Method and apparatus for restraining a vehicle occupant

• US 5,839,755 A
• Filed: 03/03/1994
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Turnbull, Roy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAVITT, GARY H
• Application Number:
  US08/205,534
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728 R, 280/729, 280/738, 280/739, 280/743 R, 383/103, 137/859
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/202 and with flexible valve member

Abstract

An inflatable air bag (10) inflates to restrain a vehicle occupant (13) during a vehicle collision. The air bag has an opening (16) for venting inflation fluid from the interior (14) of the air bag. A panel (20) lies on an outer surface (40) of the air bag and is fixedly secured to the outer surface of the air bag. The panel comprises a single continuous piece of elastic material overlying at least a part of the opening. The elastic material is stretchable from an unstretched condition in which a central portion (36) of the elastic material blocks at least a part of the opening to a stretched condition in which the central portion of the elastic material is stretched and moved away from the opening to unblock the opening. When the opening is unblocked, inflation fluid is vented through the opening.

Claims

1. An inflatable air bag for, when inflated, restraining a vehicle occupant, said air bag comprising:

air bag material having an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface defining a chamber into which inflation fluid is directed to inflate said air bag,

said air bag material including a surface extending between said outer and inner surface and defining an opening for venting inflation fluid from said chamber;

a panel lying on said outer surface of said air bag material, said panel comprising at least a first single continuous piece of elastic material having a length and a width and completely overlying said opening in said air bag material;

said elastic material being stretchable in response to inflation fluid pressure in said chamber, said elastic material being stretchable from an unstretched first length in which a central portion of said elastic material completely blocks said opening to a stretched second length in which said central portion of said elastic material stretches and moves away from said opening to unblock said opening and thereby allows inflation fluid to be vented through said opening, said stretched second length being greater than said unstretched first length; and

,

means for fixedly securing said elastic material of said panel to said outer surface of said air bag material and for causing, during pressure relief, the panel elastic material to deform and whereby through this deformation, a width or length dimension and elastic material associated with the width or length dimension shorten and whereby through this shortening of the width or length dimension, the associated elastic material of the width or length dimension goes from completely covering the opening to a shortened length or width which at least partially uncovers the opening.

2. An inflatable air bag according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises stitches located only at opposite ends of said elastic material.

3. An inflatable air bag according to claim 2 wherein said central portion of said elastic material is located between said opposite ends of said elastic material, said central portion of said elastic material having a narrower width in said stretched second length than when in said unstretched first length.

4. An inflatable air bag for, when inflated, restraining a vehicle occupant, said air bag comprising:

air bag material having an outer surface and inner surface, said inner surface defining a chamber into which inflation fluid is directed to inflate said air bag,

said air bag material including a surface extending between said outer and inner surfaces and defining an opening for venting inflation fluid from said chamber;

a panel lying on said outer surface of said air bag material, said panel comprising at least a first single continuous piece of elastic material having a length and a width and overlying at least a part of said opening in said air bag material;

said elastic material being stretchable in response to inflation fluid pressure in said chamber, said elastic material being stretchable from an unstretched first length in which a central portion of said elastic material blocks as least a part of said opening to a stretched second length in which said central portion of said elastic material stretches and moves away from said opening to unblock said opening and thereby allows inflation fluid to be vented through said opening, said stretched second length being greater than said unstretched first length; and

,

means for fixedly securing said elastic material of said panel to said outer surface of said air bag material, said means consisting of stitches extending in a generally U-shaped pattern around said opening in said air bag material and forming a shape with an open end whereby the stitches do not completely surround said opening in said air bag material.

5. An inflatable air bag for, when inflated, restraining a vehicle occupant, said air bag comprising:

air bag material having an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface defining a chamber into which inflation fluid is directed to inflate said air bag,

said air bag material including a surface extending between said outer and inner surfaces and defining an opening for venting inflation fluid from said chamber;

a panel lying-on said outer surface of said air bag material, said panel comprising opposite end portions and a central portion located between said end portions, said central portion including a first section and a second section overlapping said first section;

first securing means for securing said panel to said outer surface of said air bag material, said first securing means including stitches located only at opposite ends of said panel; and

second securing means for securing said first and second sections of said central portion of said panel together to enable said panel to block said opening, said second securing means comprising stitches which secure said first and second sections of said central portion of said panel together and which are breakable in response to inflation fluid pressure in said chamber to allow said central portion of said panel to move away from said opening to unblock said opening and thereby to allow inflation fluid to be vented through said opening.

6. An inflatable air bag for, when inflated, restraining a vehicle occupant, said air bag comprising:

air bag material having an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface defining a chamber into which inflation fluid is directed to inflate said air bag,

said air bag material including a surface extending between said outer and inner surfaces and defining an opening for venting inflation fluid from said chamber;

a panel lying on said outer surface of said air bag material, said panel comprising at least a first single continuous piece of elastic material having a length and a width and overlying at least a part of said opening in said air bag material;

said elastic material being stretchable in response to inflation fluid pressure in said chamber, said elastic material being stretchable from an unstretched first length in which a central portion of said elastic material blocks at least a part of said opening to a stretched second length in which said central portion of said elastic material stretches and moves away from said opening to unblock said opening and thereby allows inflation fluid to be vented through said opening, said stretched second length being greater than said unstretched first length; and

,

means for fixedly securing said elastic material of said panel to said outer surface of said air bag material, said means comprising stitches surrounding at least a generally U-shaped portion of the perimeter around said opening in said air bag material,

said panel further comprising a second single continuous piece of elastic material having a length and a width and overlying at least a part of said opening, said second single continuous piece of elastic material having at least a portion which overlaps with a portion of said first single continuous piece of elastic material, said second single continuous piece of elastic material being fixedly secured by stitches around at least a generally U-shaped portion of the perimeter of said opening in said air bag material.

7. An inflatable air bag accordingly to claim 6 wherein said panel further comprises a third single continuous piece of elastic material having a length and a width and overlying at least a part of said opening, said third single continuous piece of elastic material having at least a first portion which overlaps with a portion of said first single continuous piece of elastic material and a second portion which overlaps with a portion of said second single continuous piece of elastic material, said third single continuous piece of elastic material being fixedly secured by stitches around at least a generally U-shaped portion of the perimeter of said opening in said air bag material.

8. An inflatable air bag for, when inflated, restraining a vehicle occupant, said air bag comprising:

air bag material having an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface defining a chamber into which inflation fluid is directed to inflate said air bag,

said air bag material including a surface extending between said outer and inner surfaces and defining an opening for venting inflation fluid from said chamber;

a panel lying on said outer surface of said air bag material, said panel comprising at least a first single continuous piece of elastic material having a length and a width and overlying at least a part of said opening in said air bag material;

said elastic material being stretchable in response to inflation fluid pressure in said chamber, said elastic material being stretchable from an unstretched first length in which a central portion of said elastic material blocks at least a part of said opening to a stretched second length in which said central portion of said elastic material stretches and moves away from said opening to unblock said opening and thereby allows inflation fluid to be vented through said opening, said stretched second length being greater than said unstretched first length;

means for fixedly securing said elastic material of said panel to said outer surface of said air bag material, said means comprising stitches surrounding at least a generally U-shaped portion of the perimeter around said opening in said air bag material; and

stitches which secure together part of said central portion of said elastic material layered upon another part of said central portion of said elastic material.