Air bag module with vent
First Claim
1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
an inflator actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a retainer connected with said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for retaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in said apparatus;
one of said inflator and said retainer being movable between a first condition blocking venting of inflation fluid from said apparatus and a second condition venting inflation fluid from said apparatus;
an electrically energizable mechanism to release said one of said inflator and said retainer for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus; and
vehicle electric circuitry including a sensor for sensing at least one occupant condition or vehicle condition and a controller responsive to said sensor for controlling said electrically energizable mechanism.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant. An inflator (14) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate the protection device (12). A retainer (40) is connected with the protection device (12). One of the inflator (14) and the retainer (40) is movable between a first condition blocking venting of inflation fluid from the apparatus (10) and a second condition venting inflation fluid from the apparatus. The apparatus (10) includes an electrically energizable mechanism (80) to release the one of the inflator (14) and the retainer (40) for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from the apparatus. The apparatus (10) also includes vehicle electric circuitry (90) including a sensor (92) for sensing at least one occupant condition or vehicle condition and a controller (100) responsive to the sensor for controlling the electrically energizable mechanism (80).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
an inflator actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a retainer connected with said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for retaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in said apparatus;
one of said inflator and said retainer being movable between a first condition blocking venting of inflation fluid from said apparatus and a second condition venting inflation fluid from said apparatus;
an electrically energizable mechanism to release said one of said inflator and said retainer for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus; and
vehicle electric circuitry including a sensor for sensing at least one occupant condition or vehicle condition and a controller responsive to said sensor for controlling said electrically energizable mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
an inflator actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a retainer connected with said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for retaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in said apparatus;
one of said inflator and said retainer being movable between a first condition blocking venting of inflation fluid from said apparatus and a second condition venting inflation fluid from said apparatus;
an electrically energizable mechanism to release said one of said inflator and said retainer for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus; and
vehicle electric circuitry including a sensor for sensing at least one occupant condition or vehicle condition and a controller responsive to said sensor for controlling said electrically energizable mechanism;
wherein said electrically energizable mechanism has a first state in which it holds said one of said inflator and said retainer against movement from the first condition to the second condition thereby to block venting of inflation fluid from said apparatus, said mechanism being electrically energizable from the first state to a second state to release said one of said inflator and said retainer for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
an inflator actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a retainer connected with said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
one of said inflator and said retainer being movable between a first condition blocking venting of inflation fluid from said apparatus and a second condition venting inflation fluid from said apparatus;
an electrically energizable mechanism to release said one of said inflator and said retainer for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus; and
vehicle electric circuitry including a sensor for sensing at least one occupant condition or vehicle condition and a controller responsive to said sensor for controlling said electrically energizable mechanism, wherein said one of said inflator and said retainer that is movable is said inflator.
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20. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
an inflator actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
a retainer connected with said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for retaining said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in said apparatus;
one of said inflator and said retainer being movable, due to inflation fluid flow into said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, between a first condition blocking venting of inflation fluid from said apparatus and a second condition venting inflation fluid from said apparatus;
an electrically energizable mechanism to release said one of said inflator and said retainer for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus; and
vehicle electric circuitry including a sensor for sensing at least one occupant condition or vehicle condition and a controller responsive to said sensor for controlling said electrically energizable mechanism.
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Specification