Air bag module with vent cover

• US 7,108,277 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Stephens, Arnold M., Leonelli, Frank Paul Jr., Debbs, Robert R., Magoteaux, David G., Elqadah, Wael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCREARY, LEONARD
• Application Number:
  US10/731,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20040113406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 280/739, 280/736, 280/728.2, 280/740, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2035 using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12). An inflator (14) provides inflation fluid for inflating the protection device (12). A vent member (30) includes at least one vent opening (62) for venting the inflation fluid. A vent cover (100) has a closed condition for blocking fluid flow through the at least one vent opening (62) and an open condition for permitting fluid flow through the at least one vent opening. The vent cover (100) includes a side wall (110) that has at least one portion (134, 372) that projects from the side wall into the vent member (30) to help maintain the vent cover in the closed condition.

Claims

1. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable to help protect a vehicle occupant;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device;

a vent member including at least one vent opening for venting said inflation fluid; and

a vent cover having a closed condition for blocking fluid flow through said at least one vent opening and an open condition for permitting fluid flow through said at least one vent opening, said vent cover including a side wall having at least one portion that projects from said side wall into said vent member to help maintain said vent cover in said closed condition, said vent cover being adapted to exert a clamping force on said vent member to help maintain said vent cover in said closed condition.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one portion projects into said at least one vent opening, said at least one portion being engageable with a surface defining said at least one vent opening to maintain said vent cover in said closed condition.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising a device actuatable to place said vent cover in the open condition to enable fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein said actuatable device interconnects portions of said vent cover to maintain said vent cover in said closed condition, said actuatable device being actuatable to release said portions of said vent cover to place said vent cover in said open condition.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein said portions of said vent cover interconnected by said actuatable device comprise a first mounting flange disposed on a first end portion of said side wall and a second mounting flange disposed on a second end portion of said side wall, said actuatable device connecting said first and second mounting flanges to maintain said vent cover in the closed condition, said actuatable device being actuatable to release said first and second mounting flanges to release said vent cover for movement from the closed condition to the open condition.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said first and second mounting flanges extend parallel to each other and overlie each other when said vent cover is in the closed condition, said actuatable device extending through said first and second mounting flanges to interconnect said first and second mounting flanges.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further including an actuatable device comprising an explosive bolt.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said vent member has a cylindrical configuration, said side wall of said vent cover having a cylindrical configuration that mates with said cylindrical vent member.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, further comprising a retainer having an annular, radially extending main body portion for clamping said protection device to said vent member, said retainer having a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced clamping legs for clamping said inflator to said vent member at a location radially between inflation fluid outlets of said inflator and said vent opening;

said circumferentially spaced clamping legs of said retainer defining between them a plurality of circumferentially spaced fluid passages that provide fluid communication between said inflation fluid outlets of said inflator and said vent opening in said vent member.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said vent member comprises a reaction member for supporting said apparatus on the vehicle.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said vent member has a rectangular configuration, said side wall of said vent cover having a rectangular configuration that mates with said rectangular vent member.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said vent member comprises a reaction member for supporting said apparatus on the vehicle.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said vent cover is formed as a split ring having a generally cylindrical configuration.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said vent cover is formed as a split ring having a generally rectangular configuration.

15. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable to help protect a vehicle occupant;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device;

a vent member including at least one vent opening for venting said inflation fluid; and

a vent cover having a closed condition for blocking fluid flow through said at least one vent opening and an open condition for permitting fluid flow through said at least one vent opening, said vent cover including a side wall having at least one portion that projects from said side wall into said vent member to help maintain said vent cover in said closed condition,

said vent cover including a first cover portion and a second cover portion, said first cover portion having a first end and an opposite second end, said second cover portion having a first end and an opposite second end,

said second ends of said first and second cover portions being engageable with each other to interconnect said second ends of said first and second cover portions;

said first ends of said first and second cover portions being connectable to each other via an actuatable device.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein one of said second ends comprises a latch member and the other of said second ends comprises at least one hook member, said latch member being engageable with said at least one hook member to connect said second ends of said first and second cover portions.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein said vent member has a cylindrical configuration, said first and second cover portions each having a semi-cylindrical configuration.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein said vent member has a rectangular configuration, said first and second cover portions each having a semi-rectangular configuration.

19. An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable to help protect a vehicle occupant;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device, said inflator having a plurality of inflation fluid outlets;

a vent member connected with said inflator, said vent member having a vent wall including at least one vent opening;

a vent cover including a side wall having at least one portion that projects from said side wall, said vent cover having a closed condition in which said at least one portion projects into said at least one vent opening to help connect said vent cover to said vent member, said vent cover having an open condition in which said at least one portion is retracted from said at least one vent opening to enable fluid flow through said at least one vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus; and

an actuatable device having an unactuated condition maintaining said vent cover in the closed condition, said actuatable device having an actuated condition that places said vent cover in the open condition to enable fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus.