Apparatus and method for controlling an inflatable cushion
First Claim
1. An air bag module, comprising:
- a housing having at least one vent opening;
an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in said housing;
an inflator for inflating said inflatable cushion, said inflator being in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion;
a deployable member being configured to cover said at least one vent opening;
a tether element being secured to said inflatable cushion at one end and said deployable member at the other;
an actuator adapted to restrain or release said tether element wherein said deployable member is pulled away from said at least one vent opening by said tether element when said actuator releases said tether, wherein said at least one vent opening is in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion when said deployable member is pulled away.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag module, having a housing with at least one vent opening; an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in the housing; an inflator for inflating the inflatable cushion, the inflator being in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion; a deployable member being configured to cover the at least one vent opening; a tether element being secured to the inflatable cushion at one end and the deployable member at the other; an actuator adapted to restrain or release the tether element wherein the deployable member is pulled away from the at least one vent opening when the actuator releases the tether, the at least one vent opening is in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion when the deployable member is pulled away.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An air bag module, comprising:
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a housing having at least one vent opening;
an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in said housing;
an inflator for inflating said inflatable cushion, said inflator being in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion;
a deployable member being configured to cover said at least one vent opening;
a tether element being secured to said inflatable cushion at one end and said deployable member at the other;
an actuator adapted to restrain or release said tether element wherein said deployable member is pulled away from said at least one vent opening by said tether element when said actuator releases said tether, wherein said at least one vent opening is in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion when said deployable member is pulled away. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An air bag module, comprising:
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a housing having at least one vent opening;
an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in said housing;
an inflator for inflating said inflatable cushion, said inflator being in fluid communication with said inflatable cushion;
a deployable member being configured to cover said at least one vent opening;
a means for restraining or not restraining said inflatable cushion during deployment;
wherein said deployable member is pulled away from said at least one vent opening by a tether when said inflatable cushion is not restrained and said at least one vent opening is in fluid communication with the interior of said inflatable cushion.
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19. A method for varying the venting of an inflatable cushion of an airbag module, comprising:
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restraining a releasable element, said releasable element being secured to a deployable member configured to cover venting apertures of the airbag module; and
determining whether to restrain or release said releasable element by receiving a plurality of inputs from a plurality of sensors configured and positioned to provide data corresponding to a vehicle occupant, wherein the inflation forces of the inflatable cushion cause said releasable element to remove said deployable member from said venting apertures when said releasable element is released.
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Specification