Patent ID: 8191925

Claim:
An airbag assembly, comprising: a cushion membrane that defines an interior of an inflatable airbag cushion, wherein the membrane is coupled to a housing, wherein the cushion comprises at least one vent that is configured to vent inflation gas out of the interior of the cushion, wherein the vent comprises a side panel comprising a base portion and a rim, wherein the base portion is coupled to the cushion membrane and defines a base aperture, wherein the rim is opposite from the base portion and defines a rim aperture; a release device coupled adjacent to the housing, wherein the release device is configured to be activated via an electronic signal that communicates a predetermined condition; and, a vent strap coupled to the rim of the vent and extending to and coupled to the release device such that the vent strap can transmit tension generated by inflation gas pressing on the cushion membrane to the vent and such that the tension can be released via the release device; wherein the assembly is configured such that the vent is initially in a constricted state upon deployment of the cushion, and then based on detection of the predetermined condition, the vent either remains constricted or the vent strap is released by the release device such that the vent is pushed to extend outside of and away from the cushion to be in an open state; wherein the inflatable airbag cushion is fully inflated when the vent is in the constricted state and in the open state but becomes less firm when the vent is in the open state; wherein the vent strap extends around the rim of the vent such that, when the vent is in the constricted state, the side panel is cinched and the rim is gathered towards itself; wherein, when the vent is in the constricted state, the rim aperture has a first diameter, and wherein, when the vent is in the open state, the vent has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter such that the vent has more capacity to release inflation gas in the open state than in the constricted state; wherein the side panel has a length such that, when the vent is in the open state, the vent extends outside of and away from the cushion membrane; and wherein, when the vent is in the constricted state, the position and configuration of the side panel permits positive pressure to be exerted against the side panel to generate force to quickly open the vent from the constricted state to the open state when the vent strap has been released.