Air bag
First Claim
1. An air bag, comprising:
- a. at least a first air bag cushion portion, wherein said at least a first air bag cushion portion comprises air bag material, and said at least a first air bag cushion portion comprises at least a first outboard boundary;
b. a first opening adapted to receive inflation gas from an air bag inflator;
c. a first duct operative between said first opening and a relatively distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion along an inside of said first outboard boundary of said first air bag cushion portion so as to provide for said fluid communication between said first opening and a first distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion;
d. a second opening in said first duct, wherein said second opening is located proximate to a proximal portion of said first duct relative to said first opening, and said second opening is adapted to provide for fluid communication between said first duct and an interior of said first air bag cushion portion;
e. a first valve element, wherein said first valve element is adapted to normally obstruct said second opening so as to inhibit a flow of said inflation gas therethrough; and
f. a first control element, wherein said first control element is operative between said first valve element and a first relatively distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion or said first duct, said first control element is adapted to provide for opening said first valve element when said first relatively distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion or said first duct is extended beyond a first threshold relative to said first opening.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A duct is operative along and inside an outboard boundary of an air bag is adapted to distribute inflation gas to a distal portion thereof. A proximal second opening in the duct provides for fluid communication between the duct and interior of the air bag, but is normally obstructed by a valve element. A control element provides for opening the valve element when the air bag is sufficiently inflated in the absence of an out-of-position occupant, so as to provide more rapidly inflating the air bag through the second opening. A relatively distal third opening in the duct provides for fluid communication between the duct and the interior of the air bag, and the air bag is vented from the duct through a relatively distal vent along an outboard boundary.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An air bag, comprising:
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a. at least a first air bag cushion portion, wherein said at least a first air bag cushion portion comprises air bag material, and said at least a first air bag cushion portion comprises at least a first outboard boundary; b. a first opening adapted to receive inflation gas from an air bag inflator; c. a first duct operative between said first opening and a relatively distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion along an inside of said first outboard boundary of said first air bag cushion portion so as to provide for said fluid communication between said first opening and a first distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion; d. a second opening in said first duct, wherein said second opening is located proximate to a proximal portion of said first duct relative to said first opening, and said second opening is adapted to provide for fluid communication between said first duct and an interior of said first air bag cushion portion; e. a first valve element, wherein said first valve element is adapted to normally obstruct said second opening so as to inhibit a flow of said inflation gas therethrough; and f. a first control element, wherein said first control element is operative between said first valve element and a first relatively distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion or said first duct, said first control element is adapted to provide for opening said first valve element when said first relatively distal portion of said first air bag cushion portion or said first duct is extended beyond a first threshold relative to said first opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification