Patent ID: 8596678
Filing Date: 2013-12-03
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. An air bag inflation system having at least two inflatable chambers, the air bag inflation system comprising: a first inflatable chamber; a second inflatable chamber, the second inflatable chamber being located adjacent the first inflatable chamber; an inflatable duct having a longitudinal extent disposed intermediate the first chamber and the second chamber, the inflatable duct having an inlet for receiving inflation gas, a first valve set comprising a plurality of first valves for fluid communication between the inflatable duct and the first chamber, the plurality of first valves comprises a near first valve disposed nearer the inlet than any other of the first valves, and a second valve set comprising a plurality of second valves for fluid communication between the inflatable duct and the second chamber, the plurality of second valves comprises a near second valve disposed nearer the inlet than any other of the second valves, the inflatable duct having a collapsed mode, an inflating mode, and an inflated mode; and an inflator for delivering inflation gas sufficient to inflate the inflatable duct through the inlet to the inflatable duct, wherein prior to delivery of the inflation gas the inflatable duct is in the collapsed mode wherein the flow of inflation gas into the first chamber and the second chamber is inhibited and the delivery of the inflation gas causes the inflatable duct to transition from the collapsed mode to the inflating mode exposing at least one of either the near first valve and the near second valve to inflation gas before the remainder of the plurality of first valves of the first valve set and the plurality of second valves of the second valve set are exposed to the inflation gas for inflation of at least one of either the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber, the inflatable duct is in the inflated mode when every one of the first valves and the second valves is exposed to the inflation gas, and wherein the inflatable duct collapses back into the collapsed mode in response to insufficient inflation gas pressure within the inflatable duct to isolate the inflation gas in the first inflatable chamber from the inflation gas in the second inflatable chamber and restrict fluid communication between the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber.