Air bag module with vent cover

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for, when inflated, helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device, said inflator having a generally cylindrical configuration and having a plurality of inflation fluid outlets;
• a vent member connected with said inflator and having an annular vent wall having at least one vent opening;
• a vent cover formed as a split ring and having a cylindrical outer wall, said outer wall having first and second end portions, a first mounting flange being disposed on said first end portion of said outer wall, and a second mounting flange being disposed on said second end portion of said outer wall, said vent cover having a closed condition clamped on said vent wall and covering said vent opening, said vent cover having an open condition removed at least partially from said vent wall and enabling fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus;
• and
• an actuatable device having an unactuated condition connecting said first and second mounting flanges to maintain said vent cover in the closed condition on said vent wall, said actuatable device having an actuated condition releasing said first and second mounting flanges to release said vent cover for movement from the closed condition to the open condition to enable fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus.

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for, when inflated, helping to protect the 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 and having a rectangular vent wall having at least one vent opening;
• a vent cover having a rectangular outer wall, said outer wall having first and second end portions, a first mounting flange being disposed on said first end portion of said outer wall, and a second mounting flange being disposed on said second end portion of said outer wall, said vent cover having a closed condition clamped on said vent wall and covering said vent opening, said vent cover having an open condition removed at least partially from said vent wall and enabling fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus;
• and
• an actuatable device having an unactuated condition connecting said first and second mounting flanges to maintain said vent cover in the closed condition on said vent wall, said actuatable device having an actuated condition releasing said first and second mounting flanges to release said vent cover for movement from the closed condition to the open condition to enable fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus.

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for, when inflated, helping to protect the 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 and having a vent wall having at least one vent opening;
• a vent cover comprising a first cover portion and a second cover portion, said first cover portion having a first end comprising a first flange portion and an opposite second end comprising a latch member, said second cover portion having a first end comprising a second flange portion and an opposite second end comprising a hook, said latch member of said first cover portion being engageable with said hook of said second cover portion to connect said second ends of said first and second cover portions;
• and
• an actuatable device having an unactuated condition connecting said first and second flange portions to maintain said vent cover in a closed condition clamped onto said vent wall and blocking inflation fluid flow through said vent opening, said actuatable device having an actuated condition releasing said first and second flange portions to release said vent cover for movement from the closed condition to an open condition at least partially spaced from said vent wall to enable fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus.

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for, when inflated, helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator for providing inflation fluid for inflating said protection device, said inflator having a generally cylindrical configuration centered on an axis and having a plurality of inflation fluid outlets for directing inflation fluid to flow radially outward from said inflator;
• a reaction plate for supporting said inflator and said protection device on the vehicle, said reaction plate having at least one vent opening disposed radially outward of said inflation fluid outlets of said inflator;
• a retainer having an annular, radially extending main body portion for clamping said protection device to said reaction plate and having a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced clamping legs for clamping said inflator to said reaction plate at a location radially between said inflation fluid outlets of said inflator and said vent opening of said reaction plate;
• 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 reaction plate;
• a vent cover having a closed condition clamped on said reaction plate and covering said vent opening;
• and
• an actuatable device on said vent cover, said actuatable device having an unactuated condition maintaining said vent cover in the closed condition clamped on said reaction plate, said actuatable device having an actuated condition releasing said vent cover for movement from the closed condition to an open condition removed at least partially from said reaction plate and enabling fluid flow through said vent opening to vent inflation fluid from said apparatus.