Apparatus and method for controlling an inflatable cushion

• US 20040094941A1
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Webber, James L., Waid, Bryan T., Conlee, James K., Damian, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,932,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

An air bag module, having a housing with at least one vent opening; an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in the housing; an inflator for inflating the inflatable cushion, the inflator being in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion; a deployable member being configured to cover the at least one vent opening; a tether element being secured to the inflatable cushion at one end and the deployable member at the other; an actuator adapted to restrain or release the tether element wherein the deployable member is pulled away from the at least one vent opening when the actuator releases the tether, the at least one vent opening is in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion when the deployable member is pulled away.

Claims

1. An air bag module, comprising:

a housing having at least one vent opening;

an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in said housing;

an inflator for inflating said inflatable cushion, said inflator being in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion;

a deployable member being configured to cover said at least one vent opening;

a tether element being secured to said inflatable cushion at one end and said deployable member at the other;

an actuator adapted to restrain or release said tether element wherein said deployable member is pulled away from said at least one vent opening when said actuator releases said tether, wherein said at least one vent opening is in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion when said deployable member is pulled away.

2. The airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said actuator is a solenoid secured to said housing, said solenoid comprising a plunger being capable of being manipulated between a first position and a second position by said solenoid, said plunger restraining said tether when said plunger is in said first position and said tether being released as said plunger moves from said first position to said second position.

3. The airbag module as in claim 2, wherein said plunger is received in an opening of a retaining member secured to said tether.

4. The airbag module as in claim 3, wherein a portion of said retaining member passes through an opening in said housing.

5. The airbag module as in claim 4, wherein said portion includes an opening being configured to receive and engage a portion of said plunger when said plunger is in said first position.

6. The airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said actuator is a solenoid secured to said housing, said solenoid comprising a plunger being capable of being manipulated between a first position and a second position by said solenoid, and the airbag module further comprising a retaining member rotatably mounted proximate to said plunger wherein said plunger prevents rotation of said retaining member when said plunger is in said first position.

7. The airbag module as in claim 6, wherein said retaining member is configured to have a receiving area for receiving and securing a portion of said tether element.

8. The airbag module as in claim 7, wherein the rotation of said retaining member allows said tether element to be released from said receiving area.

9. The airbag module as in claim 6, wherein said retaining member is configured to have a receiving area for receiving and securing a portion of another tether element secured to said deployable member, said another tether element being secured to said deployable member one side and said tether element being secured to another side of said deployable element.

10. The airbag module as in claim 1, wherein inflatable cushion provides a first inflation configuration when said tether element is not restrained and a second inflation configuration when said tether element is released.

11. The airbag module as in claim 10, wherein said first inflation configuration provides less rearward incursion of said inflatable cushion than said second inflation configuration.

12. The airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said tether element is slidably received within at least one tether guide positioned on a surface of said inflatable cushion.

13. The airbag module as in claim 12, wherein said tether at least one tether guide is positioned to vary the inflation configuration of said inflatable cushion.

14. The airbag module as in claim 9, wherein the airbag module is a driver side airbag module.

15. The airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said deployable member comprises a pair of deployable members covering a plurality of venting apertures and said tether element is secured to inflatable cushion at one end and said pair of deployable members at the other.

16. An air bag module, comprising:

a housing having at least one vent opening;

an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in said housing;

an inflator for inflating said inflatable cushion, said inflator being in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion;

a deployable member being configured to cover said at least one vent opening;

a means for restraining or not restraining said inflatable cushion during deployment;

wherein said deployable member is removed from said at least one vent opening when said inflatable cushion is not restrained and said at least one vent opening is in fluid communication with the interior of said inflatable cushion.

17. A retaining ring for an inflatable cushion of an airbag module, comprising:

a plurality of vent apertures;

a deployable member being configured to cover said plurality of vent apertures;

a tether for restraining the deployment of the inflatable cushion, said tether being secured to the inflatable cushion at one end and said deployable member at the other; and

a releasable element secured to said deployable member at one end and a means for securing or releasing another end of said releasable element.

18. The retaining ring as in claim 17, wherein said plurality of venting apertures are arcuate in shape and said deployable member is configured to cover said venting apertures.

20. The method as in claim 18, wherein the inflation forces of the inflatable cushion cause said releasable element to remove said deployable member from said venting apertures when said releasable element is released.

19. A method for varying the venting of an inflatable cushion of an airbag module, comprising:

restraining a releasable element, said releasable element being secured to a deployable member configured to cover venting apertures of the airbag module; and

determining whether to restrain or release said releasable element by receiving a plurality of inputs from a plurality of sensors configured and positioned to provide data corresponding to a vehicle occupant.