ASPIRATION-TYPE AIR BAG INFLATION APPARATUS

Apparatus for inflating a vehicle air bag and for reducing the inflation rate of the air bag in the event that an occupant of the vehicle engages the air bag before it is fully inflated, including a gas generating unit for producing an inflation gas in response to a predetermined impact to the vehicle, and an aspiration unit operatively connected to the gas generating unit and to the air bag. The aspiration unit includes an ambient air inlet, a mixing chamber in communication with the air inlet, and one or more nozzles in communication with the gas generating unit and the mixing chamber for directing inflation gas into the mixing chamber to aspirate ambient air through the air inlet into the mixing chamber so that a mixture of ambient air and generated inflation gas is created for the inflation of the air bag. Upon engagement of the air bag by the vehicle occupant before it is fully inflated, a back pressure is created in the mixing chamber to reduce or terminate the flow of aspirated air and generated inflation gas into the mixing chamber and thus to reduce the inflation rate of the air bag, thereby preventing continued rapid inflation of the air bag and possible serious injury to the occupant.