Patent ID: 8727377

Claim:
A method of venting an inflatable air bag, comprising: providing a vent opening in a housing wall of an air bag housing of an air bag assembly; providing a vent cover over the vent opening to cover the vent opening so that inflation gas cannot reach the vent opening; providing an adapter valve in air flow communication with the vent opening; modulating the adapter valve in response to continuously sensed conditions of occupant and a vehicle during a vehicle trip so that the vent opening is continuously adjusted during the trip and prior to inflating the air bag to a degree of closure that will provide a calculated rate of venting of inflation gas from the air bag housing; and opening the vent cover upon the air bag reaching a certain degree of inflation so that inflation gas is then communicated to the vent opening and the inflation gas is vented from the air bag housing through the adapter valve at the calculated rate that was determined during the vehicle trip prior to the inflating of the air bag.