Venting device of air bag system

• US 6,017,056 A
• Filed: 12/03/1997
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Ju-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Application Number:
  US08/984,051
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 280/739, 280/738, 280/736, 280/742, 280/731, 280/735
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

An air bag system having an air bag, an impact sensor, and a calculator, including vent holes formed at a joint of the air bag and an inflator to communicate with the air bag; and vent hole opening control means for regulating the opening of the respective vent holes. The vent hole opening control means has a rotor with a plurality of slots formed along a circumference to overlap the vent holes, and a gear extending to the outside; a stepping motor engaging with the gear of the rotor to drive the rotor by stages; bearings provided to the inflator coupling disc to support the free rotation of the rotor; and a compression ring for making the bearings contact the rotor.

Claims

1. An air bag system comprising:

an air bag, an inflator, an impact sensor, a calculator, vent holes formed at a joint of the air bag and the inflator to communicate with the air bag, the vent holes being formed in a peripheral array; and

vent hole opening control means for regulating the opening of the respective vent holes,

wherein the vent holes are formed along a circumference at each of (a) an inner panel provided to an inside of the air bag, (b) a coupling part of the air bag, (c) an outer panel connected with an air bag door, and (d) an inflator coupling disc.

2. The air bag system according to claim 1, wherein the vent hole opening control means comprises:

a rotor having a plurality of slots formed along a circumference of the rotor to overlap the vent holes;

a gear formed on the rotor extending outside the circumference of the rotor; and

a stepping motor engaging with the gear of the rotor to drive the rotor by stages.

3. The air bag system according to claim 2, wherein the vent hole opening control means further comprises:

bearings contacted to the inflator coupling disc to support the free rotation of the rotor; and

a compression ring for making the bearings contact the rotor.

4. An air bag system comprising:

an air bag having an inside and an outside;

an inflator;

an impact sensor;

a calculator;

an inner panel contacting the inside of the air bag;

an outer panel contacting the outside of the air bag;

vent holes formed in the inner panel and the outer panel at a joint of the air bag and the inflator to communicate with the air bag, the vent holes being formed in a circular array along a circumference of the inner panel and the outer panel; and

vent hole opening control means for regulating the opening of the respective vent holes;

wherein the vent holes consecutively formed along the circumference of the inner panel, a coupling part of the air bag, the outer panel and an inflator coupling disc, are all aligned so that the holes are open;

wherein the vent hole opening control means comprises a rotor having a plurality of slots formed along a circumference to overlap the vent holes, a gear formed on the rotor extending outside the circumference of the rotor, and a stepping motor engaging with the gear of the rotor to drive the rotor by stages;

wherein the vent hole opening control means further comprises bearings contacted to the inflator coupling disc to support the free rotation of the rotor, and

a compression ring for making the bearings contact the rotor.

5. A method for protecting passengers against the impact of a collision, which comprises:

providing an automotive vehicle equipped with the air bag system of claim 4 with the vent holes closed by the rotor, a collision velocity sensor, and an electronic control unit (ECU);

detecting a collision of the automotive vehicle with the collision velocity sensor;

inflating the air bag;

calculating a predetermined angle of rotation of the stepping motor based upon collision velocity, said calculation being performed by the ECU;

allowing a time interval after the collision to elapse; and

activating the stepping motor to turn the rotor through the predetermined angle of rotation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the time interval is 50 msec.

7. A gas venting system comprising:

a gas container;

an inflator;

vent holes formed at a joint of the gas container and the inflator to communicate with the gas container, the vent holes being formed in a peripheral array; and

vent hole opening control means for regulating the opening of the respective vent holes,

wherein the vent holes are formed along a circumference at each of

(a) an inner panel provided to an inside of the gas container,

(b) a coupling part of the gas container,

(c) an outer panel connected with a gas container door, and

(d) an inflator coupling disc.

8. The gas venting system according to claim 7, wherein the vent hole opening control means comprises:

a rotor having a plurality of slots formed along a circumference to overlap the vent holes;

a gear formed on the rotor extending outside the circumference of the rotor; and

a stepping motor engaging with the gear of the rotor so as to drive the rotor by stages.

9. The gas venting system according to claim 8, wherein the vent hole opening control means further comprises:

bearings contacted to the inflator coupling disc to support the free rotation of the rotor; and

a compression ring for making the bearings contact the rotor.

10. The gas venting system according to claim 7 wherein the gas container is a bag.