APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN INFLATABLE CUSHION
First Claim
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 the housing, the inflatable cushion being configured to be deployed out of the housing;
an inflator for inflating the inflatable cushion, the inflator being in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion and having a plurality of inflation openings for allowing an inflation gas to pass therethrough;
a deployable member being secured to an interior surface of the inflatable cushion at one end and a portion of the airbag module at the other end; and
wherein the deployable member is configured to allow venting through the at least one vent opening when the inflatable cushion is in the un-deployed position and the at least one vent opening is covered by the deployable member when the inflatable cushion inflates towards a fully deployed position.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag module, comprising: a housing having 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 and having a plurality of inflation openings for allowing an inflation gas to pass therethrough, at least one of the plurality of inflation openings being in fluid communication with the at least one vent opening; a deployable member being secured to an interior surface of the inflatable cushion at one end and a portion of the airbag module at the other end; wherein the deployable member is configured to allow venting through the at least one vent opening when the inflatable cushion is in the un-deployed position and the at least one vent opening is covered by the deployable member when the inflatable cushion inflates towards a fully deployed position.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An air bag module, comprising:
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a housing having at least one vent opening;
an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in the housing, the inflatable cushion being configured to be deployed out of the housing;
an inflator for inflating the inflatable cushion, the inflator being in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion and having a plurality of inflation openings for allowing an inflation gas to pass therethrough;
a deployable member being secured to an interior surface of the inflatable cushion at one end and a portion of the airbag module at the other end; and
wherein the deployable member is configured to allow venting through the at least one vent opening when the inflatable cushion is in the un-deployed position and the at least one vent opening is covered by the deployable member when the inflatable cushion inflates towards a fully deployed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An air bag module, comprising:
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a housing having at least one vent opening;
an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in the housing, the inflatable cushion being configured to be deployed out of the housing;
an inflator for inflating the inflatable cushion, the inflator being in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion and having at least one inflation opening in direct alignment with the at least one vent opening;
a deployable member being configured to cover the at least one vent opening; and
wherein the deployable member blocks the at least one vent opening when the inflatable cushion is not restrained and the at least one inflation opening is in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable cushion. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A venting assembly for an air bag module having an inflator, an inflatable cushion and a housing, the venting assembly comprising:
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a tether being secured to an inner surface of the inflatable cushion at one end and the housing at the other;
wherein the tether allows fluid communication between at least one inflation opening of the inflator and at least one vent opening of the housing prior to deployment of a portion of the inflatable cushion a predetermined distance in a first direction and upon the portion of the inflatable cushion reaching the predetermined distance, the tether prevents fluid communication with the at least one inflation opening of the inflator and the at least one vent opening of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for providing venting of an inflation output of an inflator in an airbag module, comprising:
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securing one end of a deployable member to a housing, the housing having at least one vent opening;
securing another end of the deployable member to an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in the housing, the deployable member being configured, dimensioned and positioned to have a deployable length for deployment within the inflatable cushion in a first direction; and
wherein venting of a portion of the inflation output occurs through the at least one vent opening until a portion of the deployable length of the deployable member is moved as the cushion deploys in the first direction.
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Specification