Patent ID: 6454300
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising:a housing having an interior and an exterior and including at least one vent opening disposed between the interior and the exterior; an inflator disposed within the housing, the inflator including at least one gas outlet opening and being activatable to discharge inflation gas upon the occurrence of predetermined vehicle conditions; an inflatable air bag cushion in fluid communication with the inflator such that upon discharge of inflation gas from the inflator the air bag cushion is inflated to a deployed state; at least one profile restraining tethering element operatively connected to the air bag cushion, the tethering element further being releasably anchored at a first anchor location within the housing and fixedly anchored at least at a second anchor location; and a displaceable vent blocking element selectively moveable in response to predetermined occupant conditions to establish a gas blocking barrier between said at least one gas outlet opening in the inflator and said at least one vent opening in the housing, the vent blocking element being adapted to translate at least one of a dynamic pushing or pulling displacement force to said at least one profile restraining tethering element upon movement of the vent blocking element such that said at least one profile restraining tethering element is forcibly displaced from said first anchor location by said dynamic pushing or pulling force substantially in conjunction with the establishment of a gas blocking barrier between said at least one gas outlet opening in the inflator and said at least one vent opening in the housing such that an increased volume of inflation gas is directed into the air bag cushion when said at least one profile restraining tethering element is displaced from said first anchor location and such that said at least one profile restraining tethering element is extended to an increased operative length extending away from said second anchor location.