초록 ▼

An energy absorbing airbag system includes one or more vent valve assemblies for controlling the release of airbag inflation gases to maintain inflation gas pressure within an airbag at a substantially constant pressure during a ride-down of an energy absorbing event. Each vent valve assembly includ

An energy absorbing airbag system includes one or more vent valve assemblies for controlling the release of airbag inflation gases to maintain inflation gas pressure within an airbag at a substantially constant pressure during a ride-down of an energy absorbing event. Each vent valve assembly includes a cantilever spring that is flat in an unstressed condition and that has a free end portion. The cantilever spring is secured to an exterior surface of the airbag housing and flexed to cause the second free end portion of the cantilever spring to be pressed, with a preset force, against a vent port or a closure covering thevent port to seal the vent port until inflation gas pressure within the airbag reaches a preselected value determined by the preset force whereupon the free end portion of the cantilever spring is lifted from the vent port by the inflation gases within the airbag to vent the inflation gases from within the airbag. The resilience of the cantilever spring maintains a substantially constant pressure within the airbag during a ride-down portion of an energy absorbing event by causing the cantilever spring to vent gases through the vent port whenever the pressure of the inflation gases reaches the preselected value and by causing the cantilever spring to close the vent port whenever the pressure of the inflation gases falls below the preselected value.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A vent valve assembly for controlling the release of airbag inflation gases in an energy absorbing airbag system to maintain inflation gas pressure within an airbag at a substantially constant pressure during a ride-down of an energy absorbing event, comprising:a cantil

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A vent valve assembly for controlling the release of airbag inflation gases in an energy absorbing airbag system to maintain inflation gas pressure within an airbag at a substantially constant pressure during a ride-down of an energy absorbing event, comprising:a cantilever spring that is flat or substantially flat in an unstressed condition and has an upper major surface and a lower major surface; the cantilever spring having a first end and a second free end portion;means for securing the cantilever spring to an exterior surface of an airbag housing and flexing the cantilever spring to cause the second free end portion of the cantilever spring to be pressed, with a preset force, against an exterior vent port surface, that completely surrounds and defines an exterior periphery of an airbag housing vent port, to cover and seal the vent port until inflation gas pressure within an airbag housed within the airbag housing reaches a preselected value determined by the preset force whereupon the second free end portion of the cantilever spring is lifted from the vent port by the gas pressure exerted on the second free end portion of the cantilever spring by the inflation gases within the airbag to vent the inflation gases from within the airbag; andthe resilience of the cantilever spring maintaining a substantially constant pressure within the airbag during a ride-down portion of an energy absorbing event: by causing the cantilever spring to vent gases at a rate generally proportional to pressure exerted on the free end of the cantilever spring by the inflation gases within the airbag to vent the inflation gases more quickly as the pressure of the inflation gases within the airbag increases above the preselected value during a ride-down portion of an energy absorbing event and to vent gases less quickly as the pressure of the inflation gases within the airbag above the preselected value decreases during a ride-down portion of an energy absorbing event; by causing the cantilever spring to close and seal the vent port whenever the pressure of the inflation gases within the airbag drops below the preselected value during a ride-down portion of an energy absorbing event; and by causing the cantilever spring to reopen and vent inflation gases from the vent port whenever the pressure of the inflation gases within the airbag again exceeds the preselected value during a ride-down portion of an energy absorbing event.