Airbag module with external venting

• US 20070075534A1
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Townsend, Richard, Curtis, Anthony, Kelley, Michael, Heric, Samir, Klettenheimer, Guido, Morhard, Marko, Mulville, Michael, Wehrwein, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 7,341,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2685 comprising a plurality of pressure chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators
• 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 airbag module assembly (400) has a module housing (402). An airbag (401) and an airbag inflator (200, 300) are positioned inside the module housing. The airbag inflator (200, 300) has an exhaust port end (85) extending external of the module housing (402) for venting inflation gasses directly from the airbag inflator (200, 300) externally of the module housing (402).

Claims

1. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing;

an airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the airbag inflator having an exhaust port end extending outside the module housing;

an airbag configured to receive inflation gas from the airbag inflator;

a sealing means for preventing gas flow from inside the airbag inflator through the exhaust port end; and

a means for opening the sealing means to exhaust inflation gas from the exhaust port end of the airbag inflator external of the module housing.

2. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 further comprising a module cover, the module cover being connected to the module housing enclosing the airbag and airbag inflator.

3. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first igniter for activating the airbag inflator and wherein the means for opening the sealing means is a second igniter for unsealing the exhaust port end.

4. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 wherein the means for sealing the exhaust port end is a rupturable member.

5. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 wherein the exhaust port end has one or more exhaust port vent openings located external of the module housing.

6. The airbag module assembly of claim 5 wherein the exhaust port end has a plurality of exhaust port vent openings radially extending and located external of the module housing.

7. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing;

an airbag;

an airbag inflator located inside the module housing for inflating the airbag, the airbag inflator having an exhaust port end extending external of the module housing for venting inflation gasses directly from the inflator externally of the module housing.

8. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 further comprising a sealing means for preventing gas flow from inside the airbag inflator through the exhaust port end;

and a means for opening the sealing means to exhaust inflation gas from the exhaust port end of the airbag inflator external of the module housing.

9. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 further comprising a module cover, the module cover being connected to the module housing enclosing the airbag and airbag inflator.

10. The airbag module assembly of claim 8 further comprising a first igniter for activating the airbag inflator and wherein the means for opening the sealing means is a second igniter for unsealing the exhaust port end.

11. The airbag module assembly of claim 8 wherein the means for sealing the exhaust port end is a rupturable member.

12. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 wherein the exhaust port end has one or more vent openings extending external of the module housing.

13. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 wherein the exhaust port end has a plurality of vent openings radially extending and external of the module housing.

14. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing;

an airbag located inside the module housing; and

an airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the airbag inflator comprising a tubular inflator housing having a first end and a second end;

a primary gas vent port that is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag; and

a gas release mechanism having an exhaust port at the first end of the tubular inflator housing, the first end of the tubular inflator housing extending outside the module housing such that the exhaust port is outside of the module housing for releasing gas directly from the tubular inflator housing to ambient air, thus bypassing the airbag.

15. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing;

an airbag located inside the module housing; and

an airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the airbag inflator comprising a tubular inflator housing having a first end and a second end;

a primary gas vent port that is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag, the primary gas port being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure provided by gas inside the tubular inflator housing; and

a gas release mechanism having a passageway or opening at the first end of the tubular inflator housing, the passageway or opening being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure that is greater than the predetermined pressure at which the rupturable member of the primary gas vent port sealing means will rupture, the first end of the tubular inflator housing extending outside the module housing such that an exhaust port is outside of the module housing, the rupturable member of the gas release mechanism being rupturable by a pyrotechnic device for releasing gas directly from the tubular inflator housing to ambient air thus bypassing the airbag.

16. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing;

an airbag located inside the module housing; and

a hybrid airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the hybrid airbag inflator comprising a tubular inflator housing having a first end and a second end;

a heater assembly containing a gas generant located and attached at the first end of the tubular inflator housing;

inert gas being contained in the tubular inflator housing;

a primary gas vent port that is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag, the primary gas port being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure provided by gas inside the tubular inflator housing; and

a gas release mechanism having a passageway or opening at the second end of the tubular inflator housing, the second end of the tubular inflator housing extending outside the module housing such that an exhaust port is outside of the module housing, the passageway or opening being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure that is greater than the predetermined pressure at which the rupturable member of the primary gas vent port sealing means will rupture, the rupturable member of the gas release mechanism being rupturable by a pyrotechnic device for releasing gas directly from the tubular inflator housing to ambient air thus bypassing the airbag;

wherein the heater assembly comprises an outer shell formed by a generant tube having a plurality of holes therethrough;

a gas generant combustion chamber in which the gas generant is stored, the gas generant combustion chamber and the tubular inflator housing being in communication with each other through the plurality of holes in the generant tube;

an ignition means connected to the heater assembly and located at the first end of the inflator housing;

an enhancer combustion chamber in which an ignition enhancer composition is stored, the enhancer combustion chamber being located between the gas generant combustion chamber and the ignition means, and separated from the gas generant combustion chamber by a bulkhead, the bulkhead having one or more first openings therethrough; and

wherein the ignition enhancer composition when ignited by the ignition means produces products of combustion that will both ignite the gas generant in the gas generant combustion chamber and heat the inert gas stored in the tubular inflator housing to achieve the predetermined pressure required to rupture the rupturable member sealing the primary gas vent port.