Vehicle occupant protection apparatus having vent member that is controlled by a releasable tether

• US 20060290117A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Fischer, Kurt F., Gould, Douglas M., Adler, Angelo
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01238 control of expansion shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23384 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• 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

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) includes an inflatable occupant protection device (38) and a support member (56) having a vent opening (78) through which inflation fluid may flow. A vent member (106) is movable relative to the support member (56) for varying a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (78). The vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) also includes a tether (144) for moving the vent member (106) and an actuatable mechanism (170) that has a first condition preventing the tether (144) from moving the vent member (106) and a second condition enabling the tether (144) to move the vent member (106).

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable occupant protection device;

a support member having a vent opening through which inflation fluid may flow;

a vent member movable relative to the support member for varying a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening;

a tether for moving the vent member; and

an actuatable mechanism having a first condition preventing the tether from moving the vent member and a second condition enabling the tether to move the vent member.

2. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tether, when in the second condition, is responsive to inflation of the inflatable occupant protection device beyond a predetermined distance for transferring a force to the vent member for moving the vent member.

3. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 2 wherein the vent member resists movement until the force transferred by the tether exceeds a predetermined value.

4. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 3 wherein the mechanism is actuatable for controlling the force that is transferred to the vent member by the tether.

5. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 4 wherein the force that is transferred by the tether to the vent member tends to exceed the predetermined value and moves the vent member when the mechanism is actuated into the second condition prior to tension arising in a portion of the tether between the mechanism and the inflatable occupant protection device, the force tending to be less than the predetermined value when the mechanism is actuated into the second condition after tension arises in the portion of the tether between the mechanism and the inflatable occupant protection device.

6. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 1 further including a controller for controlling actuation of the mechanism, the controller being responsive to at least one occupant condition sensor for controlling actuation of the mechanism.

7. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one occupant condition sensor is a sensor for providing the controller with information regarding occupant position relative to the support member.

8. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one occupant condition sensor is a sensor for providing the controller with information regarding occupant weight.

9. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one occupant condition sensor is a sensor for providing the controller with information regarding occupant seat belt usage.

10. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 1 further including a controller for controlling actuation of the mechanism, the controller being responsive to a vehicle condition sensor for controlling actuation of the mechanism.

11. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inflatable occupant protection device, when the mechanism is in the first condition, is inflatable into a first configuration in which a portion of the tether between the inflatable occupant protection device and the mechanism limits an inflation depth of the inflatable occupant protection device.

12. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 11 wherein the inflatable occupant protection device, when the mechanism is in the second condition, is inflatable into a second configuration having an inflation depth that is greater than the inflation depth of the inflatable occupant protection device when in the first configuration.

13. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 12 wherein the tether tends to move the vent member to vary the flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening when the mechanism is actuated prior to the inflatable occupant protection device reaching the first configuration, the vent member resisting movement when the mechanism is actuated after to the inflatable occupant protection device reaches the first configuration.

14. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 13 further including a controller for controlling actuation of the mechanism, the controller being responsive to at least one occupant condition sensor for controlling actuation of the mechanism.

15. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the at least one occupant condition sensor is a sensor for providing the controller with information regarding occupant position relative to the support member.

16. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the at least one occupant condition sensor is a sensor for providing the controller with information regarding occupant weight.

17. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the at least one occupant condition sensor is a sensor for providing the controller with information regarding occupant seat belt usage.

18. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 13 further including a controller for controlling actuation of the mechanism, the controller being responsive to a vehicle condition sensor for controlling actuation of the mechanism.

19. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vent opening is a first vent opening, the vent member is a first vent member, the tether is a first tether, and the actuatable mechanism is a first mechanism, the support member also having a second vent opening, a second vent member movable for varying a flow of inflation fluid through the second vent opening, a second tether for moving the second vent member, and a second mechanism having a first condition preventing the second tether from moving the second vent member and a second condition enabling the second tether to move the second vent member, the second mechanism being actuatable separately and independently from the first mechanism.

20. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable occupant protection device;

a support member having a vent opening through which inflation fluid may flow;

a movable vent member for varying a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening;

a tether extending between the inflatable occupant protection device and the vent member; and

a mechanism for securing a portion of the tether relative to the support member, the mechanism being actuatable for releasing the portion of the tether,

the tether, when released, being responsive to inflation of the inflatable occupant protection device away from the support member by more than a predetermined distance for moving the vent member relative to the support member for varying the flow of fluid through the vent opening.