Active airbag vent system

• US 9,925,950 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmSafe, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AmSafe, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moeller, Trenton Dirk, Foubert, Daniel Nick, Humbert, Todd Joseph, Settles, Peter Anthony, Shields, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US15/096,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20160297396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01231 control of expansion timing or sequence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/263 using a variable source, e.g. plural stage or controlled output hybrid inflators B60R21/272
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2201/00 Airbags mounted in aircraft for any use
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/00 Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for parachutes B64D17/00, B64D19/00; jettisoning of fuel tanks or fuel per se B64D37/00; specially adapted for protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems B64D45/0015 ; safety belts or body harnesses in general A62B35/00; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape B64C

Abstract

Active airbag vent systems and associated systems and methods are described herein. An airbag system having an active vent configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, a first inflator operably coupled to a first hose for inflating an airbag in response to a rapid deceleration event. The airbag system can further include a second inflator operably coupled to a second hose configured to release a vent or seam on the airbag to rapidly deflate the airbag after initial deployment of the airbag.

Claims

1. An active vent airbag system, comprising:

an airbag having an active vent;

a first inflator;

a second inflator;

a first hose operably coupling the first inflator to the airbag, wherein initiation of the first inflator releases gas into the airbag from the first inflator via the first hose to inflate the airbag; and

a second hose operably coupling the second inflator to the active vent, wherein the active vent remains closed during initial inflation of the airbag via the first hose, wherein initiation of the second inflator after the initial inflation of the airbag is based on a pressure within the airbag, and wherein the initiation of the second inflator releases gas into the second hose to open the active vent and reduce the pressure within the airbag.

2. The active vent airbag system of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronics assembly communicatively coupled to the first and second inflators, wherein

the electronics assembly is configured to transmit a first signal to the first inflator to initiate the first inflator in response to a dynamic event, and

the electronics assembly is further configured to transmit a second signal to the second inflator to initiate the second inflator based on the pressure within the airbag.

3. The active vent airbag system of claim 1 wherein the airbag is a first airbag, and wherein the active vent airbag system further comprises:

a second airbag within the first airbag, wherein the second hose connects the second inflator to the second airbag to deliver gas from the second inflator to the second airbag when the second inflator is initiated, and wherein the second inflator is configured to overinflate the second airbag; and

a seam sealing a portion of the first airbag and a portion of the second airbag during initial inflation of the first airbag, wherein the seam is configured to rupture upon inflation of the second airbag.

4. An active vent airbag system comprising:

an airbag having an active vent;

a first inflator;

a second inflator;

a first hose operably coupling the first inflator to the airbag, wherein initiation of the first inflator releases gas into the airbag from the first inflator via the first hose to inflate the airbag;

a second hose operably coupling the second inflator to the active vent, wherein the active vent remains closed during initial inflation of the airbag via the first hose, and wherein initiation of the second inflator after initial inflation of the airbag releases gas into the second hose to open the active vent and reduce pressure within the airbag;

an electronics assembly communicatively coupled to the first and second inflators, wherein

the electronics assembly is configured to transmit a first signal to the first inflator to initiate deployment of the airbag, and

the electronics assembly is further configured to transmit a second signal to the second inflator to initiate the second inflator; and

a pressure sensor configured to detect internal pressure of the airbag, wherein the electronics module assembly is configured to transmit the second signal when the internal pressure reaches a predetermined level.

5. A method for venting an airbag, the method comprising:

providing an airbag system, the airbag system including

a first airbag having a first panel and a second panel;

a second airbag within the first airbag and having a third panel; and

a common seam joining the first, second and third panels and sealing the first and second airbags;

detecting a crash event with an electronics assembly of the airbag system;

sending a first signal from the electronics assembly to initiate a first inflator, wherein initiation of the first inflator inflates the first airbag; and

sending a second signal from the electronics assembly to initiate a second inflator, wherein the second signal is transmitted after the first signal, and wherein initiation of the second inflator inflates the second airbag and opens the common seam to reduce pressure within the first airbag.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second signal is transmitted after a predetermined time period after the first signal, initiation of the first inflator, the crash event, or deployment of the first airbag.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the second signal is transmitted after detection of a position of a seat occupant relative to at least one of the first airbag, a seat, or a monument surrounding the seat occupant.

8. A method for venting an airbag, the method comprising:

detecting a crash event with an electronics assembly of an airbag system;

sending a first signal from the electronics assembly to initiate a first inflator, wherein initiation of the first inflator inflates an airbag; and

sending a second signal from the electronics assembly to initiate a second inflator, wherein the second signal is transmitted after the first signal, wherein initiation of the second inflator releases gas into a hose to open a vent and reduce pressure within the airbag, and wherein the second signal is transmitted after detection of an internal pressure within the airbag above a predetermined level.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the airbag is a first airbag, wherein releasing gas into the hose inflates a second airbag within the first airbag, wherein inflating the second airbag causes the vent to open by rupturing a seam sealing the first and second airbags.

10. An airbag system, comprising:

an airbag having an active vent;

a first inflator operably coupled to the airbag, wherein initiation of the first inflator releases gas from the first inflator to inflate the airbag; and

a second inflator operably coupled to the active vent, wherein the active vent remains closed during inflation of the airbag, wherein initiation of the second inflator (a) occurs after the initiation of the first inflator, (b) is based on internal pressure of the airbag, and (c) releases gas from the second inflator to open the active vent and reduce the internal pressure within the airbag.

11. The airbag system of claim 10, further comprising:

a first hose operably coupling the first inflator to the airbag, wherein the first hose delivers the gas from the first inflator to the airbag; and

a second hose operably coupling the second inflator to the active vent, wherein the second hose delivers the gas from the second inflator to the active vent.

12. The airbag system of claim 10 wherein the airbag is a first airbag, and wherein the active vent includes a second airbag operably coupled to the second inflator.

13. The airbag system of claim 12 wherein the gas released from the second inflator at least partially ruptures the second airbag to open the active vent.

14. The airbag system of claim 10 wherein the airbag is a first airbag, and wherein the active vent includes a second airbag operably disposed at least partially within the first airbag and operably coupled to the second inflator.