Vented air bag
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device;
a vent opening for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume;
a pleat folded in the panel, the pleat being positioned against a vehicle surface while the protection device is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening; and
a connection that interconnects the panel with adjacent portions in the protection device to maintain the pleated configuration of the panel adjacent the connection during inflation, pleated portions of the panel spaced from the connection being capable of unfolding from the pleated configuration to vent inflation fluid through the vent opening.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) helps protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12). The apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) that includes panel (100) of material that helps define an inflatable volume (54) of the protection device. A vent opening (104) vents inflation fluid from the inflatable volume (54). A pleat (120) is folded in the panel (100). The pleat (120) is positioned against a vehicle surface (62) while the protection device (14) is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening (104).
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; a vent opening for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume; a pleat folded in the panel, the pleat being positioned against a vehicle surface while the protection device is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening; and a connection that interconnects the panel with adjacent portions in the protection device to maintain the pleated configuration of the panel adjacent the connection during inflation, pleated portions of the panel spaced from the connection being capable of unfolding from the pleated configuration to vent inflation fluid through the vent opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; a vent opening for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume; a pleat folded in the panel, the pleat being positioned against a vehicle surface while the protection device is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening; and a connection that interconnects the panel with adjacent portions of the protection device to help maintain the pleated configuration of the panel adjacent the connection, pleated portions of the panel spaced from the connection being capable of unfolding from the pleated configuration to vent inflation fluid through the vent opening, wherein the vent opening is at least partially defined by an edge portion of the panel, the edge portion being folded in the pleat. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; a vent opening for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume; and a pleat folded in the panel, the pleat being positioned against a vehicle surface while the protection device is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening, wherein the vent opening is at least partially defined by an edge portion of the panel, the edge portion being folded in the pleat, and wherein the edge portion is defined by a notch in the panel.
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13. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; a vent opening for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume; and a pleat folded in the panel, the pleat being positioned against a vehicle surface while the protection device is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening, wherein the vent opening is at least partially defined by an edge portion of the panel, the edge portion being folded in the pleat, and wherein the edge portion is defined by a slot in the panel.
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14. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; a vent opening for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume; a pleat folded in the panel, the pleat being positioned against a vehicle surface while the protection device is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening; and a connection that interconnects the panel with adjacent portions of the protection device to help maintain the pleated configuration of the panel adjacent the connection, pleated portions of the panel spaced from the connection being capable of unfolding from the pleated configuration to vent inflation fluid through the vent opening, wherein the vent opening is configured as an elongated slot in the panel, the panel comprising a first edge portion extending along a first side of the slot and a second edge portion extending along a second side of the slot, the pleat extending across the first and second edge portions, the connection maintaining the pleat in the first edge portion, the second edge portion being capable of unfolding from the pleated condition to place the vent opening in an open condition venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume.
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15. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; a vent opening for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume; a pleat folded in the panel, the pleat being positioned against a vehicle surface while the protection device is in a normally deployed condition to help block inflation fluid from venting through the vent opening; and a connection that interconnects the panel with adjacent portions of the protection device to help maintain the pleated configuration of the panel adjacent the connection, pleated portions of the panel spaced from the connection being capable of unfolding from the pleated configuration to vent inflation fluid through the vent opening, wherein the vent opening is configured as an elongated notch in the panel, the panel comprising opposite end portions extending along opposite ends of the notch and an edge portion extending along the length of the notch between the end portions, the edge portion being folded in the pleat thus positioning the end portions relative to each other a distance shorter than the length of the edge portion, the connections fixing the relative positions of the end portions, the edge portion being capable of unfolding from the pleated condition to place the vent opening in an open condition venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume.
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16. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising a panel of material that helps define an inflatable volume of the protection device; a vent opening comprising a notch in the panel, the panel comprising opposite end portions extending along opposite ends of the notch and an edge portion extending along the length of the notch between the end portions; a pleat folded in the panel, the edge portion being folded in the pleat thus positioning the end portions relative to each other a distance shorter than the length of the edge portion; and a connection interconnecting the end portions with adjacent panel portions of the protection device, the connection fixing the relative positions of the end portions, the edge portion being capable of unfolding from the pleated condition to place the vent opening in an open condition for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume.
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Specification