• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    A clip (112) has an end (114) connected to a vent (80) for actuating it and an end (116) connected to a guard. A guide member (130) connected to a front panel of the device slidably receives a portion of the tie between the ends. Parts of this element are releasably connected together to define a loose portion (140). The parts remain connected together in response to an initial deployment of the lower device to a predetermined degree to prevent the fastener from being stretched so that the vent is unpowered. The further deployment of the device to the predetermined degree releases the connection between the parts to allow the fastener to stretch and act on the vent to actuate it according to the position of the occupant.
    公开号:FR3024096A1
    申请号:FR1556892
    申请日:2015-07-21
    公开日:2016-01-29
    发明作者:Kurt F Fischer；Norcy Yohann Le；Oscar Ugarte；Daniel Sutherland
    申请人:TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inflatable airbag inflatable between a dashboard and a front seat occupant of a vehicle. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to provide an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an airbag, to help protect an occupant of a vehicle. One particular type of airbag is a front airbag inflatable between an occupant of a front seat of the vehicle and a dashboard of the vehicle. Such air bags may be driver air bags or passenger air bags. When inflated, the driver and passenger airbags help protect the occupant from impact with vehicle parts such as the dashboard and / or a vehicle steering wheel. Driver airbags are typically stored in a deflated condition in a housing that is mounted on the vehicle steering wheel. An airbag cover may be connected to the housing and / or steering wheel to assist in locking and concealing the airbag in a stored condition. Following deployment of the driver airbag, the airbag cover will open to allow the airbag to enter an inflated position. The airbag cover opens due to the forces exerted on the cover by the inflating driver airbag.
    [0002] 3024096 2 Passenger air bags are typically stored in a deflated condition in a box that is mounted on the dashboard of the vehicle. An airbag airbag door can be connected to the housing and / or dashboard to assist in locking and concealing the airbag in a stored condition. Following deployment of the passenger airbag, the airbag door opens to allow the airbag to move into an inflated position. The airbag door opens due to the forces exerted on the door by the inflating airbag. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between a vehicle surface and the occupant of the vehicle. The protection device comprises a front panel having a portion presented toward the occupant when the protective device is in an inflated condition. A vent includes at least one opening for releasing inflation fluid from the guard and has an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition. A clip has a first end connected to the vent for actuating the vent and a second end connected to the guard. A guide member connected to the front panel slidably receives a portion of the fastener between the first and second ends. First and second portions of the guide member are releasably connected to define a loose portion. The first and second portions remain connected together in response to an initial deployment of the protection device below a predetermined degree to prevent tension of the clip so that the vent is in the un-actuated condition. The further deployment of the protective device to the predetermined degree releases the connection between the first and second portions to allow the fastener to tension and act on the vent to place the vent in the actuated condition. depending on the position of the occupant in the vehicle. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between a vehicle surface and the occupant of the vehicle. The protection device comprises a front panel having a portion presented towards the occupant when the protective device is in an inflated condition. A vent comprises at least one opening for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device and having an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition. A fastener includes a first end connected to the vent for actuating the vent and a second end connected to the guard. An elastic stop is provided on the first end of the clip to provide slack in the first end of the clip. A first guide element is connected to the front panel. A portion of the fastener between the first and second ends extends through the first guide member. A second guide element is connected to the protection device. The first end of the clip extends through the second guide member to actuate the vent. The clip is slidable relative to the second guide member. The stop is positioned between the vent and the second guide member in response to an initial deployment of the guard below a predetermined degree to prevent the clip from being stretched so that the vent is in the condition not activated. The additional deployment to the predetermined degree causes the stopper to pass through the second guide member to allow the clip to flex and act on the vent to place the vent in the actuated condition. the position of the occupant in the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains after considering the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in a first condition according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in a second condition; Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in a first alternative condition; Figure 4A is an enlarged portion of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4B is an enlarged portion of the apparatus of Figure 2; Fig. 4C is an enlarged portion of an alternative configuration of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 5A is an enlarged view of a guide member of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 513 is an enlarged view of a guide member of the apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 6A is an enlarged schematic view illustrating a tearable seam for the apparatus of Fig. 1 according to one aspect of the present invention; Fig. 6B is a sectional view taken generally on the line 6B-6B in Fig. 6A; Figures 7 and 8 graphically illustrate the properties of the tearable seam of Figures 6A and 6B; Fig. 9 is an enlarged schematic view illustrating the tear seam according to another aspect of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a table illustrating the properties of the tearable seam of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a schematic side view illustrating an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in a first condition according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 12 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus of Fig. 11 in a second condition; Figs. 13A and 13B are enlarged schematic illustrations of various conditions of a second guide member of the apparatus of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inflatable airbag 20 that can be inflated between a steering wheel from which the airbag inflates and a front seat occupant of a vehicle. In an embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, an apparatus 10 for helping to protect an occupant 20 of a vehicle 25 includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device 14 in the form of a cushion. inflatable safety. In one example, the airbag 14 is a driver's front airbag to help protect an occupant 20 from a seat (not shown) on the driver's side 24 of the vehicle. However, it will be appreciated that the airbag 14 may also constitute a passenger frontal airbag to help protect an occupant of a seat from the passenger side of the vehicle so as not to strike a dashboard. of the vehicle (not shown).
    [0003] The airbag 14, when deployed in response to an event for which occupant protection is desired, helps protect the occupant 20 by helping to absorb the impact force placed on the occupant. inflatable airbag by the occupant. When the occupant 20 collides with the airbag 14, the occupant enters the airbag, which absorbs and distributes the impact forces over the large area and the volume of the airbag. By "penetrates" into the airbag 14, reference is made to the case in which, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle 12, the occupant 20 advances, as indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference number 42. 1 to 3, in engagement with the airbag 14. The "penetration" of the occupant into the airbag 14 is the distance or degree in which the occupant 20 moves in the fully inflated depth of the airbag. The degree of penetration of the airbag 14 may be measured as the distance over which the occupant entering the cushion moves a given point on a front panel 74 of the airbag 14 to a steering wheel 36 of the airbag. vehicle 12 from which the airbag deploys. For example, the penetration can be measured as the distance between a point on the front panel 74 and a fixed point on the flywheel 36 or between a point on the occupant 20, for example the chest of the occupant, and a point fixed on 30 the steering wheel. The airbag 14 may be part of an airbag module 30 which includes an inflator 32 and a housing, illustrated in phantom line at reference numeral 34 in FIGS. 1 and 2.
    [0004] The airbag 14 has a stored condition, indicated by the dashed lines on FIG. 1, wherein the airbag is folded and placed in the housing 34. The module 30 is mounted on the flywheel 36. 12. The housing 34 helps to contain and support the airbag 14 and the inflator 32 in the flywheel 36. An airbag 40 is removably connected to the flywheel 36 and / or the housing 34. In a closed condition (not shown), the airbag door 40 forms a cover for the module 30 and helps to enclose the airbag 14, in the stored condition, in the housing 34. The door 40 is movable in an open condition illustrated in FIG. 1 to discover an opening in the flywheel 36 through which the inflatable airbag 14 can be deployed from the condition The door 40 may be connected to the vehicle 12, for example, connected to the steering wheel 36, directly or through the housing 34, by means (not shown), such as a plastic hinge part, a strap or fastener. The inflator 32 may be actuated to supply inflation fluid to an inflatable volume 54 of the airbag 14 to deploy the airbag in an inflated condition. Inflator 32 may be of any known type, such as stored gas, solid, expanded or hybrid propellant. The apparatus 10 includes a sensor, schematically illustrated at reference numeral 50, for detecting an event for which inflation of the airbag 14 is desired, as in the case of a collision. The inflator 32 is operatively connected to the sensor 50 via connection wires 52. The airbag 14 may be constructed from any suitable material, such as nylon, for example 6-6 woven nylon. son, and can be constructed in any suitable way.
    [0005] For example, the airbag 14 may comprise one or more pieces or one or more panels of material. If more than one piece or more of a panel is used to build the inflatable airbag 14, the parts or panels can be interconnected by known means, such as tear stitching, ultrasonic welding, heat sealing or adhesives, to form the airbag. The airbag 14 may be uncovered, covered with a material, such as a gas-impermeable urethane or laminated with a material such as a gas impermeable film. The airbag 14 may thus have a gas-tight or substantially gas-tight construction. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that alternative materials, such as polyester yarn and alternative coatings, such as silicone, can also be used to make the airbag 14. or a plurality of operable features to assist in controlling or adapting the inflation of the airbag in response to vehicle conditions, occupant conditions, or both. These features can be actively actuated, for example, in response to conditions determined by active sensors or passively, for example, having a configuration that is sensitive to physical conditions at the time of inflation. For example, the airbag 14 includes a vent 80 and a clip 112 for selectively actuating the vent. The vent 80 may be selectively actuated to release inflation fluid inflatable volume 54 from the airbag 14 in response to the voltage applied to the clip 112. The clip 112 is a flexible elongate member extending to from a first end 114 to a second end 116. The first end 114 is attached to a portion of the vent 80 to actuate the vent. The second end 116 is attached to a rear portion 38 of the airbag 14 adjacent to the flywheel 36. The first and second ends 114, 116 are attached to the respective components by known means, such as tear stitching or welding. The clip 112 forms a loop between its ends 114, 116 through a fastener guide member 130 attached to the front panel 74 in the inflatable volume 54 of the airbag 14.
    [0006] The guide member 130 bifurcates the clip 112 in a first segment 118 extending between the vent 80 and the guide member and a second segment 119 extending between the rear portion 38 and the clip member. guide. In one example, the first and second segments 118, 119 of the fastener 112 are integrally formed together. The guide member 130 constitutes a web of fabric doubled on itself and interconnected at portions spaced apart by the removable tear-off seam 180 to form a loose portion 140 in the guide member 130 through which the fastener 112 extends (see Figure 2). The loose portion 140 therefore shortens the guide member 130. The guide member 130 is attached to the front panel 74 in a manner that also forms a loose portion 76 in the front panel. The tear seam 180 is configured to break and release the loose portions 76, 140 when forces acting on the tear-off seam, such as the tension on the guide member 130, reach or exceed a predetermined magnitude which corresponds to a degree. In one example, the desired degree of inflating the airbag 14 occurs when the airbag is fully pressurized, i.e., the airbag is inflated. There is no slack in the airbag fabric. The guide member 130 therefore has a first shortened condition (Fig. 2) before and during pressurization of the airbag 14 when the loose portion 140 is held by the tearable seam 180. The guide member 130 also has a second extended condition (Figures 1 or 3) when the tear seam breaks to release the loose portion 140. Once the loose portion 140 is released, the airbag 14 can close the vent 80 when the occupant is in a normally seated position (see Figure 1) or discharges inflation fluid in response to the occupant entering the cushion 20 (see Figure 3). In the shortened condition (Fig. 2), the guide member 130 prevents operation of the vent 80 during pressurization of the airbag 14. More specifically, the tear seam 180 holds the guide member 130 in the shortened condition, which holds the loose portion 76 in the front panel 74. Therefore, the fastener 112 is loose and prevented from tensioning and actuating the vent 80 when the guide member 130 is in the shortened condition. In the extended condition (FIG. 1 or 3), the guide member 130 releases the loose portion 76 to allow the airbag 14 to adapt to the conditions of the vehicle and / or occupant 20. Referring to FIG. in Figure 1, the loose portion 76 released allows the airbag 14 to reach the condition of large volume fully deployed. More specifically, the tear seam 180 breaks to allow the guide member 130 and the loose portion 76 to elongate, thereby allowing the inflatable airbag 14 to expand into the fully extended condition. For this reason, the clip 112 reaches a fully tensioned condition and actuates the vent 80. Referring to FIG. 3, the released loose portion 76 allows the fully pressurized airbag 14 to expand. but the airbag does not inflate sufficiently to tension the fastener 112 and actuate the vent 80 due to the presence of the occupant entering the cushion 20.
    [0007] Figures 4A and 4B illustrate an example of the guide member 130 according to the present invention. The guide member 130 has an elongated condition (Fig. 4A) allowing the airbag 14 to deploy fully, thereby causing the clip 112 to actuate the vent 80. The elongated condition of the guide member 130 4A corresponds to the conditions of the vehicle 12 and / or the occupant 20 shown in FIG. 1. The elongate condition of the guide member 130 illustrated in FIG. 4A also corresponds to the conditions of the vehicle and / or of the occupant 20 shown in Fig. 3. The guide member 130 has a shortened condition (Fig. 4B) prior to complete pressurization of the airbag 14 and preventing the clip 112 from actuating the vent 80 The shortened condition illustrated in Fig. 4B corresponds to the conditions of vehicle 12 and / or occupant 20 illustrated in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 4B, guide member 130 includes first and second ends 132, 134 attached to the front panel 74 within the inflatable volume 54. The ends 132, 134 may be attached to the front panel 74 by any known means such as tear stitching, ultrasonic welding , heat sealing or adhesives. The portion of the guide member 130 between the ends 132, 134 is not attached to the front panel 74 and forms the loose portion 140. A pair of openings 142, 144 is formed in the loose portion 140 of the guide member 130 for receiving the fastener 112 so that the fastener extends completely into the loose portion and is slidable with respect to the loose portion.
    [0008] A pair of spaced portions of material 136, 138 of the guide member 130 between the ends 132, 134 are releasably attached to each other in a superimposed, adjacent manner by the removable tear seam 180 to form and to retain the loose portion 140. An example of a tearable seam 180 for use in the present invention is described and illustrated in US Patent No. 8,262,130, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. The tear stitch 180 selectively releases the material portions 136, 138 in a passive manner to release the loose portion 140 and allow the airbag 14 to wait for the fully extended condition so that the clip 112 actuates the airbag. 80 vent.
    [0009] In an alternative configuration illustrated in FIG. 4C, the second segment 119 of the clip 112 extends through the openings 142, 144 in the loose portion 140 and is secured to the portion 138 of material helping to form the portion. The stitching seam 145 is not fracturable and has a known construction configured to retain the connection between the second segment 119 and the material portion 138 during pressurization and inflation of the airbag. Accordingly, the second segment 119 of the clip 112 moves with the material portion 138 throughout inflating the airbag 14. However, the clip 112 can slide through the opening 142. relative to the loose portion 140. In all cases, the vent 80 may have an actuated closed configuration that can cooperate with the clip 112 to provide ventilation of the airbag 14 as described above. With reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the vent 80 is an actuated closed vent 100 that can be actuated to prevent inflation fluid from exiting the airbag 14. The vent 100 includes one or more air vents. vent 102 formed in a side panel 104 of the airbag 14, a vent door 106 attached to the side panel and the fastener 112 attached to the vent door for selectively actuating the vent. The vent door 106 is secured to the side panel 104 by known means (not shown), such as tear stitching, ultrasonic welding, heat sealing or adhesives. The vent 100 has a closed condition (Fig. 5A) in which the vent gate 106 extends over and over the vent openings 102 and thereby prevents inflation fluid from passing through the vent openings. The closed condition illustrated in FIG. 5A corresponds to the conditions of the vehicle 12 and / or the occupant 20 illustrated in FIG. 1. The vent 100 has an open condition (FIG. 5B) in which the vent door 106 is positioned remote from the vent openings 102 and thereby allows the inflation fluid to drain, i.e. flowing through the vent openings. In the open condition, the vent door 106 is bent back from the vent openings 102 and held in place by a removable tear seam 108. The open condition illustrated in Figure 5B corresponds to the conditions of the vehicle 12 and / or 20 of the occupant 20 shown in FIG. 2 (during a pressurization of the airbag 14) and FIG. 3 (when an occupant 20 who is not in position enters the airbag completely under pressure). The clip 112 is attached to the vent door 106 and can apply the voltage T1 to the vent door to selectively actuate the vent 100 from the open condition to the closed condition. Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the first end 114 of the clip 112 may extend through a guide member 200 attached to the airbag 14 in a known manner at a location adjacent the flywheel 36, for example, on a rear panel 38 of the inflatable airbag 14 opposite and facing the front panel 74. The guide member 200 has a rounded or annular shape and is formed with an airbag material 14, for example fabric. The guide member 200 is sized to allow the clip 112 to slide therethrough and help to ensure that the actuation sensitivity of the vent 100 is maintained. In particular, the guide member 200 is positioned to guide the clip 112 in a direction extending substantially parallel to the movement of the occupant 20 in the airbag 14 so that the clip tends to substantially relaxes in a ratio of 1: 1 with the movement of the front panel 74. With reference to Figs. 1 to 3, following detection of the occurrence of an event for which inflation of the airbag 14 is desired Like a vehicle collision, the sensor 50 provides a signal to the inflator 32 via the connecting wires 52. Upon receipt of the signal from the sensor 50, the inflator 32 is actuated and provides inflation to the inflatable volume 54 of the inflatable cushion. inflatable safety 14 in a known manner. The inflating airbag 14 exerts a force on the door 40, causing the door to enter the open condition. The airbag 14 inflates from the stored condition to an expanded condition, such as the fully inflated and expanded condition shown in FIG. 1. The inflatable airbag 14, while inflated, helps protect the occupant. 20 of the vehicle against impacts with parts of the vehicle 12, 30 such as the steering wheel 36. When an event occurs for which it is desired to inflate the airbag 14, the vent 80, the attachment 112 and The guide member 130 is responsive to vehicle conditions, occupant conditions, or both to assist in controlling inflating and deploying the airbag. For example, the vent 80 can be adapted according to the position of the occupant 20 following the occurrence of the event for which inflation of the airbag 14 is desired. Prior to such an event, the vent 80 is in the open condition, not actuated while being stored in the air bag module 30. If, following the occurrence of an event for which the inflation of the air bag Inflatable safety 14 is desired, the occupant 20 is in the normally seated position of Figure 1, the vent 80 is operated in the closed condition and the airbag 14 inflates in the normally deployed condition due to the cooperation of the fastener 112 and the vent. In the normally sitting condition, the occupant 20 is moved away from the airbag 14 and must move forwards in order to engage and penetrate the airbag. This distance can be measured in terms of the distance from the occupant's chest to the steering wheel 36, which is indicated by the reference D1 in FIG. 1. The distance that the occupant 20 must travel before this engagement takes place. takes place, may vary depending on the position of the occupant / seat before the deployment of the airbag. In this configuration, the airbag 14 can also be constructed so that the clip 112 does not operate the vent 80 in response to the obstructed deployment of the airbag 14 when, for example, the occupant 20 is away from the normally seated position and enters the airbag. The degree of penetration, in FIG. 3, can be calculated as the difference between the inflated depth D1 in FIG. 1 and the penetrated depth, indicated by D2, in FIG. 3. When the airbag 14 inflates 35 and is pressurized (see Fig. 2), the front panel 74 moves away from the flywheel 36, thereby displacing the guide member 130 attached to the front panel away from the flywheel and extending the clip 112. As a result, the guide member 130 becomes taut and the tension is applied to the tearable seam 180 securing the loose portion 140 before the fastener 112 is taut. Since the first end 114 of the fastener 112 is not tensioned, the vent 80 remains in the non-actuated condition at this stage of the deployment. When the airbag 14 reaches a predetermined threshold pressure, for example, a fully pressurized condition, the tension on the guide member 130 is sufficient to break the tear seam 180, thereby releasing the loose portion 140. and allowing the front panel 74 to continue to move outwardly with the airbag 14 which expands to the fully inflated and deployed condition of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 4A, once the loose portion 140 (shown in FIG. 4B) is released, the material portions 136, 138 move away from each other 20 as the ends 132, 134 of the guide member 130 move outwardly in the direction indicated by the arrows A with the expanding airbag 14, i.e., the guide member recovers and extends along the contour of the front panel 74. L ' extension of the guide member 130 is possible due to the elongation of the loose portion 76 in the front panel 74, which is free to straighten and lengthen in the direction A under the pressure of the inflation fluid a Once the tear seam 180 is broken. When the two loose parts 76, 140 are elongated, the entire guide member 130 moves outwardly with the expanding airbag 14, which tends the two segments 118, 119 of the clip 112. This also occurs with the alternative construction of Figure 4C.
    [0010] The tension of the fastener 112 occurs until the front panel 74 reaches a predetermined distance from the flywheel 36, at which point the entire fastener is tensioned. Referring to FIG. 5A, the additional inflation of the airbag 14 then causes the clip 112 to pull on the vent door 106 and to finally actuate the vent 80. More specifically, the tension force T1 applied on the vent door 106 by the first stretched segment 118 breaks or fractures the tear seam 108 and passes the door portion into the closed condition of Fig. 5A. The vent door 106 prevents the flow of inflation fluid through the vent openings 102, allowing the airbag 14 to inflate under the normally deployed and pressurized condition of FIG. 1. Referring now in FIG. 3, if, following the occurrence of the event, the occupant 20 is positioned at a distance from the normally seated position, the occupant can prevent or limit the airbag 14 from reaching the fully inflated position. This can take place when the occupant 20 is inclined forwards and / or unrestrained to prevent inflating the airbag 14. In this case, the airbag 14 is pressurized sufficiently 25 to break the tear seam 180, but the first segment 118 of the fastener 112 is not sufficiently taut and thus the vent 80 remains in the open, non-actuated condition (see FIG. 5B). For this reason, a pressurization of the airbag 14 through the open vent 80 is limited and therefore the airbag inflates and expands in the small volume condition of FIG. 3. More specifically, when the occupant 20 is positioned at a distance from the normally seated position, the front panel 74 can move only over the distance D2 of the steering wheel 36. The distance D2 corresponds to a cushion 3024096 18 inflatable safety 14 which is put completely under pressure but the depth or inflation pressure is less than the predetermined amount necessary to adequately tension the first segment 118 of the clip 112. Therefore, the clip 112 does not apply tension to the vent 80 and thus, the vent remains unpowered when the occupant 20 is positioned at a distance from the normally seated position. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the clip 112 and the tear seam 180 of the present invention help to ensure that the vent 80 is reliably actuated when the occupant 20 is in the normally seated position. Also, the clip 112 and the tear seam 180 help to ensure that the vent 80 remains unreliable, reliably, during pressurization of the airbag 14 and when the occupant 20 is positioned at a distance from the airbag. the position normally seated. More specifically, the first segment 118 of the clip 112 does not fully tighten and can not stretch completely unless the tear seam 180 breaks to release the loose portion 140 and allow the loose portion 76 of the front panel 74 to lie down. The first segment 118 therefore can not operate the vent 80 unless the tear seam 180 on the guide member 130 breaks and the front panel 74 moves a distance, relative to the flywheel 36, sufficient to fully tighten the clip 112. Since the tear stitch 180 only breaks when the airbag 14 inflates by an amount greater than a predetermined amount, it is clear that the vent 80 does not operate until the inflatable airbag 14 is sufficiently inflated. Therefore, air evacuation from the airbag 14 is reliably controlled by the clip 112, the guide member 140, and the tearable seam 180 of the present invention.
    [0011] With reference to FIG. 1, in a typical airbag construction, the vent (represented in phantom line by reference numeral 80 ') is actuated by a single segment fastener (shown in phantom line by the reference numeral 112 ') attached thereto and between the vent 80' and the airbag 14. During inflation and deployment, the initial slack in the single segment fastener 112 'allows the vent 80 'to move or change positions 10 around the airbag 14. Because of this movement, the vent 80' can move to an undesirable position on the airbag 14 during deployment which tends prematurely the fastener 112 '. Therefore, the typical fastener 112 'can apply the tension to the vent 80' before the airbag 14 is pressurized to the degree at which actuation of the vent is desired. The loose portion 140 and tear seam 180 of the present invention help to ensure that the vent 80 reaches its desired position on the airbag 14 during deployment before being actuated. The first end 114 of the fastener 112 does not apply and can not apply sufficient voltage to the vent port 106 to actuate the vent 80 until 25 or less than the front panel 74. Reaching the predetermined distance from the flywheel 36. As mentioned, however, the front panel 74 can only reach the predetermined distance from the flywheel 36 if the tear seam 180 breaks to release the loose portion 140. Therefore, the vent 80 of the present invention can not be operated until or unless the tear seam 180 releases the loose portion 140, thereby allowing the vent to reach the desired position on the airbag 14 before to be operated.
    [0012] The airbag 14 is configured such that the time difference between the beginning of inflation of the airbag and the release of the loose portion 140 is sufficient to allow the vent 80 to reach its own. predetermined position on the airbag. The subsequent actuation of the vent 80 therefore only takes place while the vent is properly oriented in the airbag 14, thus ensuring that the vent not only operates at the right time but also is in the right position.
    [0013] In accordance with the present invention, the fracturable tear-stitch configuration that promotes predictability, repeatability, and reliability for releasing interconnected fabrics is used to form the tear seams 108 and 180. The tear seams 108 and 180 shown in FIGS. 4A And FIGS. 5A-5B are two examples of potential implementations of the tear stitch configuration of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the tear stitch configuration of the present invention can be implemented to provide a removable connection between any desired tissue component of a vehicle occupant protection device. Figures 6A and 6B illustrate an exemplary tear stitch 201 in accordance with the present invention. The tear stitch 201 may constitute the tear stitch 180 and / or the tear stitch 108 of Figures 1 to 5B. In Figs. 6A and 6B, the tearable stitch 201 forms the tearable seam 180 to selectively release the loose portion 140 from the fastener 112. The tearable seam 201 interconnects first and second material portions 220 and 230 positioned in a manner adjacent and superimposed. As a representation of the tear stitch 180 in FIGS. 1 to 5B, the first and second material portions 220 and 230 may correspond to the superimposed portions 3024096 136, 138 of the guide member 130 forming the loose portion 140. In this case, the first and second material portions 220, 230 constitute any portion spaced apart from the guide member 130 between the ends 132, 134 and may overlap in any manner and with any number of times. As another example, representative of the tear seam 108 of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the first material portion 220 may correspond to the vent door 106 and the second portion 230 may correspond to the cushion side panel 104 inflatable safety device 14 (not shown). The tear stitch 201 can be made using conventional sewing techniques and equipment. The tear stitch 201 comprises a bobbin thread 203 and a warp yarn 205. The warp yarn 205 extends through the first and second portions 220 and 230 and wraps around the bobbin thread. As best shown in FIG. 6A, the tear stitch 201 is a seam line having a start point 206 and an end point 208. A break point 211 is positioned, for example, at the center point, between the Starting point 206 and the end point 208. The break point 211 is the point along the tear seam 201 where it is anticipated that the tear seam will break under tension.
    [0014] The tear stitch 201 has an inverted configuration, generally curved V-shaped, with outwardly diverging curved segments or tabs 212 which meet at the breaking point 211. The tear stitch 201 is arranged so that an axis The symmetry 214 of the tear stitch extends generally perpendicular to the two opposite directions in which the tension, indicated generally by the arrows indicated by T2 in FIGS. 6A and 6B, is applied to the first and second portions 220 and 230.
    [0015] The axis of symmetry 214 intersects the V-shaped configuration of the tear stitch 201.
    [0016] The tear stitch 201 is configured to break in response to the voltage T2 applied to the first and second material portions 220 and 230. This voltage T2 may correspond, for example, to the voltage applied to the superimposed portions of the wire. the guide member 130 or the voltage applied to the vent door 106 and the side panel 104 during the deployment of the airbag 14. The first and second material portions 220 and 230 are arranged such that the tension T2 applied to the parts results in an action or detachment movement between the parts, which acts on the tear stitch 201. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, this detachment action is produced by positioning the stitch. As soon as the tension T2 is applied to the first and second portions of material 220, 230 when the ends 132, 134 of the guide member 140 move away from each other with respect to the tear-off seam 201, the resultant detachment action 20 helps to focus the tension on the breaking point 211 of the tear-off seam . According to the present invention, the predictability, reliability, and repeatability with which the tear stitch 201 breaks in response to the tension T2 are designed through the selection of materials and the configuration of the tear stitch. The generally inverted V-configuration of the tear-off seam 201 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, which is oriented generally parallel to the voltage T2, relates to the voltage T2 on the breaking point 211. Thus, it should be noted that the voltage T2 is mainly concentrated on the few, for example 1 or 2, which make up the breaking point 211 of the tear stitch 201. Since the tension T2 is concentrated on the break point 211, the tear stitch 201 starts to break when the warp yarn 205, at the breaking point, breaks and begins to fray from the material 220 and 230. The warp yarn 205, having a known tensile strength, will break when the tension T2 reaches a known value. Since the break point 211 comprises only a few points of the warp yarn 205, the number of variables that can affect the tension T2 at which the tear seam starts to break is reduced, as opposed to, for example, the tearable seam in which the tension is distributed over a large number of points. Therefore, the predictable, reliable and repeatable breaking of the tear stitch 201 can be achieved by selecting a warp yarn 205 with a suitable tensile strength depending on the vehicle conditions and / or known occupant conditions. In order to help ensure that the tear stitch 201 breaks when the tension T2 reaches a predetermined threshold level, the bobbin thread 203 can be selected to have a tensile strength greater than the warp yarn 205. ensuring that the warp yarn 205 first breaks under the tension T2 and thus helps to improve the predictability, reliability and repeatability with which the entire tear seam 201 breaks. Therefore, the tearable seam 201 of the present invention helps to increase the reliability of the vent 80 which functions only when the first segment 118 of the fastener 112 is fully stretched due to breakage of the tearable seam 201 and the release of the loose portion 140.
    [0017] Also, according to the present invention, the tab portions 212 of the tearable seam 201 may be designed to be just sufficient to maintain a predetermined resistance for connection between the superimposed portions of material 220 and 230. Thus, designing the 35 parts of tab 212, the amount of tear seam 201 that must fray in order to release the portions 220 and 3024096 24 230 is minimized. This helps to increase the speed at which the tear seam 201 breaks when the tension T2 reaches the desired magnitude, which can further promote the predictability, reliability, and repeatability with which the tear seam 201 breaks. Through testing and evaluation, it has been determined that the performance of the tear stitch 201 can be affected by the stitch pattern, for example, the shape of the tear stitch. In order to achieve this determination, various dot patterns and different types of wire were tested to determine the load at which the tear seam breaks. The results of these tests are illustrated in the table of FIG.
    [0018] Referring to FIG. 7, various dot shapes were tested to determine the load at which the tear stitch breaks. In all tests, the tear seam interconnects the superimposed portions of material in the same manner as that illustrated in Figs. 6A and 6B. In each test, the tearable seam was oriented in a manner similar or identical to that shown in Figures 6A and 6B. In particular, the tearable seam has been oriented so that the axis of symmetry of the tearable seam is extended generally perpendicular to the opposite directions in which the tension is applied to the first and second material portions, thereby concentrating primarily the voltage on the breaking point for this particular point configuration.
    [0019] As shown in Fig. 7, the generally curved V-shaped configuration shown and depicted in Figs. 6A and 6B and together with seven other dot patterns was tested. In each stitch configuration, the warp yarn is a Tex-30 nylon yarn and the bobbin thread is Tex-138 nylon with a stitch size of about 3 millimeters and a thread tension of about 120 cN (1.2 Newtons). The overlapping material parts were made from 700 dtex woven nylon coated with silicone on one side.
    [0020] The tests were carried out on eight different tear-off seam configurations: a square U-shaped tear-off seam 300, a semi-circular tear seam 302, a curved U-shaped tear seam 304, a 306 tear-off seam. a thin, square U-shaped tear-off seam 310, an oval-shaped tearable seam 312, a straight V-shaped tearable seam 314 and a curved V-shaped tearable seam 316. The curved tear-shaped seam in the shape of a V 316 is identical to that shown in Figures 6A and 6B. Each of these tear stitch configurations comprises ten stitches, except the U-shaped square end tear seams 310 which comprise 11 stitches. For each dot pattern, the superimposed portions of material were arranged as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B and interconnected via the tear-off seam. For the circular tear stitch 306 and the oval shaped tear stitch 312, the start and end points were positioned opposite the breaking point. The tension was applied as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B until the tear seam broke, at which point the magnitude of the tension was recorded. The test was performed five to six times per point configuration. Based on the results of the tests, known statistical methods were used to determine the expected performance for each dot pattern with 95-4 confidence intervals. The confidence levels for each dot pattern are illustrated in the shaded areas associated with each dot pattern in Fig. 7. By "95% confidence intervals" is meant that for each dot pattern the Average breakdown voltage is in the range defined by 95% of the shaded areas of time. Thus, for example, for the curved V-shaped point configuration 316, the average breaking load is in the range of about 55-79 Newtons 95% of the time. From the foregoing, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, according to the present invention, the strength of the breakable seam 201 can be designed through the configuration or shape of the tear-off seam itself. even without changing the type of thread and while maintaining a coherent number, that is to say minimum, points. This allows the tear strength of the tear stitch 201 to be designed according to the performance criteria which may be application specific even in the same overall application. For example, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5B, it may be desirable that the breaking strength for the tear stitch 108 used to secure the vent door 106 be less than the break strength of the tear stitch 180 used. to fix the loose portion 140 of the guide member 130. In this case, the desired performance can be achieved, for example, using the square U-shaped point configuration 300 (see Fig. 7) or the configuration semicircular stitch 302 for the tear stitch 180 so that the loose portion 140 remains fixed and the first segment 118 relaxed due to the relatively sturdy tear seam. Similarly, the right V-shaped pattern 314 or the curved V-shaped point pattern 316 can be used for the tear stitch 108 so that the vent door 106 is kept in the condition. opened by the tear seam relatively more fragile.
    [0021] Through testing and evaluation, it has been determined that the performance of the tearable seam 201 can be affected by the type of yarn used to make the tearable seam. In order to make this determination, yarns of different types were used to form three of the dot patterns described above. These stitch patterns with different threads were tested to determine the load at which the tear stitch broke. The results of these tests are illustrated in the table of FIG. 8. Referring to FIG. 8, the stitch configurations used to perform the tests are semi-circular tear seam 302, circular tear seam 306, and tear stitch. In all the tests, the tear seam interconnected the superimposed portions of material in the same manner as that illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In each test, the tearable seam was oriented in a manner similar or identical to that shown in Figures 6A and 6B. For the circular tear stitch 306 and the oval shaped tear stitch 312, the start and end stitches were positioned opposite the break point. In particular, the tearable stitch has been oriented so that the axis of symmetry of the tearable stitch extends generally perpendicular to the opposite directions in which the tension T2 has been applied to the first and second material portions, thereby concentrating primarily the tension on the breaking point. Each dot pattern comprises ten points, the dot size being about 3 millimeters and the wire tension being about 120 cN (1.2 Newtons). The superimposed portions of material were made of 700 dtex woven nylon with a silicone coating applied on one side. The tests were carried out on six different types of yarn for each stitch pattern: a Tex-16 polyester yarn, a Tex-27 nylon yarn, a Tex-30 nylon yarn, a Tex-45 nylon yarn, a nylon thread Tex-70 and 3024096 28 a nylon thread Tex-90. For each dot pattern, the superimposed portions of material were arranged as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B and interconnected via the tear-off seam. The voltage T2 was applied as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B until the tear seam broke, at which point the magnitude of the voltage was recorded. For each of the six types of yarn, the test was repeated 5-6 times on each of the three stitch patterns.
    [0022] The table in Figure 8 illustrates the test results. In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis represents the tensile strength of the six different threads used during the tests. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the Tex-16 polyester yarn has a tensile strength of about 1.8 Newton, the Tex-27 nylon yarn has a tensile strength of about 3.4 Newtons, the Tex-30 nylon yarn has a tensile strength of about 4.7 Newtons, the Tex-45 nylon yarn has a tensile strength of about 7.5 Newtons, the Tex-70a nylon yarn a tensile strength of about 11 Newtons and the Tex-90 nylon yarn has a tensile strength of about 14 Newtons. The vertical axis represents the point resistance of the three point configurations using the different types of wire.
    [0023] In FIG. 8, the points plotted on the table represent the average breaking strengths of the three point configurations using different wires. For example, for semicircular point configuration 302 using Tex-45 nylon yarn, the average tensile strength is about 190 Newtons. As another example, for circular point configuration 306 using Tex-45 nylon yarn, the average tensile strength is about 135 Newtons. As another example, for the elliptical point configuration 312 using the Tex-45 nylon yarn, the average tensile strength is about 125 Newtons.
    [0024] At this point, it should be noted that the average dot resistors for semicircular tear point configuration 302 using Tex-70 and Tex-90 nylon yarns were not recorded because Tear seam exceeds 250 Newtons, which is the maximum voltage that the device used to measure the voltage was able to measure. Depending on the results shown in Figure 8, it should be noted that as the yarn strength increases, the strength of the tear stitch also increases. The lines drawn on the board and associated with the stitch patterns approximate the relationship between the wire resistance and the resistance of the tear stitch using an appropriate algorithm. These drawn lines illustrate that this relationship is approximately linear. From the foregoing, one skilled in the art will appreciate that, according to the present invention, the strength of the breakable seam 201 can be designed through the selection of the yarn used to make the tear seam without changing the configuration. or the shape of the tear-stitch itself and while maintaining a coherent number, for example small, of points. This also makes it possible to design the breaking strength according to performance criteria that may be application specific even in the same overall application. By combining the relationships illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 7, those skilled in the art will further appreciate that, in accordance with the present invention, the strength of the breakable seam 201 can be designed through a combination of The type of yarn used to make the tear stitch and the configuration or shape of the tear stitch, while maintaining a consistent number, e.g. small, of stitches. This also makes it possible to design the breaking strength according to the performance criteria that may be application-specific, even in the same overall application. For example, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5B, it may be desirable that the breaking strength of tear-off seam 108 used to secure the vent door 106 be less than the break strength of the tearable seam 180 used. to secure the guide member 130. In this case, the desired performance can be attained, for example, by using the Tex-70 or Tex-90 nylon yarn with a square U-shaped point configuration 300 or semicircular dot pattern 302 for making tear stitching 180, and using Tex-16 polyester yarn or Tex-27 nylon yarn with V-shaped dot pattern 314 or shaped dot pattern Curved V 316 for making the tear seam 108. Fig. 9 illustrates by way of example the tear seam 201a according to another aspect of the present invention. Similar to the tearable seam 201 of Figs. 6A and 6B, the tearable seam 201a may represent the tearable seam 108 and / or the tearable seam 180 of Figs. 1 to 5B. As shown in Fig. 9, the tearable seam 201a comprises two lines of breakable points: a first dot line 400 and a second dot line 420. The first and second dot lines 400 and 420 can be made using techniques and conventional sewing equipment and comprise a bobbin thread and a chain thread (not shown) as described above with respect to the embodiment of Figs. 6A and 6B. The first line of points 400 has a start point 402, an end point 404 and a break point 406 positioned between the start and end points, for example at the center point. The break point 406 is the point along the first dot line 400 where it is anticipated that the seam will begin to break under tension.
    [0025] Similarly, the second dot line 420 has a start point 422, an end point 424, and a break point 426 positioned between the start and end points, for example at the center point. The break point 426 is the point along the second dot line 420 where it is anticipated that the seam will begin to break under tension. The first and second dot lines 400 and 420 may have any of the shapes or configurations described above and illustrated in FIG. 7. The first and second dot lines 400 and 402 may also have any In accordance with the present invention, the shape, configuration and material construction of the first and second dot lines 400 and 420 may be selected to design the seam perform desired functions and to display desired performance characteristics. The first dot line 400 has the generally curved inverted V-shaped configuration described above and the second dot line 420 has the semicircular configuration described above. The tear stitch 201a is arranged such that an axis of symmetry 214a of the tear stitch extends generally perpendicular to the opposite directions in which the tension (not shown but in the same directions as the tension T2 in FIGS. 6A and 6B ), is applied to the first and second portions 220 and 230. These configurations, together with their material constructions, are selected to design the tearable seam 201a to perform desired functions and to reveal desired performance. The tear stitch 201a is configured to break in response to the voltage applied to the first and second material portions 220 and 230. This voltage 3024096 32 may correspond, for example, to the voltage applied to the vent wall 106 and the side panel 104 during the deployment of the airbag 14. This tension may also correspond, for example, to the voltage applied to the superposed portions 136, 138 of the guide element 130. As shown in FIG. the first and second material portions 220 and 230 are arranged such that the tension applied to the parts results in an action or detachment movement between the parts, which acts on the tearable seam 201a. In this embodiment, this detachment action is produced by positioning the break point 406 closest to the front panel 74. When the tension is applied to the first and second portions of material 220, 230 when the ends 132, 134 of the guide member 140 move away from each other relative to the tearable seam 201a, the resulting detaching action helps to focus the tension on the breaking point 406 of the tearable seam. Since the tension is initially concentrated on the break point 406, the first dot line 400 begins to break when the warp thread at the break point breaks and begins to fray from the material 220 and 230. The warp thread, having a known resistance to tension, breaks when the tension reaches a known value. Since breaking point 406 comprises only a few points of the warp thread, the number of variables that can affect the voltage at which the first dot line 400 begins to break is reduced, as opposed to, for example, to the tear seam in which the tension is distributed over a large number of points. The function of the first dot line 400 may, for example, help absorb or cushion the forces exerted on the tear stitch 201a during the initial deployment of the airbag 14. The first dot line 400 may thus be configured to break in response to lower voltage forces than those in response to which the second dot line 420 is configured to break. The first dot line 400 may break, partially or completely, under the forces exerted on the tear stitch 201a during the initial deployment of the airbag 14, leaving the second dot line 420 intact so that it can respond. as desired under the conditions of the vehicle 12 and occupant 20 mentioned above in the vehicle. For example, the second line of dots 420 may remain intact during the initial deployment only to break in succession to release the loose portion 140 and allow the first segment 118 to fully tension and actuate the vent 80. Alternately the second line of points 420 may remain intact throughout inflating the airbag 14 so that the vent 80 is not actuated. From the above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a predictable, reliable and repeatable break in the first and second lines of points 400 and 420 can be achieved by selecting a warp yarn with a tensile strength. appropriate and using it in an appropriate configuration. For example, through the test, the magnitude of the tension exerted on the material portions 220 and 230 can be determined by the deployment of the airbag 14 and the tension exerted by the fully inflated conditions. The shape / configuration and material construction of the first dot line 400 may be selected such that its breaking strength is at or about the magnitude of the measured deployment voltages. The shape / configuration and material construction of the second dot line 420 may be selected such that its breaking strength is at or about the magnitude of the voltages measured during the fully inflated conditions. Fig. 10 is a table which illustrates the function of the tearable seam 201a of the embodiment of Fig. 9. As shown in Fig. 10, as the airbag 14 expands, the tension applied to the first and second parts of material 220 and 230 begins to increase. At time t1, the initial deployment of the airbag 14 increases the tension on the material portions 220, 230 to a magnitude at which the first dot line 400 breaks. This causes a brief voltage decrease due to the absorption / damping of the forces provided by the first line of points 400. When the event prompting the deployment of the airbag 14 continues, the conditions of the vehicle 12 and the The occupant 20, such as a normally seated and unrestrained occupant, permits the continuous deployment of the inflatable airbag, thereby increasing the tension on the material portions 220, 230 to the point where the second line of dots 420 breaks at the instant t2. This completes breaking of the tear seam 201a and releases the interconnection between the material portions 220 and 230.
    [0026] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 allows a wide variety of configurations of the tearable seam 201a. For example, more than two dot lines can be used to further design the performance characteristics of the tear stitch 201a. As another example, the first and second lines of points 400 and 420 may be parts of a single line of points instead of separate dot lines. Figures 11 to 13B illustrate an inflatable airbag 14 according to another aspect of the present invention. In this embodiment, the guide member 130 is omitted and the clip 112 includes an additional structure that cooperates with the guide member 200 to help ensure that the vent 80 is not actuated prematurely during the first time. Inflating the airbag 14, it should be noted that the guide element 200 may be used in combination with the first guide element 130 of Figures 1 to 5B (not shown). Referring to Figures 11 and 12, the clip 112 extends through a guide member 500 attached to the front panel 74 of the airbag 14 in a known manner. The guide member 500 has a rounded or annular shape and is formed with the material, for example fabric, of the airbag 14. The guide member 500 is sized to allow the clip 112 to slide to through it. The guiding element 500 replaces the sewn sewn guide element 130 of FIGS. 1 to 5B. Figs. 13A and 13B illustrate the guide member 200 in more detail. In particular, the guide member 200 constitutes a body 502 attached to the airbag 14 (not shown) in a known manner at a location adjacent to the flywheel 36. The body 502 has a rounded or annular shape and is formed with the material, for example fabric, of the airbag 14. An opening 504 extends through the body 502 and is sized and shaped to allow the clip 112 to slide through the opening. The opening 504 may therefore have a circular or polygonal shape.
    [0027] A stop 510 secured to or integrally formed with the first end 114 of the clip 112 cooperates with the guide member 200 to control the degree of tension on the clip between the body 502 and the vent 80. The abutment 510 extends radially outwardly from the fastener 112 and is formed with an elastic material which deforms elastically under compression. The stop 510 is dimensioned to be larger in section than the opening 504 but is deformable under compression to pass through the opening when a predetermined amount of tension is applied to the first end 114 of the clip 112. Referring to Figs. 12 and 13B, the stop 510 is positioned near or on the first end 114 of the fastener 112 initially between the body 502 and the vent 80 so that the fastener is loose between the body and the body. Vent 10 Prior to the Deployment of the Airbag 14. During the initial deployment of the airbag 14, the first end 114 of the clip 112 remains loose and thus the stop 510 remains between the body 502 and the vent 80. Because of the friction between the clip 112 and the guide member 500 on the front panel 74 during the initial deployment of the airbag 14, the stop 510 may move away with the attent. venting 80 and being in engagement with the body 502. However, the stop 510 is larger than the opening 504 and therefore is initially prevented from passing through the opening. More specifically, the stop 510 is configured so that it does not deform sufficiently to pass through the aperture 504 unless the tension T1 on the clip 112 reaches a predetermined level that corresponds to a predetermined degree of deployment. of the airbag 14. Because of this configuration, the first end 114 of the clip 112 does not tension and can not be stretched when the stopper 510 is positioned between the body 502 and the vent 80. Therefore, , the first end 114 of the fastener 112 does not actuate and can not actuate the vent as the airbag 14 does not deploy sufficiently. With reference to Figures 11 and 13A, the inflated airbag continues to increase the tension T1 on the clip 112 until the tension reaches the predetermined level necessary to pull the stop 510 across In particular, when the tension T1 reaches this predetermined level, the stop 510 is pressed against the body 502O enough to pass through the opening 504. Once this has occurred, the first segment 118 is free to stretch with the airbag 14 which expands until the first end 114 of the clip 112 actuates the vent 80.
    [0028] The guide member 200 of the present invention helps to ensure that the vent 80 reaches its desired position on the airbag 14 during deployment before being actuated. As mentioned, the first end 114 of the fastener 112 must be tensioned to actuate the vent 80. The stop 510 of the guide member 200, however, does not pass through the opening 504 to allow the first end 114 the fastener 112 is tensioned until, or unless, the front panel 74 reaches the predetermined distance from the flywheel 36 and thus the fastener remains loose between the vent 80 and the Guiding member 200. Therefore, vent 80 of the present invention can not be operated until or unless stop 510 passes through aperture 504, thereby giving vent time. sufficient to achieve the desired position on the airbag 14. According to the above description of the invention, those skilled in the art will perceive improvements, changes and modifications. Such improvements, changes and modifications in the scope of the invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims. For example, it should be noted that one or more of the components of each embodiment can be easily incorporated into each of the other embodiments in the spirit of the invention.
    权利要求:
    Claims (28)
    [0001]
    REVENDICATIONS1. Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between a vehicle surface and the occupant of the vehicle, the guard comprising a panel before having a portion presented to the occupant when the protective device is in an inflated condition; A vent having at least one opening for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device and having an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition; a fastener having a first end connected to the vent for actuating the vent and a second end connected to the guard; and a guide member connected to the front panel for slidably receiving a portion of the clip between the first and second ends, first and second portions of the guide member being detachably connected together to define a loose portion, the first and second portions remaining connected together in response to an initial deployment of the guard below a predetermined degree to prevent the fastener from being tensioned so that the vent is in the unactuated condition an additional deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree releasing the connection between the first and second portions to allow the clip to tension and act on the vent to place the vent in the actuated condition. the position of the occupant in the vehicle.
    [0002]
    An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the guide member are connected together with a tear-off seam.
    [0003]
    An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tearable seam interconnects the first and second portions of the guide member which, when interconnected, maintain the protection device in a first inflated condition with a first volume. inflated, the tearable seam being able to break in order to release the first and second interconnected portions, thereby allowing the protection device to inflate in a second inflated condition with a second inflated volume, the second inflated volume being greater than the first inflated volume.
    [0004]
    An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tear-off seam interconnects the first and second portions of the guide member in a superimposed manner, the tearable seam being able to break after the deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree to allow at the first and second portions 15 to move relative to each other, the tear-off seam including a break point and first and second segments of points which extend away from the break point, the point The tear-off is positioned adjacent to the front panel to concentrate tension forces to break the tear seam at the breaking point so that the tear-off seam first breaks at the breaking point and then the along the first and second segments of points. 25
    [0005]
    An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tearable seam comprises first and second rows of dots positioned next to each other, the first dotted line being adapted to break in response to an initial deployment of the protection device. before the predetermined degree, the second line of dots being adapted to maintain the protection device at the initial deployment stage before the protection device reaches the predetermined degree of deployment. 35
    [0006]
    Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second dot line is adapted to break in response to unrestricted deployment and pressurization of the protection device.
    [0007]
    An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the first and second dot lines comprises a break point and first and second dot segments extending away from the break point, the first dot line having a configuration which is different from the second line of points so that the breaking strength of the first line of points is less than the breaking strength of the second line of points.
    [0008]
    An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first line has a V-shaped configuration and the second line of dots has an arcuate configuration.
    [0009]
    The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first line has a first arcuate configuration and the second dot line has a second arcuate configuration.
    [0010]
    Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first and second dot lines comprise portions of a single seam line.
    [0011]
    An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tearable seam comprises a warp yarn and a bobbin thread having a tensile strength greater than a warp thread tension resistance. 25
    [0012]
    Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tearable seam comprises a break point and first and second dotted segments extending away from the break point, the tearable seam being arranged on the guide member of so that tensile forces acting to break the tear seam act mainly on the breaking point so that the tear seam first breaks at the breaking point and then along the first and second dotted segments. . 3024096 41
    [0013]
    Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the shape of the tear-off seam affects the strength of the breaking point.
    [0014]
    Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the tearable seam has an axis extending through the breaking point and cutting the tear seam, the tearable seam being arranged so that the axis extends substantially perpendicularly. tension forces acting to break the tear stitch. 10
    [0015]
    Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the breaking point of the tear stitch comprises two points or less.
    [0016]
    Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second guide member connected to the protector device through which the first end of the fastener extends to actuate the vent, the clip being slidable relative to the second guiding element.
    [0017]
    Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second guide member is connected to a rear panel of the guard facing the front panel.
    [0018]
    Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second guide member comprises a fabric loop having an opening through which the fastener extends.
    [0019]
    Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of openings in the guide member extend through the loose portion to slidably receive the fastener.
    [0020]
    Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the activated condition of the vent is a closed condition preventing inflation fluid from escaping from the protection device and the non-actuated condition of the vent is an open condition exiting inflation fluid of the protective device.
    [0021]
    Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the vent is configured to be placed in the closed condition in response to rupture of the tear-off seam 42 to allow the protection device to reach a fully deployed condition.
    [0022]
    Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide member retains a loose portion of the front panel of the guard during an initial deployment of the guard below the predetermined degree, further deployment of the guard at predetermined degree releasing the loose portion of the guide member, which releases the loose portion 10 of the front panel to allow the clip to tension and act on the vent to place the vent in the powered condition .
    [0023]
    Apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between a vehicle surface and the vehicle occupant, the protection device comprising a front panel having a portion presented towards the occupant when the protective device is in an inflated condition; a vent having at least one opening for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device and having an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition; a fastener having a first end connected to the vent for actuating the vent and a second end connected to the guard, an elastic stop being provided on the first end of the fastener to provide slack in the first end of the 'attached ; a first guide member connected to the front panel, a portion of the fastener between the first and second ends extending through the first guide member; and a second guide member connected to the shielding device through which the first end of the clip extends to actuate the vent, the clip being slidable relative to the second guide member, the stopper being positioned between the vent and the second guide member in response to an initial deployment of the protection device below a predetermined degree to prevent the fastener from being stretched so that the vent is in the non-actuated condition, a further deploying the protection device to the predetermined degree causing the stopper to pass through the second guide member to allow the clip to tension and act on the vent to place the vent in the actuated condition the position of the occupant in the vehicle.
    [0024]
    Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the stopper is prevented from passing through an aperture in the second guide member when the protection device deploys less than the predetermined degree, a deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree compressing the stopper so that the stopper passes through the opening to allow the first end of the clip to tension and act on the vent to place the vent in the actuated condition.
    [0025]
    An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the stopper provides slack in the first end of the clip when the protection device deploys less than the predetermined degree, a deployment of the protection device at the predetermined degree causing the stopper to pass. by the second guide to allow the first end of the clip to stretch and act on the vent to place the vent in the actuated condition.
    [0026]
    An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the stopper is formed with an elastic material and is prevented from passing through an opening in the second guide member when the protection device deploys less than the predetermined degree, a deployment of the protection at the predetermined degree compressing the abutment to allow the abutment to pass through the aperture, thereby allowing the first end of the fastener to tension and act on the vent to place the vent into the vent. the activated condition.
    [0027]
    Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the second guide member is connected to a rear panel of the guard facing the front panel.
    [0028]
    The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second guide member comprises a fabric loop having an opening through which the fastener extends.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    DE102015009327A1|2016-01-28|
    FR3024096B1|2019-09-06|
    US9199602B1|2015-12-01|
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    法律状态:
    2016-07-26| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 2 |
    2017-07-26| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 3 |
    2018-07-26| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 4 |
    2018-10-12| PLSC| Search report ready|Effective date: 20181012 |
    2019-07-25| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 5 |
    2020-07-27| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 6 |
    2021-07-26| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 7 |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US14/338,538|US9199602B1|2014-07-23|2014-07-23|Passive air bag with slack creator|
    US14/338,538|2014-07-23|
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