Airbag apparatus

• US 9,187,056 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Hae Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M
• Application Number:
  US14/656,779
• Time in Patent Office: 249 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

Disclosed is an airbag apparatus of which the deployment pressure is adjusted. To this end, according to the airbag apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a tether coupled to an airbag pulls a vent cover while being tightened by expansive force of the airbag so as to form a communicating hole, which is in communication with a vent hole, between the airbag and the vent cover, and allow the vent hole to be opened.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus comprising:

an airbag which is inflated when gas flows into the airbag, deployed forward toward an occupant, and has a vent hole through which the gas flowing into the airbag is discharged;

a vent cover which shields the vent hole and is coupled to the airbag; and

a tether which is coupled to the airbag, and pulls the vent cover while being tightened by expansive force of the airbag so as to form a communicating hole, which is in communication with the vent hole, between the airbag and the vent cover, and allow the vent hole to be opened.

2. The airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the airbag is pressed by the occupant after being fully inflated, the tether is loosened again, and the vent cover shields the vent hole again.

3. The airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vent cover is an elastic member that is extended when being pulled by the tether, and restored when the tether is loosened.

4. The airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vent hole includes a first vent hole formed at one side of the airbag, and a second vent hole formed at the other side of the airbag, and the vent cover includes a first vent cover which shields the first vent hole and is coupled to one side of the airbag, and a second vent cover which shields the second vent hole and is coupled to the other side of the airbag.

5. The airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tether is disposed to be movable forward and rearward between the airbag and the first vent cover and between the airbag and the second vent cover, a center in a longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a front surface of the airbag, and both ends of the tether are coupled to a rear surface of the airbag.

6. The airbag apparatus of claim 5, wherein the center in the longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a center in the left and right direction of the front surface of the airbag, and both of the ends of the tether are coupled to a center in the left and right direction of the rear surface of the airbag.

7. The airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tether is coupled to the first vent cover and the second vent cover, a center in a longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a front surface of the airbag, and both ends of the tether are coupled to a rear surface of the airbag.

8. The airbag apparatus of claim 7, wherein the center in the longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a center in a left and right direction of the front surface of the airbag, and both of the ends of the tether are coupled to a center in the left and right direction of the rear surface of the airbag.

9. The airbag apparatus of claim 7, wherein a portion of the tether, which is coupled to the first vent cover, is disposed between the airbag and the first vent cover, and a portion of the tether, which is coupled to the second vent cover, is disposed between the airbag and the second vent cover.

10. The airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein a center in a longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a front surface of the airbag, one end of the tether is coupled to the first vent cover, and the other end of the tether is coupled to the second vent cover.

11. The airbag apparatus of claim 10, wherein the center in the longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a center in a left and right direction of the front surface of the airbag.

12. The airbag apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one end of the tether is disposed between the airbag and the first vent cover, and the other end of the tether is disposed between the airbag and the second vent cover.

13. The airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein a center in a longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a rear surface of the airbag, one end of the tether is coupled to the first vent cover, and the other end of the tether is coupled to the second vent cover.

14. The airbag apparatus of claim 13, wherein the center in the longitudinal direction of the tether is coupled to a center in a left and right direction of the rear surface of the airbag.

15. The airbag apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one end of the tether is disposed between the airbag and the first vent cover, and the other end of the tether is disposed between the airbag and the second vent cover.

16. The airbag apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tether includes:

a first tether which has one end coupled to a rear surface of the airbag, and the other end coupled to the first vent cover; and

a second tether which has one end coupled to a front surface of the airbag, and the other end coupled to the second vent cover.

17. The airbag apparatus of claim 16, wherein one end of the first tether is coupled to a center in a left and right direction of the rear surface of the airbag, and one end of the second tether is coupled to a center in the left and right direction of the front surface of the airbag.

18. The airbag apparatus of claim 16, wherein the other end of the first tether is disposed between the airbag and the first vent cover, and the other end of the second tether is disposed between the airbag and the second vent cover.