Flexible flapper

Claim 1

A safety restraint system for protection of an occupant in a vehicle in which the system is mounted, said system comprising: a gas source, a manifold, an inflatable bag assembly surrounding an outer surface of said manifold, an opening in said manifold communicating with at least a portion of said bag assembly for passing gas from the gas source into the bag assembly, said bag assembly including a smaller inflatable restraint within a larger inflatable primary restraint, said first-mentioned restraint only in receipt of gas passed through said opening, said manifold being apertured in locations in addition to said opening in order to feed gas therethrough to the primary restraint, and an unapertured, substantially flat, unitary, flexible flapper valve cover attached to said outer surface of said manifold so as to alternately be in a position to completely cover said opening and block passage of gas without protruding thereinto and to uncover said opening to allow passage of gas into said smaller restraint dependent on gas pressure therein, said valve cover opening under pressure differential and closing when pressure balance is substantially achieved, and said valve cover having movement, to open or close, in a direction approximately perpendicular to the outer surface of said manifold.