Air bag with vent

• US 6,773,030 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Fischer, Kurt F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/202,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20040017069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 280/734, 280/736, 280/739, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• 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 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) has a vent panel (40) defining a first vent opening (42) for enabling flow of inflation fluid out of the device. A vent strap (60) has a second vent opening (72) movable relative to the first vent opening (42). The vent strap (60) has opposite ends (62, 66) that are fixed when the protection device (10) is in the deflated condition. The vent strap (60) has slack (80) due to the length of the strap being greater than the distance between the locations where its opposite ends (62, 66) are fixed. One of the ends (66) of the vent strap (60) moves as the protection device (10) is inflated to remove the slack (80) and move the second vent opening (72) relative to the first vent opening (42).

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, said device having a vent panel defining a first vent opening for enabling flow of inflation fluid out of said device;

a vent strap having a second vent opening movable relative to said first vent opening;

said vent strap having opposite first and second ends that are fixed when said protection device is in the deflated condition;

said vent strap having slack due to the length of said strap being greater than the distance between the locations where its opposite ends are fixed;

one of said ends of said vent strap moving as said protection device is inflated to remove said slack and move said second vent opening relative to said first vent opening;

an actuatable holding mechanism for holding said one of said ends of said vent strap and, for when actuated, releasing said one of said ends of said vent strap to permit movement of said one of said ends of said vent strap; and

a sensor means for sensing a condition requiring actuation of said holding mechanism to permit movement of said one of said ends of said vent strap.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including an inflator for directing inflation fluid into said protection device to inflate said protection device, said first end of said vent strap being fixed adjacent said inflator and said second end of said vent strap being fixed to said vent panel, said second end of said vent strap moving with said vent panel upon inflation of said protection device away from said inflator when said device inflates.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second vent opening is movable relative to said first vent opening between a first position when said device is in the inflated condition in which said second vent opening is aligned with said first vent opening, and a second position when said device is in the inflated condition in which said second vent opening is not aligned with said first vent opening.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first and second vent openings are aligned when said device is in the deflated condition thereby to enable flow of inflation through said first vent opening.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first and second vent openings are not aligned when said device is in the deflated condition thereby to block flow of inflation through said first vent opening.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a tether in said protection device, said first end of said vent strap being fixed to said tether, said tether being tensioned upon inflation of said protection device beyond a predetermined amount to remove said slack from said vent strap to cause said second vent opening to move relative to said first vent opening.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further including an inflator for inflating said protection device, and wherein said first end of said vent strap is fixed to an intermediate portion of said tether at a location spaced apart from said inflator.

8. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, said device having a vent panel defining a first vent opening for enabling flow of inflation fluid out of said device;

a vent strap having a second vent opening movable relative to said first vent opening;

said vent strap having opposite first and second ends that are fixed when said protection device is in the deflated condition;

said vent strap having slack due to the length of said strap being greater than the distance between the locations where its opposite ends are fixed;

one of said ends of said vent strap moving as said protection device is inflated to remove said slack and move said second vent opening relative to said first vent opening;

sensor means for sensing a condition requiring venting of inflation fluid from said device when said device inflates; and

a holding mechanism having a first condition in response to said sensor means sensing a condition requiring venting of inflation fluid from said device and having a second condition in response to said sensor means not sensing a condition requiring venting of inflation fluid from said device;

said holding mechanism when in the first condition holding said second end of said vent strap with said second vent opening in the first position thereby enabling flow of inflation fluid out of said device through said first vent opening;

said holding mechanism when in the second condition releasing said second end of said vent strap for movement with said vent panel with said second vent opening in the second position when said device inflates.

9. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, said device having a vent panel defining a first vent opening for enabling flow of inflation fluid out of said device;

a vent strap having a second vent opening movable relative to said first vent opening;

said vent strap having opposite first and second ends that are fixed when said protection device is in the deflated condition;

said vent strap having slack due to the length of said strap being greater than the distance between the locations where its opposite ends are fixed;

one of said ends of said vent strap moving as said protection device is inflated to remove said slack and move said second vent opening relative to said first vent opening;

a vent strap retainer fixed to said vent panel adjacent said first vent opening, said vent strap extending between said retainer and said vent panel, said retainer having a third opening aligned with said first vent opening in said vent panel,

said vent strap having a venting position when said device is in the inflated condition in which said second vent opening is aligned with said first vent opening and said third opening thereby enabling flow of inflation fluid out of said device through said first vent opening; and

said vent strap having a blocking position when said device is in the inflated condition in which said second vent opening is not aligned with said first vent opening and said third opening thereby blocking flow of inflation fluid out of said device through said first vent opening;

said vent strap moving between the venting position and the blocking position in response to inflation of said inflatable device.

10. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, said device having a vent panel defining a first vent opening for enabling flow of inflation fluid out of said device;

a vent strap having a second vent opening movable relative to said first vent opening;

said vent strap having opposite first and second ends that are fixed when said protection device is in the deflated condition;

said vent strap having slack due to the length of said strap being greater than the distance between the locations where its opposite ends are fixed;

one of said ends of said vent strap moving as said protection device is inflated to remove said slack and move said second vent opening relative to said first vent opening;

a tether in said protection device, said first end of said vent strap being fixed to said tether, said tether being tensioned upon inflation of said protection device beyond a predetermined amount to remove said slack from said vent strap to cause said second vent opening to move relative to said first vent opening;

a vent strap retainer for guiding movement of said vent strap relative to said vent panel, said strap retainer and said vent panel defining a gap through which said vent strap is slidable upon inflation of said protection device beyond a predetermined amount.

11. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an inflatable volume defined at least in part by a panel having an inner surface facing the inflatable volume and an outer surface facing the atmosphere, said inflatable volume having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, said panel defining a first vent opening for directing flow of inflation fluid to the atmosphere;

a vent strap having a second vent opening movable relative to said first vent opening, said first and second vent openings having an aligned condition directing inflation fluid flow to atmosphere and a second condition blocking inflation fluid flow to atmosphere;

said vent strap having opposite first and second ends that are fixed when said protection device is in the deflated condition;

said vent strap having slack due to the length of said strap being greater than the distance between the locations where its opposite ends are fixed;

one of said ends of said vent strap moving as said protection device is inflated to remove said slack and move said second vent opening relative to said first vent opening from one of said conditions to the other of said conditions.