PASSIVE AIRBAG VENTING

• US 20110079988A1
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• 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 P., Ruterbusch, John Paul, Maripudi, Vivekananadhan, McFadden, Stephanie M., Perez Aguilar, Jamie F., BAUER, Barney J, Scavnicky, Michael J., Bosch, Jerome, Dennis, Nate, Boumarafi, Moe M., Ehrke, Joseph M., Baker, Paul A., Roberts, Ray John, Clarke, Jonathan L., Maertens, Paul G., Klinkenberger, Amy L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.1
• 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 or envelope 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. The valve sheet includes a tear tab to temporarily retain the valve sheet to the panel.

Claims

1. 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 main valve sheet portion and an envelope, wherein the main valve sheet portion includes a second vent opening movable relative to the first vent opening, wherein the envelope is positioned over a section of the main valve sheet portion to overlap the valve sheet, wherein the envelope includes a third vent opening alignable with 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, wherein the tear tab originates from the second vent opening and extends through the third vent opening in the envelope.

2. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the envelope is an integral component of the valve sheet.

3. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tear tab is integral with the valve sheet.

4. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tear tab includes slits at a 45 degree angle to an edge of the second vent opening.

5. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 4, wherein the slits create discontinuous fibers in the tear tab.

6. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein fibers in the tear tab are at a 45°

angle to an edge of the second vent opening.

7. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fibers in the tear tab are discontinuous in a tear area of the tear tab.

8. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tear tab includes at least one notch at a tear area, and wherein fibers in the tear tab extend past the at least one notch to be continuous in the tear area.

9. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tear tab restrains an excess portion of the valve sheet prior to inflation of the airbag, and breaking of the tear tab releases the excess portion to move the second vent opening relative to the first vent opening.

10. The occupant protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tear tab includes a circular opening and discontinuous fibers in the tear tab.

11. An airbag apparatus with a passive venting assembly, 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, wherein the tear tab includes a first end originating from an edge of the second vent opening, and a second end coupled to the panel,

wherein the valve sheet includes a section of excess valve sheet, the tear tab maintaining the excess valve sheet section in a folded or looped configuration, and wherein breaking of the tear tab permits the excess valve sheet section to unfold or move.

12. The airbag apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an envelope positioned over a portion of the valve sheet to overlap the portion of the valve sheet, the envelope including a third vent opening alignable with the first vent opening.

13. The airbag apparatus of claim 12, wherein the envelope is an integral part of the valve sheet.

14. The airbag apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tear tab includes slits at a 45 degree angle to an edge of the second vent opening.

15. The airbag apparatus of claim 14, wherein the slits create discontinuous fibers in the tear tab.

16. The airbag apparatus of claim 11, wherein fibers in the tear tab are at a 45°

angle to an edge of the second vent opening.

17. The airbag apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fibers in the tear tab are discontinuous in a tear area of the tear tab.

18. The airbag apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tear tab includes at least one notch at a tear area, and wherein fibers in the tear tab extend past the at least one notch to be continuous in the tear area.

19. The airbag apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tear tab includes a circular opening and discontinuous fibers in the tear tab.

20. 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,

wherein the valve assembly includes a slidable valve sheet overlying the first 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, wherein the valve sheet includes a second opening moveable relative to the first vent opening, and wherein the valve guide includes a third opening alignable with the first vent opening, and

wherein the valve guide is a portion of the valve sheet, wherein the portion of the valve sheet comprising the valve guide and the third opening is folded over and overlaps a portion of the valve sheet comprising the second opening when the airbag is in the uninflated state.

21. The airbag apparatus of claim 20, 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.

22. The airbag apparatus of claim 20, 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.

23. The airbag apparatus of claim 22, 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.

24. The airbag apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second opening is movable relative to the first vent opening such that the first vent opening and second opening are aligned in an open state prior to inflation of the airbag and the first vent opening and second opening are misaligned in a closed state during a later stage of inflation of the airbag.

25. The airbag apparatus of claim 20, 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.

26. The airbag apparatus of claim 25, wherein the tear tab comprises slits such that fibers of the tear tab adjacent the slit are discontinuous.

27. The airbag apparatus of claim 26, wherein the slits are at a 45 degree angle to an edge of the second vent opening.

28. An airbag apparatus, comprising:

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

a vent valve connected to the panel and including a valve sheet including at least one valve opening, the vent valve being moveable between a first position where the at least one valve opening is in alignment with the at least one vent opening and a second position where the at least one valve opening is at least partially misaligned with the at least one vent opening to at least partially close the at least one vent opening, and wherein the vent valve is in its first position until deployment of the airbag beyond a threshold which moves the vent valve to its second position;

wherein the valve sheet is folded within the interior of the airbag when the vent valve is in its first position, and movement of the airbag when deployed beyond the threshold at least partially unfolds or extends the valve sheet to move the vent valve to its second position;

wherein the valve sheet folded onto itself provides a first portion and a second portion with a fold between the first and second portions, at least one of the first portion and the second portion are connected to the panel, and at least one of the first and second portions including the at least one valve opening that is aligned with the at least one vent opening when the vent valve is in its first position,

wherein the valve sheet is extended when the airbag is deployed beyond the threshold to lengthen one of the first and second portions so that the at least one valve opening is moved relative to and at least partially out of alignment with the at least one vent opening, which increases pressure in the airbag during inflation,

wherein the vent valve further includes an envelope positioned over a portion of the valve sheet to overlap the valve sheet, the envelope including a second vent opening alignable with the first vent opening, wherein the envelope is an integral component of the valve sheet, and

wherein the envelope is a portion of the valve sheet, wherein the portion of the valve sheet comprising the envelope and the second vent opening is folded over and overlaps a portion of the valve sheet comprising the at least one valve opening when the airbag is in the uninflated state.

29. The airbag apparatus of claim 28, wherein at least a portion of the vent valve is releasably connected to the panel in its first position to thereby maintain the vent valve in the first position until the airbag deploys beyond the threshold to release the releasable connection of the vent valve to the panel.

30. The airbag apparatus of claim 29, wherein the vent valve is stitched to the airbag by at least one tear stitch, and the at least one tear stitch is configured to be broken or torn out upon deployment of the airbag beyond the threshold.

31. An airbag apparatus, comprising:

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

a vent valve connected to the panel and including a valve sheet including at least one valve opening, the vent valve being moveable between a first position where the at least one valve opening is in alignment with the at least one vent opening and a second position where the at least one valve opening is at least partially misaligned with the at least one vent opening to at least partially close the at least one vent opening, and wherein the vent valve is in its first position until deployment of the airbag beyond a threshold which moves the vent valve to its second position;

wherein the valve sheet is folded within the interior of the airbag when the vent valve is in its first position, and movement of the airbag when deployed beyond the threshold at least partially unfolds or extends the valve sheet to move the vent valve to its second position;

wherein the vent valve is configured so that in the first position, inflation gases are discharged out of the airbag through the at least one valve opening, and wherein the vent valve is configured so that in the second position, the at least one vent opening is blocked by the vent valve to prevent escape of inflation gases and to increase pressure in the airbag as the airbag deploys towards an occupant seated correctly in a vehicle seat,

wherein the vent valve further includes an envelope positioned over a portion of the valve sheet to overlap the valve sheet, the envelope including a second vent opening alignable with the first vent opening, wherein the envelope is an integral component of the valve sheet, and.

wherein the envelope is a portion of the valve sheet, wherein the portion of the valve sheet comprising the envelope and the second vent opening is folded over and overlaps a portion of the valve sheet comprising the at least one valve opening when the airbag is in the uninflated state.