Air bag module emergency venting system

• US 6,206,408 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schneider, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US09/237,015
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/739, 280/740
• US Class Current: 280/728.1
• 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 safety system with an emergency venting assembly. The air bag system includes an air bag cushion, an inflator assembly and a cover that is movably attached to the inflator assembly. The inflator assembly includes an inflator and a housing with a side wall assembly configured to cooperate with the cover. The side wall assembly comprises an inner wall having a hole formed therein and an outer wall. The cover is movably attached to the inflator assembly. The cover has a side wall with an emergency relief vent formed therein. The cover further has a first position and a second position such that when the cover is in the first position the emergency relief vent on the side wall of the cover is substantially aligned with the hole in the inner wall of the housing so as to allow the inflation fluid to exit the inflator assembly. When the cover moves to the second position the cover has been laterally displaced in relation to the inflator assembly such that the emergency relief vents in the side wall of the cover and the hole in the inner wall of the housing are no longer aligned thereby forcing the inflation fluid into the air bag. The displacement of said cover from the first position to the second position reduces the force with which the air bag cushion breaks through the cover. The emergency venting assembly also includes an attachment assembly that is configured to attach the cover to the inflator assembly such that the cover can slidably move from the first position to the second position. The attachment assembly comprises a cover retention feature that is connected to inner wall of the side wall assembly of the housing and extends outwardly therefrom and a slide channel formed in the side wall of the cover. The slide channel is sized and configured to cooperate with the cover retention feature so as to allow the cover to move between the first position and the second position.

Claims

1. An air bag system that comprises:

(a) an air bag cushion;

(b) an inflator assembly for rapidly providing said air bag cushion with an inflation fluid, said inflator assembly having a hole formed therethrough; and

(c) a cover movably attached to said inflator assembly said cover having a first position and a second position in which said cover is displaced in relation to said inflator by the force of said inflation fluid prior to rupturing of said cover, thereby reducing the force with which said air bag cushion breaks through said cover, said cover fixer comprising an emergency relief vent formed therethrough, said emergency relief vent in said cover and said hole in said inflator assembly being substantially aligned when said cover is in said first position so as to allow said inflation fluid to escape said inflator assembly upon an out-of-position occupant being encountered.

2. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 1, wherein said inflator assembly is configured to cooperate with said cover.

3. All air bag safety system as recited in claim 2, wherein said inflator assembly and said cover are movably connected such that said cover moves between said first position and said second position.

4. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 1, wherein said emergency relief vent and said hole in said inflator assembly are configured such that as said cover moves from said first position to said second position, said emergency relief vent and said cover are no longer aligned thereby forcing said inflation fluid into said air bag cushion.

5. An air bag system that comprises:

(a) an air bag cushion;

(b) an inflator assembly attached to said air bag cushion, said inflator assembly being configured to rapidly provide said air bag cushion an inflation fluid;

(c) a cover movably attached to said inflator assembly, said cover having a first position and a second position in which said cover is displaced in relation to said inflator assembly by the force of said inflation fluid, said inflator assembly extending toward said cover and having a hole formed therethrough said covering having an emergency relief vent formed therethrough, said emergency relief vent and said hole in said inflator being aligned when said cover is in said first position so as to allow said inflation fluid to escape said inflator assembly upon an out-of-position occupant being encountered, thereby reducing the force with which said air bag cushion breaks through said cover.

6. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 5, wherein said inflator assembly and said cover are sliding attached such that said cover slides between said first position and said second position.

7. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 5, further comprising attachment means for attaching said cover to said inflator assembly such that said cover is displaced between said first position and said second position.

8. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 7, wherein said attachment means comprises:

(a) a cover retention feature; and

(b) a slide channel sized and configured to cooperate with said cover retention feature so as to allow said cover to move between said first position and said second position upon actuation of said inflator assembly.

9. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 5, wherein said inflator assembly comprises a housing and an inflator disposed therein.

10. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 9, wherein said housing includes a side wall assembly configured to cooperate with said cover.

11. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 5, wherein said emergency relief vent and said hole in said inflator assembly are configured such that as said cover moves from said first position to said second position, said emergency relief vent in said cover and said hole in said side wall assembly are no longer aligned thereby forcing said inflation fluid into said air bag cushion.

12. An air bag safety system that comprises:

(a) an air bag cushion;

(b) an inflator assembly attached to said air bag cushion, said inflator assembly comprising a housing and an inflator configured to rapidly provide said air bag cushion with an inflation fluid, said housing having a hole formed therein; and

(c) a cover slidably attached to said housing, said cover having an emergency relief vent formed therein, said cover having a first position and a second position such that when said cover is in said first position said emergency relief vent is aligned with said hole in said housing so as to allow said inflation fluid to exit said inflator assembly and when said cover is in said second position said cover has been laterally displaced in relation to said inflator assembly such that said emergency relief vent and said hole in said housing are no longer aligned, thereby reducing the force with which said air bag cushion breaks through said cover.

13. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 12, further comprising an attachment assembly configured to attach said cover to said inflator assembly such that said cover can slidably move from said first position to said second position.

14. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 13, wherein said attachment means comprises:

(a) a cover retention feature connected to said housing and extending outwardly therefrom; and

(b) a slide channel formed in said cover, said slide channel being sized and configured to cooperate with said cover retention feature so as to allow said cover to move between said first position and said second position.

15. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 14, wherein said housing includes a side wall assembly configured to cooperate with said cover, said side wall assembly extending toward said cover and having said hole formed therein.

16. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 14, wherein said slide channel has a tear bar formed therein, said tear bar extending laterally across said slide channel.

17. An air bag safety system as recited in claim 12, wherein as said cover moves from said first position to said second position said emergency relief vent in said cover and said hole in said side wall assembly are no longer aligned, thereby forcing said inflation fluid into said air bag cushion.

18. An emergency venting assembly for an air bag safety system, said emergency venting system comprising:

(a) an inflator assembly having a hole formed therethrough; and

(b) a cover movably attached to said inflator assembly, said cover having a emergency relief vent formed therein, said cover further having a first position and a second position such that when said cover is in said first position said emergency relief vent is substantially aligned with said hole in said inflator assembly so as to allow said inflation fluid to exit the air bag safety system and when said cover moves to said second position said cover has been laterally displaced in relation to said inflator assembly and said emergency relief vents and said hole in said inflator assembly are no longer aligned forcing the inflation fluid into the air bag, said cover being configured such that said displacement of said cover from said first position to said second position reduces the force with which said air bag cushion breaks through said cover.

19. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 18, wherein said inflator assembly and said cover are sliding attached such that said cover slides between said first position and said second position.

20. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 18, further comprising attachment means for attaching said cover to said inflator assembly such that said cover is displaced in relation to said inflator assembly.

21. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 20, wherein said attachment means comprises:

(a) a cover retention feature; and

(b) a slide channel sized and configured to cooperate with said cover retention feature so as to allow said cover to slidingly move between said first position and said second position upon actuation of said inflator assembly.

22. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said inflator assembly comprises a housing and an inflator disposed therein.

24. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 18, wherein said side wall assembly comprises:

(a) an inner wall having said hole formed therethrough; and

(b) an outer wall, said inner wall and said outer wall defining channel therebetween configured to receive the remote end of said cover therein.

23. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein said housing includes a side wall assembly configured to cooperate with said cover.

25. An emergency venting assembly for an air bag safety system, said emergency venting system comprising:

(a) an inflator assembly comprising a housing and an inflator, said housing having a hole formed therethrough; and

(b) a cover movably attached to said inflator assembly, said cover having a side wall extending toward said housing, said side wall having an emergency relief vent formed therein, said cover further having a first position and a second position such that when said cover is in said first position said emergency relief vent is substantially aligned with said hole in said housing so as to allow said inflation fluid to exit said inflator assembly and when said cover moves to said second position said cover has been laterally displaced in relation to said inflator assembly such that said emergency relief vents in said cover and said hole in said housing are no longer aligned so as to force said inflation fluid into the air bag, said cover being configured such that said displacement of said cover from said first position to said second position reduces the force with which said air bag cushion breaks through said cover.

26. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 25, further comprising an attachment assembly configured to attach said cover to said inflator assembly such that said cover can slidably move from said first position to said second position.

27. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 25, wherein said attachment assembly comprises:

(a) a cover retention feature connected to said housing and extending outwardly therefrom; and

(b) a slide channel formed in said side wall of said cover, said slide channel being sized and configured to cooperate with said cover retention feature so as to allow said cover to slidingly move between said first position and said second position.

28. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 29, wherein said housing includes a side wall assembly configured to cooperate with said cover, said side wall assembly extending toward said cover and having said hole formed therein.

29. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein said side wall assembly of said housing comprises:

(a) an inner wall having said hole formed therein; and

(b) an outer wall, said outer wall and said inner wall defining a channel to receive the remote end of said side wall of said cover therein.

30. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein said cover retention feature is attached to said inner wall.

31. An emergency venting assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein said slide channel has a tear bar formed therein, said tear bar extending across said slide channel to prevent inadvertent movement of said cover.