Air bag module with vent

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
• an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable device from the deflated condition to the inflated condition;
• a housing having walls for directing inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source toward said inflatable device upon actuation of said inflation fluid source;
• means for defining a vent opening in said housing for selectively venting inflation fluid from said housing;
• closure means for closing said vent opening, said closure means comprising a door movable between a closed position blocking venting of inflation fluid from said housing and an open position enabling venting of inflation fluid from said housing, said door when in the closed position being biased toward the open position;
• and
• vehicle electric circuitry for sensing at least one condition selected from the group consisting of occupant position, occupant size, temperature, and crash severity and for selectively providing a control signal for initiating opening of said door in response to the sensed condition.

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
• an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide an amount of inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable device from the deflated condition to the inflated condition;
• a housing having walls for directing inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source toward said inflatable device upon actuation of said inflation fluid source;
• and
• means for selectively controlling the amount of inflation fluid which flows into the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device by diverting fluid flowing from said inflation fluid source away from said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said means for selectively controlling comprising:
• means for defining an opening in said housing for directing inflation fluid from said housing;
• closure means for closing said opening, said closure means comprising a door movable between a closed position blocking flow of inflation fluid from said housing through said opening and an open position enabling flow of inflation fluid from said housing through said opening, said door when in the closed position being biased toward the open position;
• and
• actuatable means, actuatable to enable said door to move to the open position.

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant;
• an inflation fluid source actuatable to provide an amount of inflation fluid to inflate said inflatable device from the deflated condition to the inflated condition;
• a housing having walls for directing inflation fluid from said inflation fluid source toward said inflatable device upon actuation of said inflation fluid source;
• and
• means for selectively controlling the amount of inflation fluid which flows into the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device by diverting fluid flowing from said inflation fluid source away from said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said means for selectively controlling comprising:
• means for defining an opening in said housing for directing inflation fluid from said housing;
• closure means for closing said opening, said closure means comprising a door movable due to the pressure of inflation fluid in said housing between a closed position blocking flow of inflation fluid from said housing through said opening and an open position enabling flow of inflation fluid from said housing through said opening, said door when in the open position being biased toward the closed position;
• and
• actuatable means, actuatable to enable said door to move to the open position.