Patent ID: 8500163
Filing Date: 2013-08-06
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. An airbag for restraining a vehicle occupant comprising an inflatable airbag cushion comprising a flexible sheet material that has at least one vent opening therein, a vent cover comprising a flexible sheet material is fixed to an interior surface of the airbag cushion aligned with the vent opening in the airbag cushion to form a pocket, the vent cover having at least one vent opening therein that allows an airbag inflation gas to escape from the airbag cushion via the vent opening in the airbag cushion, a vent flap comprising a flexible sheet material is disposed at least partially within the pocket and inboard of the vent openings in the airbag cushion and vent cover, the vent flap being fixed to a tether that extends outboard from the vent flap through an opening in the vent cover to a first end of the tether that is attached directly to the airbag cushion outboard of the vent cover in a permanent manner, the tether also extending inboard from the vent flap to a second end of the tether that is fixed in a releasable manner to a device that releases the second end of the tether when a sensor senses a predetermined parameter and a signal is sent to the device instructing the device to release the second end of the tether during a deployment of the airbag whereby the vent flap is pulled in an outboard direction by the tether to become interposed between the vent openings in the airbag cushion and the vent cover and prevent the escape of inflation gas from the airbag cushion through the vent openings in the airbag cushion and the vent cover; and wherein the vent flap has two pairs of parallel slots therein, each slot having an inboard end and an outboard end, the airbag cushion having two pairs of raised features extending from an interior surface thereof with one of the raised features disposed in each slot to guide the vent flap in an outboard direction inside the pocket when the vent flap is deployed.