Venting canister for airbag system

• US 20070075537A1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Rust, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,445,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External 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 21/2338 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

An airbag canister vent is attached to or resides within an airbag module of an automobile. The module has a housing, within which resides a gas generator, an airbag, a tether cord, and a housing vent valve configured to close in accordance with the tether length that connects the airbag and the housing vent valve. The tension or any slack in the tether is governed by the discharge distance of the airbag from the canister. The canister vent may be a rotating disk that gradually closes as the airbag moves toward a seat occupant or a movable ball valve with a tether pin that remains open until the bag is discharged far enough from the canister to pull a tether pin from the ball causing the pressurized gas in the canister to forcibly lodge the ball against the vent hole wall thereby forming a seal and closing the valve.

Claims

1. An airbag canister for a vehicle comprising:

an airbag tether adapted to be coupled to an airbag residing in the canister; and

an adjustable vent positioned in a wall of the canister and coupled to the tether, the vent having an opening that varies in accordance with tension on the tether.

2. The airbag canister of claim 1 wherein the tension on the tether is governed by a discharge distance of the airbag from the canister.

3. The airbag of claim 2 wherein the vent opening decreases in proportion to a distance that the airbag has deployed.

4. The airbag of claim 1 wherein the adjustable vent comprises a rotary panel positioned to continuously vary a cross sectional area of the vent opening between a fully open area and a substantially zero open area.

5. The airbag of claim 1 wherein the adjustable vent comprises a ball valve.

6. An airbag system for a vehicle comprising:

a canister for housing an airbag, the canister defining a vent hole;

a canister vent valve arranged over the vent hole; and

a tether coupled between an airbag resident in the canister and the vent valve.

7. The airbag system of claim 6 wherein the canister vent valve is a rotary valve, the rotary valve rotating over the vent hole in accordance with tether tension to vary an open area of the vent hole.

8. The airbag system of claim 6 wherein the canister vent valve is a ball valve comprising:

a tether pin coupled to the tether; and

a mobile valve element, wherein the tether pin is withdrawable from the mobile valve element in accordance with tether tension.

9. The airbag system of claim 8 wherein the canister vent valve further comprises:

a plurality of valve guides that confine the mobile valve element over the vent hole.

10. The airbag system of claim 8 further comprising:

a gas generator, the gas generator located in the canister and urging the mobile valve element toward the vent hole, when the mobile valve element pin is withdrawn from the mobile valve element.