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An occupant protection device deployment system and safety network including at least one module housing, at least one deployable component such as an airbag associated with each housing, a deployment initiator associated with each housing for initiating deployment of the component, a determination

An occupant protection device deployment system and safety network including at least one module housing, at least one deployable component such as an airbag associated with each housing, a deployment initiator associated with each housing for initiating deployment of the component, a determination unit for determining that deployment of one or more of the components is desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within, adjacent or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective deployment initiator and the determination unit via an electrical bus for causing the deployment initiator to deploy the component in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling operation of the initiator.

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An occupant protection device deployment system and safety network including at least one module housing, at least one deployable component such as an airbag associated with each housing, a deployment initiator associated with each housing for initiating deployment of the component, a determination

An occupant protection device deployment system and safety network including at least one module housing, at least one deployable component such as an airbag associated with each housing, a deployment initiator associated with each housing for initiating deployment of the component, a determination unit for determining that deployment of one or more of the components is desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within, adjacent or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective deployment initiator and the determination unit via an electrical bus for causing the deployment initiator to deploy the component in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling operation of the initiator. adjacent ones of said filaments, said first end portion of said bladder being fixed to said tongue assembly, said first end portion of said tube not being fixed to said tongue assembly. 10. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 for mounting on a vehicle body, comprising a flexible conduit extending between said inflation fluid source and said buckle for directing inflation fluid to said buckle upon actuation of said inflation fluid source, and a flexible anchor extending parallel to said flexible conduit between said buckle and the vehicle body for transmitting force between said buckle and the vehicle body to minimize transmission of force through said conduit between said buckle and the vehicle body. 11. A seat belt system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, comprising: a seat belt comprising a continuous length of webbing material having a torso portion and a lap portion; a tongue assembly on said seat belt; a buckle engageable with said tongue assembly to secure said seat belt system; an inflatable bladder extending along said torso portion of said seat belt; a tube extending around said inflatable bladder which, when said bladder is inflated, contracts in length and increases in diameter; said tube being made from a plurality of filaments joined together and having a main body portion and a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, said first end portion of said tube including end portions of said plurality of filaments connected to said webbing material of said torso portion at a location near said tongue assembly, said second end portion being connected to said webbing material of said torso portion at a location spaced from said tongue assembly and spaced from said first end portion; said bladder having a first end portion extending lout of an opening in said main body portion of said tube between adjacent ones of said filaments, and said first end portion of said bladder being fixed to said tongue assembly. 12. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tube is braided. 13. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a feed tube for protecting said bladder, said feed tube being located inside of and coextensive with a neck portion of said bladder, said feed tube being made from a material that is more heat resistant than the material of said bladder. 14. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first end portion of said tube is fixed to said seat belt and is not fixed to said tongue assembly. 15. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said seat belt has a first portion folded over and sewn to itself with a first stitching section to make said seat belt narrower and to secure said first end portion of said braided tube to said seat belt. 16. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said seat belt comprises belt webbing having a first portion along which said bladder and braided tube extends, said belt webbing having a second portion that extends through a releasable cinch mechanism. 17. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said seat belt has a first portion folded over and sewn to itself with a first stitching section to make said seat belt and said cinch mechanism narrower. 18. A seat belt system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, comprising: a seat belt; a tongue assembly through which said seat belt extends; a buckle engageable with said tongue assembly to secure said seat belt system in a buckled condition in which said seat belt is divided by said tongue assembly into a torso portion that extends across the torso of the occupant and a lap portion that extends across the lap of the occupant; said tongue assembly having a cinch mechanism that resists movement of said seat belt through said tongue assembly when said tongue assembly is engaged or disengaged with said buckle; an inflatable device extending along said torso portion of said seat belt; and an actuatable inflation fluid source for providing inflation fluid to said inflatable device when said tongue assembly is engaged with said buckle; said cinch mechanism releasing said seat belt for movement through said tongue assembly upon actuation of said inflation fluid source. 19. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said tongue assembly includes a member movable by said device when said device is inflating to effect release of said cinch mechanism. 20. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said seat belt has a webbing portion folded over and sewn to itself to make said seat belt and said cinch mechanism narrower, said webbing portion extending through said cinch mechanism in the folded and sewn state and being clampable by said cinch mechanism. 21. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said inflatable device when inflated causes said torso portion and said lap portion of said seat belt to be tensioned about the vehicle occupant. 22. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said inflatable device when inflated causes part of said lap portion of said seat belt to be pulled through said cinch mechanism to tension said lap portion about the vehicle occupant. 23. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 18 including a corrugated plastic handle that extends over and covers said tongue assembly to protect said cinch mechanism and to facilitated occupant handling of said tongue assembly. 24. A seat belt system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, comprising: a seat belt having a torso portion; a tongue assembly on said seat belt; a buckle engageable with said tongue assembly to secure said seat belt system; an inflatable bladder extending along said torso portion of said seat belt; a tube extending around said inflatable bladder which, when said bladder is inflated, contracts in length and increases in diameter, said tube being made from a plurality of filaments joined together and having a main body portion and a first end portion, said first end portion of said tube including end portions of said plurality of filaments; said bladder having a first end portion extending out of an opening in said main body portion of said tube between adjacent ones of said filaments, and said first end portion of said bladder being fixed to said tongue assembly; and a feed tube for protecting said bladder, said feed tube being located inside of and coextensive with a neck portion of said bladder, said feed tube being made from a material that is more heat resistant than the material of said bladder. 25. A seat belt system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, comprising: a seat belt having a torso portion; a tongue assembly on said seat belt; a buckle engageable with said tongue assembly to secure said seat belt system; an inflatable bladder extending along said torso portion of said seat belt; p a tube extending around said inflatable bladder which, when said bladder is inflated, contracts in length and increases in diameter; said tube being made from a plurality of filaments joined together and having a main body portion and a first end portion, said first end portion of said tube including end portions of said plurality of filaments; said bladder having a first end portion extending out of an opening in said main body portion of said tube between adjacent ones of said filaments, and said first end Portion of said bladder being fixed to said tongue assembly; said seat belt comprising belt webbing having a first portion along which said bladder and braided tube extends, said belt webbing having a second portion that extends through a releasable cinch mechanism. f said airbag is desired, said airbag inflation determining means comprising a crash sensor arranged separate and at a location apart from said housing; and an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent said housing and coupled to said airbag inflation determining means, said controller controlling inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly in response to the signal generated by said airbag inflation determining means. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an electrical bus electrically coupling said controller and said airbag inflation determining means, the signal from said airbag inflation determining means being sent over said bus to said controller to enable inflation of said airbag. 3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said bus consists of a single pair of wires. 4. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a sensor and diagnostic module coupled to said bus for monitoring said controller. 5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said airbag inflation determining means are structured and arranged to generate a coded signal when deployment of said airbag is desired and said controller is structured and arranged to receive the coded signal and control inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly based thereon. 6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said controller includes a power supply for enabling initiation of said inflator assembly. 7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an occupant position sensor arranged to detect the position of the occupant to be protected by said airbag, said controller being structured and arranged to control inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly in consideration of the detected position of the occupant. 8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein said occupant position sensor is arranged in said housing. 9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said controller is arranged in said housing. 10. A vehicle having an occupant protection system, the system comprising: a plurality of occupant protection devices, each of said occupant protection devices comprising a housing and a component deployable to provide protection for the occupant; deployment determining means for generating a signal indicating for which of said deployable components deployment is desired, said deployment determining means comprising at least one crash sensor arranged separate and at a location apart from said housings; and an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent each of said housings and coupled to said deployment determining means, each of said controllers controlling deployment of said deployable component of the respective one of said occupant protection devices in response to the signal generated by said deployment determining means. 11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising an electrical bus electrically coupling said controllers and said deployment determining means, the signal from said deployment determining means being sent over said bus to said controllers to enable deployment of said deployable components. 12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said bus consists of a single pair of wires. 13. The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a sensor and diagnostic module coupled to said bus for monitoring said controllers. 14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said deployable component in at least one of said occupant protection devices is an airbag associated with said housing, said at least one occupant protection device further comprising an inflator assembly arranged in said housing for inflating said airbag. 15. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said deployment determining means are structured and arranged to generate a coded signal when deployment of one or more of said deployable components is desired. 16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein each of said controllers is structured and arranged to initiate deployment of the respective one of said deployable components of the respective one of said occupant protection devices if the coded signal contains a specific initiation code associated with said controller. 17. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein each of said controllers includes a power supply for enabling deployment of said deployable component. 18. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein at least one of occupant protection devices further comprises an occupant position sensor arranged to detect the position of the occupant to be protected by said deployable component of said at least one occupant protection device, said controller arranged in or adjacent said housing of said at least one occupant protection device being structured and arranged to control deployment of said deployable component of said at least one occupant protection device in consideration of the detected position of the occupant. 19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein said occupant position sensor is arranged in said housing of said at least one occupant protection device. 20. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said controllers are arranged in said housings. 21. A vehicle having an occupant protection device system, the system comprising: occupant protection devices, each of said occupant protection devices comprising a housing and a component deployable to provide protection for an occupant; at least one sensor system for providing an output signal relevant to deployment of at least one of said deployable components; deployment determining means for generating a signal indicating for which of said deployable components deployment is desired, said deployment determining means comprising at least one crash sensor arranged separate and at a location apart from said housings; an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent each of said housings and coupled to said at least one sensor system and said deployment determining means; and an electrical bus electrically coupling said at least one sensor system, said deployment determining means and said controllers, the signals from said at least one sensor system and said deployment determining means being sent over said bus to said controllers, each of said controllers controlling deployment of said deployable component of the respective one of said occupant protection devices in consideration of the signals from said at least one sensor system and said deployment determining means. 22. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said deployable component in one of said occupant protection devices is an airbag associated with said housing, said occupant protection device further comprising an inflator assembly arranged in said housing for inflating said airbag. 23. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said bus consists of a single pair of wires. 24. The vehicle of claim 21, further comprising a sensor and diagnostic module coupled to said bus for monitoring said controllers. 25. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said deployment determining means are structured and arranged to generate a coded signal when deployment of any one of said deployable components is desired. 26. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein each of said controllers include a power supply for enabling deployment of said deployable component. 27. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said at least one sensor system comprises an occupant position sensor arranged in connection with one of said occupant protection devices to detect the position of an occupant to be protected by said deployable component of said occupant protection device, said controller of said occupant protection device being structured and arranged to control deployment of said deployable component of said occupant protection device in consideration of the detected position of the occupant. 28. The vehicle of claim 27, wherein said occupant position sensor is arranged in said housing of said at least one occupant protection device. 29. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said controllers are arranged in said housings. 30. A vehicle having an occupant protection system, the system comprising: an occupant protection device for protecting an occupant in the event of a crash involvin