Air bag with adaptive vent
First Claim
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a front panel presented towards the occupant and being inflatable between a vehicle surface and the occupant;
a vent for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device, the vent having an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition, the vent being in the non-actuated condition prior to deployment of the protection device;
a vent tether having a first end connected to the vent and a second end having a releasable connection with the protection device; and
a trigger tether having a first end connected to the front panel and a second end connected to the protection device at the releasable connection;
wherein the trigger tether is slackened when the protection device deploys less than a predetermined degree such that the releasable connection remains intact to allow the vent tether to place the vent in the actuated condition, deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree tensioning the trigger tether to release the releasable connection such that the vent remains in the non-actuated condition.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) including a protection device (14) has a front panel (74) presented towards an occupant (20, 20a) and is inflatable between a vehicle surface (36, 38) and the occupant (20, 20a). A vent (100) releases inflation fluid from the protection device (14). The vent (100) has an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition prior to deployment of the protection device (14). A vent tether (154, 168) has a first end secured to the vent (100) end a second end having a releasable connection (153) with the protection device (14). A trigger tether (152,162) has a first end connected to the front panel (74) and a second end connected to the protection device (14) at the releasable connection (158). The trigger tether (152,162) Is slackened when the protection device (14) deploys less than a predetermined degree such that the releasable connection (158) remains intact to allow the vent tether (154,168) to place the vent (100) in the actuated condition. Deployment of the protection device (14) to the predetermined degree tensioning the trigger tether (152,162) to release the releasable connection (158) such that the vent (100) remains in the non-actuated condition.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a front panel presented towards the occupant and being inflatable between a vehicle surface and the occupant; a vent for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device, the vent having an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition, the vent being in the non-actuated condition prior to deployment of the protection device; a vent tether having a first end connected to the vent and a second end having a releasable connection with the protection device; and a trigger tether having a first end connected to the front panel and a second end connected to the protection device at the releasable connection; wherein the trigger tether is slackened when the protection device deploys less than a predetermined degree such that the releasable connection remains intact to allow the vent tether to place the vent in the actuated condition, deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree tensioning the trigger tether to release the releasable connection such that the vent remains in the non-actuated condition. - 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. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a front panel presented towards the occupant and being inflatable between a vehicle surface and the occupant; a vent for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device, the vent having an actuated condition releasing inflation fluid from the protection device and a non-actuated condition preventing the release of inflation fluid from the protection device, the vent being in the non-actuated condition prior to deployment of the protection device; a vent tether having a first end secured to the vent and a second end connected with a rear panel of the protection device opposite the front panel by rupturable tear stitching; and a trigger tether integrally formed with the vent tether and having a first end secured to the front panel and a second end connected to the protection device by the rupturable tear stitching; wherein the trigger tether is slackened when the protection device deploys less than a predetermined degree such that the tear stitching remains intact to allow the vent tether to place the vent in the actuated condition, deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree tensioning the trigger tether to rupture the tear stitching such that the vent remains in the non-actuated condition.
-
-
25. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle comprising:
-
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a front panel presented towards the occupant and being inflatable between a vehicle surface and the occupant; a vent for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device, the vent having an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition, the vent being in the non-actuated condition prior to deployment of the protection device; a vent tether having a first end connected to the vent and a second end having a releasable connection with the protection device; and a trigger tether having a first end connected to the front panel and a second end connected to the protection device at the releasable connection; wherein the trigger tether is slackened when the protection device deploys less than a predetermined degree such that the releasable connection remains intact to allow the vent to remain in the non-actuated condition, deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree tensioning the trigger tether to release the releasable connection such that the vent tether moves to the actuated condition.
-
Specification