Air bag module with adjustable cushion inflation
First Claim
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1. An airbag module for a motor vehicle with adjustable cushion inflation comprising:
- an inflator providing an inflation fluid for an air cushion;
a reaction canister having walls defining a chamber within which said inflator is disposed;
an inflatable air cushion mounted to said canister and having an opening for receiving inflation fluid to inflate said air cushion;
said canister having at least one inflation outlet through which inflation fluid flows from said inflator into said air cushion and said canister having at least one vent outlet in one of said walls through which inflation fluid flows from said inflator to the ambient atmosphere;
at least one valve member carried by said canister and being movable relative to said at least one inflation outlet and said at least one vent outlet to control flow of inflation fluid through said inflation and vent outlets, said at least one valve member being movable in one direction to increase inflation fluid flow through said at least one inflation outlet and to decrease inflation fluid flow through said at least one vent outlet and said at least one valve member being movable in an opposite direction to decrease inflation fluid flow through said at least one inflation outlet and to increase inflation fluid flow through said at least one vent outlet; and
means for moving said at least one valve member relative to said inflation and vent outlets.
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Abstract
An air bag module with adjustable cushion inflation is provided by including a valve member in the module which is movable to change the size of an inflation outlet through which inflation fluid flows into an air cushion while simultaneously changing the size of a vent outlet which enables inflation fluid to be vented to the ambient atmosphere. The valve member is positioned by a control unit which receives input from various sensors within the vehicle regarding such factors as ambient temperature, occupant position, occupant weight, seat belt usage, etc to produce an optimum cushion inflation based upon these factors.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An airbag module for a motor vehicle with adjustable cushion inflation comprising:
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an inflator providing an inflation fluid for an air cushion; a reaction canister having walls defining a chamber within which said inflator is disposed; an inflatable air cushion mounted to said canister and having an opening for receiving inflation fluid to inflate said air cushion; said canister having at least one inflation outlet through which inflation fluid flows from said inflator into said air cushion and said canister having at least one vent outlet in one of said walls through which inflation fluid flows from said inflator to the ambient atmosphere; at least one valve member carried by said canister and being movable relative to said at least one inflation outlet and said at least one vent outlet to control flow of inflation fluid through said inflation and vent outlets, said at least one valve member being movable in one direction to increase inflation fluid flow through said at least one inflation outlet and to decrease inflation fluid flow through said at least one vent outlet and said at least one valve member being movable in an opposite direction to decrease inflation fluid flow through said at least one inflation outlet and to increase inflation fluid flow through said at least one vent outlet; and means for moving said at least one valve member relative to said inflation and vent outlets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An airbag module for a motor vehicle with adjustable cushion inflation comprising:
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a generally cylindrical inflator providing an inflation fluid for an air cushion; a reaction canister having walls defining a chamber within which said inflator is disposed; an inflatable air cushion mounted to said canister and having an opening for receiving inflation fluid to inflate said air cushion; said canister having a inflation outlet through which the inflation fluid flows from said inflator into said air cushion and said canister having a vent outlet in one of said walls through which inflation fluid flows from said inflator to the ambient atmosphere; a generally cylindrical valve member carried by said canister and surrounding said inflator, said valve member being rotatable relative to said inflation outlet and said vent outlet to control flow of inflation fluid through said inflation and vent outlets, said valve member being rotatable in one direction to increase inflation fluid flow through said inflation outlet and to decrease inflation fluid flow through said vent outlet and said valve member being rotatable in an opposite direction to decrease inflation fluid flow through said inflation outlet and to increase inflation fluid flow through said vent outlet; and means for moving said valve member relative to said inflation and vent outlets in response to signals from at least one condition sensor within the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An airbag module with adjustable cushion inflation comprising:
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an inflator providing an inflation fluid for an air cushion; a reaction canister having walls defining a chamber within which said inflator is disposed; an inflatable air cushion mounted to said canister and having an opening for receiving inflation fluid to inflate said air cushion; said canister having two inflation outlets through which inflation fluid flows from said inflator into said air cushion and said canister having two vent outlets in said walls; two valve members carried by said canister, each said valve member being movable relative to one of said inflation outlets and one of said vent outlets to control flow of inflation fluid through said one inflation outlet and said one vent outlet, said valve members each being movable in one direction to increase inflation fluid flow through one of said inflation outlets and to decrease inflation fluid flow through one of said vent outlets and each said valve member being movable in an opposite direction to decrease inflation fluid flow through one of said inflation outlets and to increase inflation fluid flow through one said vent outlets; and means for moving each said valve member relative to said inflation and vent outlets in response to signals from at least one condition sensor in the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification