Passive airbag venting

• US 20070108750A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Karlow, James, Bauer, Barney, Bosch, Jerome, Dennis, Nate, Klinkenberger, Amy, Baker, Paul, Clarke, Jonathan, Roberts, Ray, Ruterbusch, John, Ehrke, Joseph, Maertens, Paul, Boumarafi, Moe, Scavnicky, Michael, Perez Aguilar, Jamie, McFadden, Stephanie, Maripudi, Vivekananadhan
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/740
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23384 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• 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 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An occupant protection apparatus comprises an inflatable airbag with a panel, the panel including a first vent opening that permits inflation fluid to escape out of the airbag; and a valve sheet including a second vent opening movable relative to the first vent opening, the valve sheet having opposite ends that are each fixed to a surface of the airbag. One end of the valve sheet moves with the panel during inflation of the airbag to move the second vent opening relative to the first vent opening. The apparatus also includes a valve guide to guide movement of the valve sheet relative to the panel, the valve sheet is capable of sliding between the valve guide and the panel. Both ends of the valve sheet remain fixed to the panel during and after inflation of the airbag.

Claims

1. An occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable airbag including a panel, wherein the panel includes a first vent opening through which inflation fluid may escape out of the airbag;

a moveable valve sheet overlying the first vent opening and including a second vent opening movable relative to the first vent opening, the valve sheet being fixed to a surface of the panel at opposite ends; and

a valve guide to guide movement of the valve sheet relative to the panel, wherein the valve sheet is configured to slide between the valve guide and the panel,

wherein one end of the valve sheet moves with the panel during inflation of the airbag to move the second vent opening relative to the first vent opening, and

wherein the first and a second end of the valve sheet are fixed to the panel during and after inflation of the airbag.

2. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, further comprising tearable stitching configured to maintain an initial configuration of the valve sheet prior to inflation, the tearable stitching being configured to break during inflation of the airbag to thereby allow the valve sheet to move relative to the first vent opening.

3. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve guide comprises a band extending across a portion of the valve sheet, wherein opposite ends of the band are fixed to the panel at opposite sides of the valve sheet.

4. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 3, wherein the valve guide does not include any openings alignable with the first vent opening.

5. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein one end of the valve sheet is fixed to the panel near the first vent opening and the second end is fixed away from the first vent opening.

6. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 5, wherein both ends of the valve sheet are fixed to a surface of the panel configured to be in contact with inflation fluid in an inflatable chamber.

7. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve sheet is an integral sheet extending from the first end to the second end.

8. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second vent opening is movable relative to the first vent opening such that the first and second vent openings are aligned in an open state prior to inflation of the airbag and the first and second vent openings are misaligned in a closed state during a later stage of inflation of the airbag.

9. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tear tab configured to maintain the initial configuration of the valve sheet prior to inflation, the tear tab configured to break during inflation of the airbag to release a portion of the valve sheet to allow the valve sheet to move relative to the vent opening.

10. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tear tab comprises slits such that fibers of the tear tab adjacent the slit are discontinuous.

11. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 10, wherein the slits are at a 45 degree angle to an edge of the second vent opening.

12. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 9, wherein a first end of the tear tab is configured to be secured to and extend from a portion of the valve sheet distal from the second vent opening, a middle portion of the tear tab loops through the second vent opening, and a second end of the tear tab is secured a portion of the valve sheet, and

wherein the middle portion comprises discontinuous slits adjacent the second vent opening.

13. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a third vent opening in the valve sheet alignable with the first vent opening,

wherein the second vent opening comprises a plurality of openings in a region of the valve sheet,

wherein in an initial, uninflated state, the second vent opening is aligned with the first and third vent openings, and after deployment of the airbag, the second vent opening is misaligned with the first and third vent openings to close the first vent opening.

14. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 13, wherein the a portion of the valve sheet comprising the third vent opening is folded over and overlaps a portion of the valve sheet comprising the second vent opening when the airbag is in the uninflated state.

15. An occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable airbag with a panel, the panel including a first vent opening to enable escape of inflation fluid out of the airbag;

a valve sheet including a second vent opening movable relative to the first vent opening; and

a tear tab extending from a portion of the valve sheet to temporarily retain the valve sheet to the panel, the tear tab breaking when the airbag is inflated to a predetermined inflation level to move the second vent opening relative to the first vent opening.

16. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tear tab in integral with the valve sheet.

17. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tear tab includes slits at a 45 degree angle to an edge of the second vent opening.

18. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 15, wherein the slits create discontinuous fibers in the tear tab.

19. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tear tab restrains an excess portion of the valve sheet prior to inflation of the airbag, breaking of the tear tab releases the excess portion to move the second vent opening relative to the first vent opening.

20. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tear tab includes a circular opening and discontinuous fibers in the tear tab.

21. An airbag apparatus comprising:

a fabric panel including a first vent opening configured to allow inflation gas to escape from the airbag therethrough; and

a valve assembly configured to block the vent opening,

wherein the valve assembly is configured so that when the airbag begins to inflate the vent opening is not blocked, and when the airbag deploys to a predetermined position, the valve assembly closes the vent opening.

22. The airbag apparatus of claim 21, wherein the valve assembly includes a slidable valve sheet overlying the vent opening and a valve guide to guide movement of the valve sheet relative to the fabric panel, and wherein opposite first and second ends of the valve sheet are fixed to the panel during and after inflation.

23. The airbag apparatus of claim 22, wherein the valve sheet includes a second opening moveable relative to the first vent opening.

24. The airbag apparatus of claim 23, further comprising tearable stitching configured to maintain an initial configuration of the valve sheet prior to inflation, the tearable stitching being configured to break during inflation of the airbag to thereby allow the valve sheet to move relative to the first vent opening.

25. The airbag apparatus of claim 23, wherein the valve guide comprises a band extending across a portion of the valve sheet, wherein opposite ends of the band are fixed to the panel at opposite sides of the valve sheet.

26. The airbag apparatus of claim 25, wherein the valve guide does not include any openings alignable with the first vent opening.

27. The airbag apparatus of claim 23, wherein one end of the valve sheet is fixed to the panel near the first vent opening and the second end is fixed away from the first vent opening.

28. The airbag apparatus of claim 27, wherein both ends of the valve sheet are fixed to a surface of the panel configured to be in contact with inflation fluid in an inflatable chamber.

29. The airbag apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second vent opening is movable relative to the first vent opening such that the first and second vent openings are aligned in an open state prior to inflation of the airbag and the first and second vent openings are misaligned in a closed state during a later stage of inflation of the airbag.

30. The airbag apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a tear tab configured to maintain the initial configuration of the valve sheet prior to inflation, the tear tab configured to break during inflation of the airbag to release a portion of the valve sheet to allow the valve sheet to move relative to the vent opening.

31. The airbag apparatus of claim 30, wherein the tear tab comprises slits such that fibers of the tear tab adjacent the slit are discontinuous.

32. The airbag apparatus of claim 31, wherein the slits are at a 45 degree angle to an edge of the second vent opening.