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US 7,731,231 B2Granted
Airbag vent tube
AssigneeAutoliv ASP, Inc.
InventorsDavid W. Schneider, Changsoo Choi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An airbag module comprising a housing with an inflatable airbag cushion disposed therein and at least one vent tube attached to the inflatable airbag cushion, wherein during inflatable airbag cushion deployment with an obstruction, the at least one vent tube remains open, and during inflatable airbag cushion deployment without an obstruction, the at least one vent tube at least partially closes.
Claims9
An airbag module, comprising:
- an airbag module housing, wherein the airbag module housing comprises at least one housing opening;
- an inflatable airbag cushion disposed inside the airbag module housing, wherein the inflatable airbag cushion comprises at least one vent tube;
- wherein the at least one vent tube extends outwardly through the at least one housing opening in an aligned configuration with the at least one housing opening such that the at least one vent tube is open and can move relative to the at least one housing opening;
- whereby during deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion with obstruction, the at least one vent tube remains open, continues to extend through the at least one housing opening in the aligned configuration, and vents inflation gas;
- and during inflatable airbag cushion deployment without obstruction, inflation gas causes tension of the inflatable airbag cushion that pulls at least a section of the at least one vent tube through the at least one housing opening at an angle with respect to the aligned configuration to flexibly flatten the at least vent tube against the at least one housing opening so that the at least one vent tube at least partially closes.
2 more elements
An airbag module, comprising:
- an airbag module housing comprising at least one housing opening;
- an inflatable airbag cushion disposed within the airbag module housing, wherein the inflatable airbag cushion comprises at least one vent tube;
- wherein the at least one vent tube extends outwardly through the at least one housing opening in an aligned configuration with the at least one housing opening such that the at least one vent tube
- is open and can move relative to the at least one housing opening;
- and
- at least one diffuser disposed within the inflatable airbag cushion configured to re-direct inflation gas to the at least one vent tube from an inflator such that the gas exits the inflatable airbag cushion by way of the at least one vent tube when deployment of the airbag is obstructed;
- whereby during deployment of the inflatable airbag cushion with obstruction, the at least one vent tube remains open, continues to extend through the at least one housing opening in the aligned configuration, and vents inflation gas;
- and during inflatable airbag cushion deployment without obstruction, inflation gas causes tension of the inflatable airbag cushion that pulls at least a section of the at least one vent tube through the at least one housing opening at an angle with respect to the aligned configuration to flexibly flatten the at least vent tube against the one housing opening so that the at least one vent tube at least partially closes.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.