Restraint system mounted on a seat back

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a "restraint system mounted on a seatback." A restraint system includes a seatback and an airbag. The airbag includes two side portions and a central chamber connecting the side portions. When the airbag inflates, each side portion includes a plurality of lateral chambers arranged in series from the seatback to the central chamber, and the side portions and central chamber define a gap located directly above and directly forward of a head space of a 50th percentile dummy seated against the seatback.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates in general to vehicle restraint systems. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicles are equipped with airbags. In the event of a collision, the inflator activates and supplies inflation medium to the airbags, which then pressurize and act as cushioning pads for the occupants. Airbags are located in various fixed positions within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Vehicles typically include a driver's airbag mounted in the steering wheel, a passenger airbag mounted in the dashboard extending forward from the front passenger seat, and side curtain airbags mounted in the roof longitudinal beams.

[0003] In autonomous vehicles, seats can rotate within the passenger compartment. Depending on the orientation of the rotating seats, airbags that are normally fixed in place within the passenger compartment may not function during a collision. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A restraint system includes a seat back and an airbag, the airbag including two sides and a central chamber connecting the sides. When the airbag inflates, each side includes a plurality of lateral chambers arranged continuously from the seat back to the central chamber, and the sides and the central chamber define a gap located directly above and in front of the headspace of a 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back.

[0005] The seat back may include a left side and a right side opposite to the left side, and each side may expand from one of the sides.

[0006] The seat back may include a left side and a right side opposite the left side, and when the airbag inflates, the central chamber may extend from the left side to the right side.

[0007] When the airbag inflates, the central chamber extends vertically from the hip space of the 50th percentile dummy sitting against the seat back to the chest space.

[0008] When the airbag inflates, the side extends vertically from the space above the head of the 50th percentile dummy who is sitting against the seat back to the space below.

[0009] When the airbag inflates, the side extends forward from the seat back to the front of the headspace of the 50th percentile dummy who is sitting against the seat back.

[0010] The seat back may include a left side, a right side opposite the left side, and a headrest; the airbag may inflate in the uninflated position; and the airbag in the uninflated position may extend along the right side, above the headrest, and along the left side.

[0011] The seat back may include a headrest; the sides may include a left side and a right side; and when the airbag inflates, the gap extends from the headrest to the central chamber and from the left side to the right side.

[0012] The seat back may include a left side and a right side opposite the left side; the side portion may include a left side portion and a right side portion; and when the airbag inflates, the left side portion may include a first chamber adjacent to the left side and a second chamber adjacent to the central chamber. When the airbag inflates, the first chamber may not be adjacent to the central chamber.

[0013] When the airbag inflates, the second chamber may not be adjacent to the left side.

[0014] The first chamber may be fluidly connected to the second chamber, and the second chamber may be fluidly connected to the central chamber. The first chamber may be fluidly connected to the central chamber only via the second chamber.

[0015] The restraint system may also include an inflatable tube attached to the central chamber. When the airbag inflates, the inflatable tube may be positioned below the central chamber.

[0016] The seat back may include a left side and a right side opposite to the left side, and an expandable tube may extend from the left side to the right side.

[0017] The expandable tube can be fluidly isolated from the central chamber.

[0018] The inflatable tube and the airbag can be arranged such that the inflatable tube inflates before the airbag inflates during inflation. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the vehicle, with the passenger compartment exposed for illustrative purposes.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the seat in a vehicle with the airbag in the uninflated position.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the seat with the airbag in the inflated position.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a rear-view view of the seat with the airbag in the inflated position.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a side view of the seat with the airbag in the inflated position.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a top view of the seat with the airbag in the inflated position.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a block diagram of the control system used for airbags. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The restraint system 30 includes a seat back 32 and an airbag 34. The airbag 34 includes two side sections 36, 38 and a central chamber 40 connecting the side sections 36, 38. When the airbag 34 inflates, each side section 36, 38 includes a plurality of lateral chambers 42, 44 arranged continuously from the seat back 32 to the central chamber 40, and the side sections 36, 38 and the central chamber 40 define a gap 46 located directly above and in front of the headspace of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32.

[0027] The restraint system 30 includes an airbag 34 extending around the occupant to retain the occupant in seat 56 during sudden deceleration of the vehicle 48, such as during a vehicle collision. The chambers 40, 42, and 44 of the airbag 34 are arranged such that, for example, by sequentially inflating through chambers 40, 42, and 44, the airbag 34 can deploy above and around the occupant's head without trapping the occupant. The airbag 34 (e.g., the central chamber 40) is shaped to help retain the occupant in seat 56 during sudden deceleration, even if the occupant is not wearing a seatbelt, which can reduce injury. The location of the gap 46 can reduce rotational forces on the occupant's head during a collision, which can also reduce injury.

[0028] refer to Figure 1 Vehicle 48 may be an autonomous vehicle. A computer (not shown) may be configured to operate vehicle 48 completely independently of or to a lesser extent dependent on the intervention of a human driver. The computer may be programmed to operate propulsion, braking, steering, and / or other vehicle systems. For the purposes of this disclosure, autonomous operation means that the computer controls the propulsion, braking, and steering systems; semi-autonomous operation means that the computer controls one or both of the propulsion, braking, and steering systems, and the human driver controls the remaining systems; non-autonomous operation means that the human driver controls the propulsion, braking, and steering systems.

[0029] Vehicle 48 includes a passenger compartment 50. The passenger compartment 50 accommodates occupants of vehicle 48 (if any). The passenger compartment 50 may be surrounded and / or defined by the body 52 of vehicle 48. A floor 54 may define the bottom of the passenger compartment 50.

[0030] Vehicle 48 may include one or more seats 56 for occupants of vehicle 48. One or more seats 56 may be supported on floor 54. In instances where vehicle 48 includes multiple seats 56, the seats 56 may be substantially identical. Each seat 56 may be a bucket seat, bench seat, or other type of seat as shown. Each seat 56 defines the forward direction as the direction faced by the occupant seated in the seat 56.

[0031] Floor 54 can rotatably support seat 56, allowing seat 56 to rotate about an axis transverse to floor 54. For example, seat 56 can be rotatably coupled to floor 54 via a rotating mechanism 58 configured to rotatably support seat 56 on floor 54 of vehicle 48, allowing seat 56 to rotate about an axis transverse to floor 54. Rotating mechanism 58 may include, for example, a pedestal 60 connected to one of seat 56 and floor 54, and a bearing 62 connected to the other of seat 56 and floor 54 and rotatably receiving pedestal 60. In instances where vehicle 48 includes multiple seats 56, some or all of seats 56 can rotate relative to passenger compartment 50 about their own vertical axis. Seat 56 can face forward, backward, or any direction in between. Regardless of which direction seat 56 faces, it is always forward relative to seat 56.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 The seat backrest 32 can be supported by the seat base 64 and can be stationary or movable relative to the seat base 64. For example, the seat backrest 32 can be tilted relative to the seat base 64. Alternatively, the seat backrest 32 and / or the seat base 64 can be adjustable relative to each other with multiple degrees of freedom. In particular, the seat backrest 32 and / or the seat base 64 themselves can be adjustable; that is, they have adjustable components within the seat backrest 32 and / or the seat base 64, and / or can be adjustable relative to each other.

[0033] The seat backrest 32 includes a rear portion 66 and a headrest 68 located above the rear portion 66. The headrest 68 is positioned to support the head of an occupant seated in the seat 56, and the rear portion 66 is positioned to support the occupant's back. The seat backrest 32 (specifically, the rear portion 66) includes a front side 70 that is in contact with when the occupant is seated in the seat 56, a rear side 72 facing in the opposite direction to the front side 70, and a left side 74 and a right side 76 facing to the side. The right side 76 is disposed opposite to the left side 74 and faces in the opposite direction to the left side 74. The front side 70 and the rear side 72 extend laterally between the left side 74 and the right side 76.

[0034] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The airbag 34 can inflate from the seat back 32. Specifically, the airbag 34 can inflate from the seat back 32. Figure 2 The unexpanded position shown in the seat back 32 expands to, as... Figure 3The seat back 32 is shown in its inflated position in front of and beside it. The uninflated airbag 34 extends along the right side 76, above the headrest 68, and along the left side 74. The uninflated airbag 34 can fold, roll up, or combine folding and rolling-up in a zigzag pattern. The inflated airbag 34 extends from the left side 74, in front of the front side 70, and to the right side 76. The inflated airbag 34 and seat back 32 together extend around the torso of the passenger seated in the seat 56.

[0035] The airbag 34 can be formed from any suitable airbag material (e.g., a woven polymer). For example, the airbag 34 can be formed from woven nylon yarn (e.g., nylon 6-6). Other suitable examples include polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyester, or any other suitable polymer. The woven polymer can include a coating such as silicone, neoprene, polyurethane, etc. For example, the coating can be a polyorganosiloxane.

[0036] refer to Figures 3 to 6 The airbag 34 includes a left side portion 36, a right side portion 38, and a central chamber 40 connecting the sides 36 and 38. Each of the sides 36 and 38 includes a plurality of lateral chambers 42 and 44. For the purposes of this disclosure, a "chamber" is defined as a closed portion of the airbag 34 other than small openings such as inlets, outlets, vents 86 (described below).

[0037] The left side portion 36 can be deployed from the left side face 74, and the right side portion 38 can be deployed from the right side face 76. When the airbag 34 is in the uninflated position, the side portions 36 and 38 are folded, rolled up, etc., within the seat back 32 at the sides 74 and 76. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the side portions 36 and 38 extend vertically from the space above the head of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32 to the space below it, and extend forward from the seat back 32 to the front of the head space of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32. For the purposes of this disclosure, "space of the dummy's body parts" means the empty volume in which the body parts would be located if the dummy were seated against the seat back 32, i.e., in a standard sitting posture (i.e., the sitting posture used for the dummy during safety testing for the occupant). For the purposes of this disclosure, "50th percentile dummy" refers to a humanoid testing device sold for any purpose worldwide or for any region of interest, based on a 50th percentile body size, such as a hybrid Type III 50th percentile male crash test dummy or a 50th percentile male test device for Human Occupant Restraint Test Equipment (THOR). The sides 36, 38 may be generally shaped as circular sectors with radii extending along the sides 74, 76 and along the central chamber 40, the radii converging at the anchor 78 where the central chamber 40 is attached to the seat back 32.

[0038] Each side portion 36, 38 includes a plurality of lateral chambers 42, 44 arranged continuously from the seat back 32 to the central chamber 40. For the purposes of this disclosure, "arranged continuously" means connected in series with each other, i.e., one attached to the next, the next to the next, the next to the next, and so on. The lateral chambers 42, 44 include a first lateral chamber 42, a second lateral chamber 44, and possibly other lateral chambers 42, 44. (The adjectives "first" and "second" are used as identifiers throughout this document and are not intended to indicate importance or order.) When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the first lateral chamber 42 of each side portion 36, 38 is adjacent to the corresponding side of the seat back 32, i.e., has a longitudinal attachment to the corresponding side of the seat back 32. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the first lateral chamber 42 may be attached to the central chamber 40 at, for example, an anchor 78, but the first lateral chamber 42 is not adjacent to the central chamber 40. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the second lateral chamber 44 is adjacent to the central chamber 40; for example, each second lateral chamber 44 and the central chamber 40 may share a wall 80. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the second lateral chamber 44 may be attached to a corresponding side of the seat back 32, for example, at an anchor 78, but not adjacent to the corresponding side 74, 76. If each side 36, 38 comprises only two lateral chambers 42, 44, then when the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the first lateral chamber 42 may be adjacent to a corresponding second lateral chamber 44; for example, the first lateral chamber 42 and the second lateral chamber 44 may share a wall 80. Generally, each lateral chamber 42, 44 may be adjacent to two non-adjacent chambers 40, 42, 44, or to non-adjacent chambers 40, 42, 44 and sides 74, 76.

[0039] The central chamber 40 extends from the left side 74 to the right side 76. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the central chamber 40 extends horizontally around the torso space of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32, for example, forming a U-shaped trajectory that begins at one of the anchors 78 on the right side of the torso space, directly in front of the torso space, and directly on the left side of the torso space, and ends at the other anchor 78. For the purposes of this disclosure, "A is directly in front of B" means that A intersects a line extending straight forward from B (i.e., not upward, downward, left, or right), and "A is on the side of B" means that A intersects a line extending straight laterally from B (i.e., not upward, downward, forward, or backward). When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the central chamber 40 extends vertically from the hip space of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32 to the chest space. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the central chamber 40 may include two triangular portions 82 connected to the central portion 84. The triangular portions 82 may extend on the side of the torso space of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32, and the central portion 84 may extend in front of the torso space.

[0040] The wall 80 may be a shared panel among multiple chambers 40, 42, 44, for example, a shared panel between the central chamber 40 and the second lateral chamber 44, and a shared panel between adjacent lateral chambers 42, 44 of the sides 36, 38. The wall 80 may be a single layer of fabric or multiple layers of fabric.

[0041] The lateral chambers 42, 44 of each of the sides 36, 38 may be fluidly connected in series. For the purposes of this disclosure, "fluidly connected" means having a flow path along which fluid can move. The first chamber may be fluidly connected to the second chamber. For example, if each side 36, 38 has two lateral chambers 42, 44, the first lateral chamber 42 and the second lateral chamber 44 may be directly fluidly connected, i.e., fluidly connected without any intermediate chamber. As another example, if each side 36, 38 has more than two lateral chambers 42, 44, the first lateral chamber 42 and the second lateral chamber 44 may be indirectly fluidly connected via an intermediate chamber (not shown). The central chamber 40 may be directly fluidly connected to one or two second lateral chambers 44 and indirectly fluidly connected to one or two first lateral chambers 42.

[0042] Each wall 80 between the two chambers 40, 42, 44 may include one or more vents 86 directly fluidly connecting the two chambers 40, 42, 44. Each vent 86 may be, for example, an open vent, a one-way vent, a two-way vent, or an active vent. Each vent 86 may have a pressure threshold before opening. This pressure threshold may be met when, for example, the high-pressure chamber is substantially full. Alternatively, a tether (not shown) may extend through one of the lateral chambers 42, 44 and be positioned to open the vent 86 leading to the next lateral chamber 42, 44 or the central chamber 40 when the lateral chambers 42, 44 are nearly fully inflated, for example, by a shorter distance between the vent 86 and the attachment point of the opposite end of the tether than when the lateral chambers 42, 44 are fully inflated. Thus, the vent 86 may be adapted to sequentially open the chambers 40, 42, 44 when the airbag 34 inflates.

[0043] When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the side portions 36, 38 and the central chamber 40 define a clearance 46 for the occupant's head. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the clearance 46 extends from the headrest 68 to the central chamber 40 and from the left side portion 36 to the right side portion 38. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the clearance 46 is positioned directly above and in front of the headspace of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the clearance 46 is laterally wider than the width of the 50th percentile dummy's head and laterally narrower than the 50th percentile dummy's shoulders. The clearance 46 can be positioned to allow the head of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back 32 to pass through, i.e., during a frontal collision, to tilt forward over the central chamber 40 and outside the space between the side portions 36, 38.

[0044] An inflatable tube 88 may be attached (e.g., sewn) to the central chamber 40. When the airbag 34 is in the inflated position, the inflatable tube 88 may be positioned below the central chamber 40. The inflatable tube 88 extends from the left side 74 to the right side 76, for example, from one anchor 78 to another anchor 78. The inflatable tube 88 may be fluidly isolated from the central chamber 40, i.e., it does not have a flow path along which fluid can move between the inflatable tube 88 and the central chamber 40, i.e., it is impermeably separated from the central chamber 40. The inflatable tube 88 may be positioned to rotate about the anchor 78 when the airbag 34 inflates.

[0045] refer to Figure 7One or more inflators 90 are disposed in the seat back 32. The inflator 90 may be fluidly connected to the inflatable tube 88 and to the airbag 34. The inflator 90 may be directly fluidly connected to, for example, a first lateral chamber 42. Upon receiving a signal from, for example, a controller 92, the inflator 90 may inflate the inflatable tube 88 and the airbag 34 with an inflatable medium (such as gas). The inflator 90 may be, for example, a pyrotechnic inflator, which uses a chemical reaction to drive the inflatable medium to the inflatable tube 88 and to the airbag 34. The inflator 90 may be of any suitable type, such as a cold-air inflator.

[0046] Controller 92 is a microprocessor-based computer. Controller 92 includes a processor, memory, etc. The memory of controller 92 includes memory for storing instructions executable by the processor and memory for electronically storing data and / or a database. Controller 92 may be, for example, a restraint control module that can communicate with and control the seat belts in vehicle 48, and has other functions. Controller 92 may be the same computer or a different computer for autonomous operation.

[0047] The controller 92 can send and receive data via a communication network 94 and / or any other wired or wireless communication network, such as a controller area network (CAN) bus, Ethernet, WiFi, local area network (LIN), or on-board diagnostic connector (OBD-II). The controller 92 can be communicatively connected to the inflator 90, the collision sensor 96, and other components via the communication network 94.

[0048] The collision sensor 96 is adapted to detect collisions with vehicle 48. The collision sensor 96 can be of any suitable type, such as post-collision sensors like linear or angular accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, and contact switches; and pre-collision sensors like radar, lidar, and vision sensing systems. The vision system may include one or more cameras, CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors, etc. The collision sensor 96 can be located at multiple points within or on vehicle 48.

[0049] In the event of a collision involving vehicle 48, collision sensor 96 can detect the collision and transmit a signal to controller 92 via communication network 94. Controller 92 can then transmit the signal to inflator 90 via communication network 94. Inflator 90 can inflate and deflate the inflatable tether and airbag 34. Controller 92 can be programmed to inflate one or more inflators 90 at a preset time after one or more inflators 90. Inflatable tube 88 and airbag 34 can be arranged such that during inflation, inflatable tube 88 inflates before airbag 34 inflates; for example, inflatable tube 88 can be fluidly connected to controller 92 to an inflator 90 programmed to inflate earlier, and airbag 34 can be fluidly connected to controller 92 to an inflator 90 programmed to inflate after a preset time. Inflatable tube 88 inflates before airbag 34. The airbag 34 can inflate sequentially in chambers 40, 42, and 44; that is, the first lateral chamber 42 inflates before the second lateral chamber 44, and the second lateral chamber 44 inflates before the central chamber 40. This sequential inflatation of the airbag 34 reduces the likelihood of it intersecting the occupant before full inflatation by pushing it forward around the occupant's head during inflatation. The inflator 90 can supply inflation medium directly to the first lateral chamber 42 and indirectly to the second lateral chamber 44 and the central chamber 40 via vents 86. As the airbag 34 inflates, the inflatable tube 88 rotates around the anchor 78 to a position directly in front of the occupant's waist in the seat 56. The inflatable tube 88 provides stiffness to the airbag 34 during inflatation, which also reduces the likelihood of it intersecting the occupant before full inflatation. If the occupant has forward or tilting momentum relative to seat 56, the airbag 34 can restrain and cushion the occupant. If the occupant has rearward momentum relative to seat 56, the airbag 34 can restrain the occupant and provide cushioning during rebound from the collision. The location of the gap 46 can reduce the rotational force experienced by the occupant's head.

[0050] This disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it should be understood that the terminology used is intended to be descriptive rather than restrictive. Many modifications and variations of this disclosure are possible in accordance with the foregoing teachings, and this disclosure can be practiced in ways other than those specifically described.

[0051] According to the present invention, a restraint system is provided, comprising: a seat back; and an airbag including two sides and a central chamber connecting the sides; wherein, when the airbag inflates, each side includes a plurality of lateral chambers arranged continuously from the seat back to the central chamber, and the sides and the central chamber define a gap located directly above and in front of the headspace of a 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the seat back includes a left side and a right side opposite to the left side, and each side can expand from one of the sides.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the seat back includes a left side and a right side opposite to the left side, and when the airbag inflates, the central chamber extends from the left side to the right side.

[0054] According to one embodiment, when the airbag inflates, the central chamber extends vertically from the hip space of the 50th percentile dummy sitting against the seat back to the chest space.

[0055] According to one embodiment, when the airbag inflates, the side extends vertically from the space above the head of the 50th percentile dummy sitting against the seat back to the space below.

[0056] According to one embodiment, when the airbag inflates, the side extends forward from the seat back to the front of the head space of the 50th percentile dummy sitting against the seat back.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the seat back includes a left side, a right side opposite to the left side, and a headrest; the airbag can be inflated in an uninflated position; and the airbag in the uninflated position extends along the right side, above the headrest, and along the left side.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the seat back includes a headrest; the sides include a left side and a right side; and when the airbag inflates, the gap extends from the headrest to the central chamber and from the left side to the right side.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the seat back includes a left side and a right side opposite to the left side; the side includes a left side portion and a right side portion; and when the airbag inflates, the left side portion includes a first chamber adjacent to the left side and a second chamber adjacent to the central chamber.

[0060] According to one embodiment, when the airbag inflates, the first chamber is not adjacent to the central chamber.

[0061] According to one embodiment, when the airbag inflates, the second chamber is not adjacent to the left side.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the first chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber, and the second chamber is fluidly connected to the central chamber.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the first chamber is fluidly connected to the central chamber only via the second chamber.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the invention is further characterized by an expandable tube attached to the central chamber.

[0065] According to one embodiment, when the airbag inflates, the inflatable tube is located below the central chamber.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the seat back includes a left side and a right side opposite to the left side, and an expandable tube extends from the left side to the right side.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the expandable tube is fluidly isolated from the central chamber.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the inflatable tube and the airbag are arranged such that the inflatable tube inflates before the airbag inflates during inflation.

Claims

1. A constraint system comprising: A seat back, the seat back including a left side, a right side opposite to the left side, and a headrest; as well as An airbag comprising two sides and a central chamber connecting the sides, the airbag being capable of inflating from a non-inflated position; When the airbag inflates, each side portion includes a plurality of lateral chambers arranged continuously from the seat back to the central chamber, and the side portion and the central chamber define a gap located directly above and in front of the head space of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back, wherein the airbag in the uninflated position extends along the right side, above the headrest and along the left side.

2. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein each of the sides is expandable from one of the sides.

3. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein when the airbag inflates, the central chamber extends from the left side to the right side.

4. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein when the airbag inflates, the central chamber extends vertically from the hip space of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back to the chest space.

5. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein when the airbag inflates, the side extends vertically from the space above the head of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back to the space below.

6. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein when the airbag inflates, the side extends forward from the seat back to the front of the headspace of the 50th percentile dummy seated against the seat back.

7. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the side portion comprises a left side portion and a right side portion; and when the airbag inflates, the gap extends from the headrest to the central chamber and from the left side portion to the right side portion.

8. The restraint system of claim 1, wherein the side portion comprises a left side portion and a right side portion; and when the airbag inflates, the left side portion comprises a first chamber adjacent to the left side and a second chamber adjacent to the central chamber.

9. The restraint system of claim 8, wherein the first chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber, and the second chamber is fluidly connected to the central chamber.

10. The restraint system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising an expandable tube attached to the central chamber.

11. The restraint system of claim 10, wherein the inflatable tube is disposed below the central chamber when the airbag inflates.

12. The restraint system of claim 10, wherein the expandable tube extends from the left side to the right side.

13. The restraint system of claim 10, wherein the expandable tube is fluidly isolated from the central chamber.

14. The restraint system of claim 10, wherein the inflatable tube and the airbag are arranged such that the inflatable tube inflates before the airbag inflates during inflatation.

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