detecting the deceleration, wherein the third chamber has a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to a second web when inflated; and

inflating a fourth chamber of the second airbag from the third chamber after the third chamber is at least partially inflated, wherein the fourth chamber extends outwardly from the third chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant.