Safety venting with passively closeable vents

• US 8,226,118 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rose, Larry D., Williams, Jeffrey D., Newkirk, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y
• Application Number:
  US12/536,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20110031725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23384 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

The airbag cushion has a passive venting system that remains open or transitions to a closed position depending on the impact of the airbag with an occupant and the position of the occupant. The venting system self closes upon deployment when an occupant is not out of position but remains open when an occupant is out of position. The venting system self closes due to cushion membrane tension.

Claims

1. An airbag module, comprising:

an inflatable airbag cushion comprising a cushion membrane which defines an interior of the inflatable airbag cushion, wherein the cushion has a front;

a closeable vent comprising a vent opening in the cushion membrane and a vent cover that extends over the vent opening; and

a cord that engages the vent cover, wherein the cord extends through a hole in the cushion membrane at the front of the airbag cushion such that a segment of the cord that terminates at an end is positioned outside of the airbag cushion before deployment of the airbag cushion;

wherein the cord is positioned to initially maintain the vent in an open position by distending the vent cover away from the vent opening, to continue maintaining the vent in the open position upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion with obstruction by continuing to distend the vent cover away from the vent opening, and to transition the vent to a closed position upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion without obstruction due to full inflation of the inflatable airbag cushion, which pulls the cord through the hole such that the vent cover can move due to cushion membrane tension and cover the vent opening to block the exit of inflation gas out of the vent opening.

2. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein, before deployment, the airbag cushion comprises folds and rolls such that the airbag cushion has a compact configuration, wherein the segment of the cord extending out of the hole in the cushion membrane is in a rolled portion of the airbag cushion that has also been folded, which results in a frictional retention of the cord to initially maintain the vent in an open position, and to resist transitioning the vent to the closed position until deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion without obstruction.

3. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the vent further comprises a side panel that is adjacent to the vent opening and is positioned to cooperate with the vent cover to block the exit of inflation gas out of the vent opening.

4. The airbag module of claim 3, wherein the side panel is not coupled to the cord.

5. The airbag module of claim 1, further comprising an additional closeable vent and an additional cord,

wherein the additional closeable vent is positioned at one of the opposing sides of the cushion opposite from the closeable vent, wherein the additional closeable vent comprises a vent opening in the cushion membrane and a vent cover that extends over the vent opening;

wherein the additional cord is attached to the vent cover of the additional closeable vent and extends out of an additional hole in the cushion membrane; and

wherein the additional cord is positioned to initially maintain the additional closeable vent in an open position by distending the vent cover of the additional closeable vent away from the vent opening, to continue maintaining the additional closeable vent in the open position upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion with obstruction by continuing to distend the vent cover of the additional closeable vent away from the vent opening of the additional closeable vent, and to transition the additional closeable vent to a closed position upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion without obstruction due to full inflation of the inflatable airbag cushion, which pulls the additional cord in the additional hole in the cushion membrane such that the vent cover of the additional closeable vent can move due to cushion membrane tension and cover the vent opening of the additional closeable vent to block the exit of inflation gas out of the vent opening of the additional closeable vent.

6. The airbag module of claim 1, further comprising an additional closeable vent positioned at one of the opposing sides of the cushion opposite from the closeable vent, wherein the additional closeable vent comprises a vent opening in the cushion membrane and a vent cover that extends over the vent opening;

wherein the cord extends from the vent cover of the closeable vent, through at least one hole in the vent cover of the additional closeable vent and out of the hole in the cushion membrane; and

wherein the cord is positioned to initially maintain the additional closeable vent in an open position by distending the vent cover of the additional closeable vent away from the vent opening, to continue maintaining the additional closeable vent in the open position upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion with obstruction by continuing to distend the vent cover of the additional closeable vent away from the vent opening of the additional closeable vent, and to transition the additional closeable vent to a closed position upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion without obstruction due to full inflation of the inflatable airbag cushion, which pulls the cord in the hole in the cushion membrane and in the hole of the vent cover of the additional closeable vent such that the vent cover of the additional closeable vent can move due to cushion membrane tension and cover the vent opening of the additional closeable vent to block the exit of inflation gas out of the vent opening of the additional closeable vent.

7. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the segment of the cord that terminates at an end and is positioned outside of the airbag cushion before deployment of the airbag cushion, is pulled through the hole in the cushion membrane and into the inflatable airbag cushion upon deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion without obstruction.