Airbag check valve
First Claim
1. In an inflatable airbag cushion for inflation to protect at least one occupant of a vehicle, said airbag cushion having an inflation gas inlet opening of a defined area in a panel of said airbag cushion and a check valve for permitting inflation gas to be received into said airbag cushion from an inflation gas source through the inflation gas inlet opening and for preventing flow of inflation gas back through said inflation gas inlet opening, the improvement wherein said check valve comprises:
- an essentially gas impermeable main fabric panel located internally on the panel of said airbag cushion and overlaying said inflation gas inlet opening, said main fabric panel having a periphery encompassing an area greater than the area defined by the inflation gas inlet opening for completely closing off said inflation gas inlet opening when overlaying said inflation gas inlet opening and being in contact with the panel of the airbag cushion;
the periphery of said main fabric panel having a plurality of fabric tabs extending radially outwardly from a portion of said periphery of said main fabric panel through an intermediate tab portion to a distal end portion;
the distal end portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs non-rupturably secured to the panel of the airbag cushion around and radially outwardly from the inflation gas inlet opening;
the intermediate tab portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs comprising a pleatable fabric portion for permitting the main fabric panel of the check valve to move between a first position wherein the intermediate tab portion of each fabric tab is pleated and the main fabric panel overlays and closes the inflation gas inlet opening and, a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of said each fabric tab is unpleated and extended such that the main fabric panel is spaced apart from the inflation gas inlet opening wherein a plurality of valve outlets are defined between the extended intermediate tab portions of said valve to permit inflation gas to enter the inflatable airbag cushion through the inflation gas inlet opening and the plurality of valve outlets.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A check valve for an airbag cushion assembly permitting inflation gas to be rapidly received into an airbag cushion chamber from an inflation gas source through an inflation gas inlet opening in the fabric of the airbag cushion chamber and preventing flow of inflation gas back through the inflation gas inlet opening comprises a main fabric panel with a plurality of pleatable or foldable fabric tabs extending from a portion of the main fabric panel of the check valve and being non-rupturably secured to the fabric of the airbag cushion chamber.
73 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In an inflatable airbag cushion for inflation to protect at least one occupant of a vehicle, said airbag cushion having an inflation gas inlet opening of a defined area in a panel of said airbag cushion and a check valve for permitting inflation gas to be received into said airbag cushion from an inflation gas source through the inflation gas inlet opening and for preventing flow of inflation gas back through said inflation gas inlet opening, the improvement wherein said check valve comprises:
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an essentially gas impermeable main fabric panel located internally on the panel of said airbag cushion and overlaying said inflation gas inlet opening, said main fabric panel having a periphery encompassing an area greater than the area defined by the inflation gas inlet opening for completely closing off said inflation gas inlet opening when overlaying said inflation gas inlet opening and being in contact with the panel of the airbag cushion; the periphery of said main fabric panel having a plurality of fabric tabs extending radially outwardly from a portion of said periphery of said main fabric panel through an intermediate tab portion to a distal end portion;
the distal end portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs non-rupturably secured to the panel of the airbag cushion around and radially outwardly from the inflation gas inlet opening;
the intermediate tab portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs comprising a pleatable fabric portion for permitting the main fabric panel of the check valve to move between a first position wherein the intermediate tab portion of each fabric tab is pleated and the main fabric panel overlays and closes the inflation gas inlet opening and, a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of said each fabric tab is unpleated and extended such that the main fabric panel is spaced apart from the inflation gas inlet opening wherein a plurality of valve outlets are defined between the extended intermediate tab portions of said valve to permit inflation gas to enter the inflatable airbag cushion through the inflation gas inlet opening and the plurality of valve outlets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An inflatable airbag cushion assembly for inflation to protect one or more occupants of a vehicle, said airbag cushion assembly having a first airbag chamber deployable in a front direction in the vehicle and a second airbag chamber deployable in a second direction in said vehicle, said first and second airbag chambers connected to a common inflation gas source by first and second inflation gas inlet openings in a panel of said respective chambers;
- said first and second inflation gas inlet openings defining first and second areas, respectively;
first and second check valves for permitting inflation gas to be received into said first and second airbag chambers, respectively, from the common inflation gas source through the inflation gas inlet openings and for preventing flow of inflation gas back through said inflation gas inlet openings; said first check valve comprising; an essentially gas impermeable main fabric panel located internally on a panel of said first airbag chamber and overlaying said first inflation gas inlet opening, said main fabric panel of said first check valve having a periphery encompassing an area greater than the area defined by the first inflation gas inlet opening for completely closing said first inflation gas inlet opening when overlaying said first inflation gas inlet opening and being in contact with the panel of the first airbag chamber; the periphery of said main fabric panel of said first check valve having a plurality of fabric tabs extending radially outwardly from a portion of said periphery of said main fabric panel through an intermediate tab portion to a distal end portion;
the distal end portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs non-rupturably secured to the panel of the first airbag chamber around and radially outwardly from the first inflation gas inlet opening;
the intermediate tab portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs comprising a pleatable fabric portion for permitting the main fabric panel of the first check valve to move between a first position wherein the intermediate tab portion of each fabric tab is pleated and the main fabric panel overlays and closes the first inflation gas inlet opening and, a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of said each fabric tab is unpleated and extended such that the main fabric panel is spaced apart from the first inflation gas inlet opening wherein a plurality of first valve outlets are defined between the extended intermediate tab portions of said first valve to permit inflation gas to enter the first airbag chamber of the inflatable airbag cushion through the first inflation gas inlet opening and the plurality of first valve outlets; andsaid second check valve comprising; an essentially gas impermeable main fabric panel located internally on a panel of said second airbag chamber and overlaying said second inflation gas inlet opening, said main fabric panel of said second check valve having a periphery encompassing an area greater than the area defined by the second inflation gas inlet opening for completely closing said second inflation gas inlet opening when overlaying said second inflation gas inlet opening and being in contact with the panel of said second airbag chamber; the periphery of said main fabric panel of said second check valve having a plurality of fabric tabs extending radially outwardly from a portion of said periphery of said main fabric panel through an intermediate tab portion to a distal end portion;
the distal end portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs non-rupturably secured to the panel of the second airbag chamber around and radially outwardly from the second inflation gas inlet opening;
the intermediate tab portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs comprising a pleatable fabric portion for permitting the main fabric panel of the second check valve to move between a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of each fabric tab is pleated and the main fabric panel overlays and closes the second inflation gas inlet opening and, a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of said each fabric tab is unpleated and extended such that the main fabric panel is spaced apart from the second inflation gas inlet opening wherein a plurality of second valve outlets are defined between the extended intermediate tab portions of said second valve to permit inflation gas to enter the second airbag chamber of the inflatable airbag cushion through the second inflation gas inlet opening and the plurality of second valve outlets. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- said first and second inflation gas inlet openings defining first and second areas, respectively;
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21. An inflatable side-impact airbag cushion assembly for inflation to protect one or more occupants of a vehicle, said airbag cushion having a first airbag chamber deployable forwardly in the vehicle and a second airbag chamber deployable rearwardly in said vehicle, said first and second airbag chambers connected to a common inflation gas source by first and second inflation gas inlet openings in a panel of said respective chambers;
- said first and second inflation gas inlet openings defining first and second areas, respectively;
first and second check valves for permitting inflation gas to be received into said first and second airbag chambers, respectively, from the inflation gas source through the inflation gas inlet openings and for preventing flow of inflation gas back through said inflation gas inlet openings; said first check valve comprising; an essentially gas impermeable main fabric panel located internally on a panel of said first airbag chamber and overlaying said first inflation gas inlet opening, said main fabric panel of said first check valve having a periphery encompassing an area greater than the area defined by the first inflation gas inlet opening for completely closing off said first inflation gas inlet opening when overlaying said first inflation gas inlet opening and being in contact with the panel of the first airbag chamber; the periphery of said main fabric panel of said first check valve having a plurality of fabric tabs extending radially outwardly from a portion of said periphery of said main fabric panel through an intermediate tab portion to a distal end portion;
the distal end portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs non-rupturably secured to the panel of the first airbag chamber around and radially outwardly from the first inflation gas inlet opening;
the intermediate tab portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs comprising a pleatable fabric portion for permitting the main fabric panel of the first check valve to move between a first position wherein the intermediate tab portion of each fabric tab is pleated and the main fabric panel overlays and closes the first inflation gas inlet opening and, a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of said each fabric tab is unpleated and extended such that the main fabric panel is spaced apart from the first inflation gas inlet opening wherein a plurality of first valve outlets are defined between the extended intermediate tab portions of said first valve to permit inflation gas to enter the first airbag chamber of the inflatable airbag cushion through the first inflation gas inlet opening and the plurality of first valve outlets; andsaid second check valve comprising; an essentially gas impermeable main fabric panel located internally on a panel of said second airbag chamber and overlaying said second inflation gas inlet opening, said main fabric panel of said second check valve having a periphery encompassing an area greater than the area defined by the second inflation gas inlet opening for completely closing said second inflation gas inlet opening when overlaying said second inflation gas inlet opening and being in contact with the panel of said second airbag chamber; the periphery of said main fabric panel of said second check valve having a plurality of fabric tabs extending radially outwardly from a portion of said periphery of said main fabric panel through an intermediate tab portion to a distal end portion;
the distal end portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs non-rupturably secured to the panel of the second airbag chamber around and radially outwardly from the second inflation gas inlet opening;
the intermediate tab portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs comprising a pleatable fabric portion for permitting the main fabric panel of the second check valve to move between a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of each fabric tab is pleated and the main fabric panel overlays and closes the second inflation gas inlet opening and, a second position wherein the intermediate tab portion of said each fabric tab is unpleated and extended such that the main fabric panel is spaced apart from the second inflation gas inlet opening wherein a plurality of second valve outlets are defined between the extended intermediate tab portions of said second valve to permit inflation gas to enter the second airbag chamber of the inflatable airbag cushion through the second inflation gas inlet opening and the plurality of second valve outlets;the periphery of the main fabric panel of each the first and second check valves encompasses an area about 10% greater than the area defined by the first and second inflation gas inlet openings, respectively; the plurality of valve outlets of each of said first and second check valves, respectively, define, between their respective extended intermediate tab portions, a first and second total valve outlet area such that a ratio of said first total valve outlet area to the area defined by the periphery of the first inflation gas inlet opening is about 0.3 and a ratio of said second total valve outlet area to the area defined by the periphery of the second inflation gas inlet opening is about 0.3; the main fabric panels of the first and second check valves each have a generally longitudinally extended oval shape and the fabric tabs extending from the peripheries thereof each having a generally trapezoidal shape; and the distal end portion of each of said plurality of fabric tabs of said first end and second check valves non-rupturably secured to the panel of the airbag chamber associated with the respective check valve by stitching.
- said first and second inflation gas inlet openings defining first and second areas, respectively;
Specification