Patent ID: 7658405

Claim:
A variable venting assembly for an inflator, the assembly comprising: a nozzle having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a valve member movably mounted to the nozzle for movement between an open position and a closed position, the valve member having a shaft member and a head portion secured to the shaft member and an enlarged end portion secured to the shaft member remote from the head portion, the head portion being configured to seal the outlet opening when the valve member is in the closed position; a biasing member located between a portion of the nozzle and the enlarged end portion, the biasing member providing a biasing force to maintain the valve member in the closed position; and a bleed orifice providing a fluid path through the nozzle, the bleed orifice providing the fluid path regardless of the position of the valve member; wherein the shaft member is further configured to have a varying diameter which varies the size of a flow path through the outlet opening as the valve member moves between the open and closed positions.