公开(公告)号：US06439603B2

公开(公告)日：2002-08-27

申请号：US09416991

申请日：1999-10-13

申请人： Alex Scott Damman ,  Allen Richard Starner ,  Therial Levell Alsup

发明人： Alex Scott Damman ,  Allen Richard Starner ,  Therial Levell Alsup

IPC分类号： B60R2126

CPC分类号： B60R21/276 ,  B60R21/217 ,  B60R2021/2765

摘要： Variable deployment performance by controlling the quantity and fluid flow path of the inflator gas into or out of an air bag module according to the present invention. The air bag module includes a vent opening and a cushion retainer diffuser including a plurality of diffuser openings which permits fluid communication between an annular cavity and an air bag cushion. The vent opening provides a fluid path for the inflator gas to flow from the annular cavity to outside of the air bag module. For full level deployment, the vent opening is closed and therefore the inflator gas is not permitted to flow away from the air bag module but instead flows into the air bag cushion. For low level deployment, the volume of inflator gas which flows into the air bag cushion is controlled by selecting the ratio between the cross-sectional area of the diffuser openings and the cross-sectional area of the vent opening. For example, for reduced low level deployment, the cross-sectional area of the vent opening is increased in relation to the cross-sectional area of the diffuser openings. Conversely, for increased low level deployment, the cross-sectional area of the vent opening is decreased in relation to the cross-sectional area of the diffuser openings. Accordingly, the selective control of the ratio acts as a tuning mechanism by which different low level inflator outputs can be achieved. Deployment module levels between low level and high level can be achieved by controlling the timing of when the vent opening is closed.

摘要翻译： 根据本发明，通过控制充气机气体进出气囊模块的量和流体流动路径可变部署性能。 气囊模块包括通气口和缓冲保持器扩散器，其包括允许环形腔和气囊垫之间的流体连通的多个扩散器开口。 排气口提供用于充气机气体从环形空腔流到气囊模块外部的流体路径。 为了全面部署，通风口关闭，因此充气机气体不允许从气囊模块流出，而是流入气囊垫。 对于低水平部署，通过选择扩散器开口的横截面积和通气口的横截面积之间的比例来控制流入气囊衬垫的充气机气体的体积。 例如，为了减少低水平部署，通气孔的横截面积相对于扩散器开口的横截面面积增加。 相反，为了增加低水平部署，通气孔的横截面积相对于扩散器开口的横截面面积减小。 因此，该比例的选择性控制用作可以实现不同的低水平充气机输出的调谐机构。 通过控制通气口关闭的时间可以实现低电平和高电平之间的部署模块电平。