Patent 7540531 was granted and assigned to Toyota on June, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A vehicle airbag system includes a vehicle crash sensor that detects a vehicle impact, and an airbag module that is provided in interior equipment positioned in front of a front-seat occupant and that includes an inflator and an airbag. The vehicle airbag system further includes a reaction-force plate that receives a reaction force of the airbag; a drive unit that moves the reaction-force plate from the storage position to the predetermined operating position; and a stopper that holds the reaction-force plate at the predetermined operating position. In the airbag system, when the airbag is deployed, the reaction-force plate is moved from the storage position to the predetermined operating position by the drive unit.