Air bag with adaptive venting
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, the protection device comprising a first panel including at least one first vent opening;
a second panel secured to the first panel, the second panel comprising a base portion and a door portion, the base portion including at least one second vent opening, the second panel being folded to position the door portion between the first panel and the base portion;
the door portion having an open condition in which the door portion is positioned away from the first and second openings and thereby permits inflation fluid to vent from the protection device through the first and second vent openings, the door portion having a closed condition in which the door portion is positioned between the first and second vent openings and thereby blocks inflation fluid from venting through the first and second vent openings, the door portion being movable from the open condition to the closed condition when the protection device deploys;
the door portion having a generally triangular configuration with a base that merges with the base portion of the door panel, the door portion including first and second edge portions that extend away from the base portion and converge at a terminal end of the door portion.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) that includes a first panel (160) with at least one first vent opening (142). A second panel (144) secured to the first panel (160) includes a base portion (150) and a door portion (156). The base portion (150) includes at least one second vent opening (200) and is folded to position the door portion (156) between the first panel (160) and the base portion (150). The door portion (156) has an open condition positioned away from the vent openings (142, 200) permitting inflation fluid to vent through the vent openings. The door portion (156) has a closed condition positioned between the first and second vent openings (142, 200) blocking inflation fluid from venting through the first and second vent openings. The door portion (156) is movable to the closed condition when the protection device (14) deploys. The door portion (156) has a generally triangular configuration with a base merging with the base portion (150) of the door panel (144) and first and second edge portions (264) that extend away from the base and converge at a terminal end (224) of the door portion.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, the protection device comprising a first panel including at least one first vent opening; a second panel secured to the first panel, the second panel comprising a base portion and a door portion, the base portion including at least one second vent opening, the second panel being folded to position the door portion between the first panel and the base portion; the door portion having an open condition in which the door portion is positioned away from the first and second openings and thereby permits inflation fluid to vent from the protection device through the first and second vent openings, the door portion having a closed condition in which the door portion is positioned between the first and second vent openings and thereby blocks inflation fluid from venting through the first and second vent openings, the door portion being movable from the open condition to the closed condition when the protection device deploys; the door portion having a generally triangular configuration with a base that merges with the base portion of the door panel, the door portion including first and second edge portions that extend away from the base portion and converge at a terminal end of the door portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 65)
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15. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, the protection device having a first panel defining first vent openings for enabling flow of inflation fluid out of the protection device; a second panel having a first portion defining second vent openings and a second portion defining a vent door, the second vent openings being aligned with the first vent openings; the vent door having a venting position in which the vent door is positioned away from the aligned first and second vent openings and enabling flow of inflation fluid out of the protection device through the aligned first and second vent openings, the vent door being in the venting position prior to inflation of the protection device; the vent door having a blocking position in which the vent door blocks inflation fluid flow out of the protection device through the aligned first and second vent openings; the vent door moving between the venting position and the blocking position when the protection device inflates. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising:
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a first panel that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device, the first panel being constructed from a woven fabric material having a weave orientation; and a vent for releasing inflation fluid from the inflatable volume, the vent comprising one or more vent openings in the first panel, the first panel comprising portions that are configured in a grid-like pattern and at least partially define the vent openings, the grid-like portions extending in directions substantially parallel to the weave orientation of the first panel. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising:
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a first panel that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; and a vent for releasing inflation fluid from the inflatable volume, the vent comprising one or more vent openings in the first panel and a second panel secured to the first panel, the second panel comprising a door portion having an open condition permitting inflation fluid to flow through the vent openings and being movable when a tension force is applied to the second panel to a closed condition at least partially blocking inflation fluid flow through the vent openings; the second panel having a woven construction and being configured and arranged such that the tension force applied to the door portion acts substantially along a weave orientation of the woven second panel. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a first inflated condition with a first inflated volume and a second inflated condition with a second inflated volume, the second inflated volume being greater than the first inflated volume; and a vent having an open condition releasing inflation fluid from the protection device through the vent and a closed condition blocking the inflation fluid flow through the vent; the protection device being maintained in the first inflated condition when the vent is in the open condition, the protection device being released to inflate to the second inflated condition when the vent is in the closed condition. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; a vent having an open condition releasing inflation fluid from the protection device through the vent, the vent being actuatable to a closed condition blocking the inflation fluid flow through the vent; and a releasable connection maintaining the protection device in a first condition having a first inflated volume, the releasable connection being releasable to permit the protection device to inflate to a second condition having a second inflated volume greater than the first inflated volume; the releasable connection being releasable when the vent is in the closed condition and being maintained when the vent is in the open condition. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61)
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62. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; a vent having an open condition and a closed condition; a releasable connection that maintains the protection device in a first condition having a first inflated volume when the vent is in the open condition, the releasable connection being releasable to permit the protection device to inflate to a second condition having a second inflated volume greater than the first inflated volume when the vent is in the closed condition; and an actuatable device actuatable to maintain the vent in the open condition.
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63. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; a vent comprising a panel secured to the protection device, the panel having a first portion with vent openings and a second portion comprising a vent door, the vent having a closed condition in which the vent door blocks the vent openings and an open condition permitting inflation fluid flow through the vent openings; and an actuatable device actuatable to maintain the vent in the open condition. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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66. A method for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle using an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, the method comprising the steps of:
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inflating the protection device in response to an event; venting inflation fluid from the protection device based on at least one of a sensed vehicle condition and a sensed occupant condition; the vent having an open condition releasing inflation fluid from the protection device through the vent, the vent being actuatable to a closed condition blocking the inflation fluid flow through the vent; providing a releasable connection maintaining the protection device in a first condition having a first inflated volume, the releasable connection being releasable to permit the protection device to inflate to a second condition having a second inflated volume greater than the first inflated volume; and adapting the releasable connection to release when the vent is in the closed condition and maintain the releasable connection when the vent is in the open condition.
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Specification