Air bag module with variable inflation

• US 6,039,346 A
• Filed: 01/17/1997
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Webber, James Lloyd, Borowski, Joachim, Ryan, Shawn Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/785,562
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 280/739, 280/736, 280/738, 280/742, 280/735
• US Class Current: 280/736
• 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 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• 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 module includes an air bag and an inflator being activatable to discharge inflator gas for inflating the air bag. The inflator has at least one discharge port through which inflator gas is discharged. A housing has a wall adjacent the discharge port of the inflator and includes at least one vent opening. The module also includes a movable member alignable with the vent opening. The movable member is movable relative to the vent opening for opening and closing the vent opening at a predetermined time during inflator activation to control the amount of inflator gas discharged into the air bag and the amount of inflator gas expelled out through the vent opening of the housing. A device is activatable during activation of the inflator to move the movable member relative to the vent opening at the predetermined time during inflator activation.

Claims

1. An air bag module for restraint of an occupant in a vehicle, the air bag module comprising:

an air bag;

an inflator being activatable to discharge inflator gas for inflating the air bag, the inflator having a predetermined number of discharge ports through which inflator gas is discharged and through which the level of inflation gas into the air bag can be varied;

a housing having a wall adjacent the discharge port of the inflator, the housing including a predetermined number of vent openings equal to the number of discharge ports through which the level of inflation gas into the air bag can be varied;

a movable member alignable with the vent openings, the movable member being movable relative to the vent openings for opening and closing the vent openings at a predetermined time during inflator activation to control the amount of inflator gas discharged into the air bag and the amount of inflator gas expelled out through the vent openings of the housing; and

a device being activatable during activation of the inflator to move the movable member relative to the vent openings at the predetermined time during inflator activation;

the vent openings on the housing and the discharge ports on the inflator being directly aligned with each other such that substantially all of the inflator gas discharged from the predetermined number of discharge ports through which the level of inflation gas into the air bag can be varied is expelled out through the vent openings when the movable member is positioned for opening the vent openings.

2. The air bag module of claim 1 wherein the vent openings are substantially sized and shaped to match the discharge ports on the inflator.