US 5,669,628 AGranted

Air bag cushion protection during both normal and out of position deployments

AssigneeMorton International, Inc.

InventorsJames R. Kaufmann, Kirk H. Rasmussen

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Abstract

An air bag cushion with a controlling doubler to provide occupant protection during both normal and out of position deployment has an enlarged gas permeable area for venting inflation gases. An obstruction to full deployment, such as a person against the steering wheel, causes venting through the enlarged area to be maintained thereby to prevent a full pressure build up which may cause injury to such person as he is pushed out of the way as the cushion deploys. Displacement of the face panel beyond a predetermined position releases a hinge mounted flap of gas impermeable material which seals off that portion of the gas permeable area that is in excess of the venting needed for a normal deployment. The flap is propelled to a closing position by the inflation gas during deployment.

Claims14

Dependent claims

In a method of protecting a vehicle passenger who is out of a normal occupant seating position by reducing the force applied to a face panel of an air bag cushion relative to the force applied during a normal air bag cushion deployment:

providing an air bag cushion having a face panel of a fabric that is generally gas impermeable and a base panel having a wall defining an opening through which inflation gas is received during deployment and at least one area that is gas permeable which allows venting of a portion of the inflation gas when deployment of the cushion starts by moving the face panel toward the occupant seating position, said base panel gas permeable area having a venting capability which exceeds that required for venting from the cushion to produce a normal deployment;
reducing the base panel gas permeable area size during an unobstructed deployment of the face panel toward the occupant seating position by providing a flap having first and second ends and made of a material that is gas impermeable, said first end being fixed relative to the base panel along a hinge line and secured to the inside of base panel along side of said at least one gas permeable area, said second end being mounted for swingable movement during deployment between a first position which allows inflation gas flow through said at least one gas permeable area to the outside of the cushion and a second position which blocks a part of said gas flow to an amount that reduces venting from the cushion to that which provides a normal deployment;
and
releasing said flap to move from said first position to said second position under the influence of the inflation gas received through said base panel opening in response to advancement of the face panel during deployment past a predetermined position in its normal deploying path toward the occupant seating position, and propelling said flap from said first position to said second position under the influence of the inflation gas received for deploying said air bag cushion.

1 more element

An occupant air bag cushion inflatable to restrain an occupant in an occupant seating position in a vehicle, comprising:

said cushion having a face panel and a base panel providing a multiple venting areas through which inflation gas is vented from the air bag cushion during deployment including a first, relatively large venting area to provide an occupant out of position deployment and a second, relatively small venting area that is effective to provide an occupant normal position deployment;
said base panel having a wall defining an opening through which inflation gas is received and having at least one gas permeable vent opening as part of said first venting area that is not part of the second venting area;
a flap for closing said part of said venting area that is not part of the second venting area during deployment in response to face panel advancement beyond a predetermined location toward said occupant seating position;
a tether having opposite ends, one end being secured to the base panel and the other end being secured to the face panel;
a first end of the flap being secured to the base panel and the tether one end at the location where the tether one end is secured to the base panel;
and
a second end of the flap being releasably attached to an intermediate position on said tether with the distance from the back panel to the intermediate position as measured along the length of the tether being greater than the same distance as measured along the length of the flap.

4 more elements

An occupant air bag cushion inflatable to restrain an occupant in an occupant seating position comprising:

an air bag cushion having a base panel with a first portion adapted to receive inflation gas and a second portion having a gas permeable area for venting a portion of the inflation gas outside of the air bag cushion, said bag having a face panel of gas impermeable material for deployment toward said occupant seating position upon inflation of the cushion;
a hinged flap secured along a hinge line on the base panel to be inside the air bag cushion at a position where inflation gas is introduced into the air bag and having a free end opposite said hinge line, said flap having a shape and size adapted to fit with said gas permeable area, said free end being disposed so as to be urged toward a position covering said gas permeable area solely due to the flow of the inflation gas;
and
an attachment between said hinged flap free end and the face panel that restrains the flap from covering said gas permeable area when deployment is initiated, said attachment being effective to move the flap free end with said face panel toward said occupant seating position, said attachment remaining effective to maintain restraint of the flap free end when the displacement of the face panel is obstructed from reaching its normal occupant protection position and to release the flap free end if such obstruction is not encountered thereby causing the flap free end to be propelled by the flow of inflation gas to cover said gas permeable area.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.