United States Patent [19]
`Melvin et al.
`
`||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
`US005282646A
`[11] Patent Number:
`5,282,646
`[45]. Date of Patent:
`Feb. 1, 1994
`
`[54]
`
`[75]
`
`[73]
`
`MULTI-CHAMBER AIR BAG WITH
`DISPLACEMENT RESPONSIVE WALVE
`Inventors: John W. Melvin, Ann Arbor; Jack L.
`Jensen, Highland, both of Mich.
`Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit,
`Mich.
`Appl. No.: 19,182
`Filed:
`Feb. 16, 1993
`Int. Cl* .............................................. B60R 21/24
`U.S. Cl. ................................ 280/729; 280/728 R;
`280/740; 280/742
`Field of Search ............... 280/729, 728, 732, 734,
`280/742, 740, 743 R, 743 A
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`3,573,885 4/1971 Brawn et al. ....................... 280/150
`3,586,347 6/1971 Carey et al. ......................... 280/729
`3,642,303 2/1972 Irish et al. .......
`... 280/150 AB
`3,752,501 9/1973 Daniel et al. ........................ 280/729
`3,768,830 10/1973 Hass .................................... 280/729
`4,111,458 9/1978 Okada et al. ........................ 280/739
`4,262,931 4/1981 Strasser et al. ...................... 280/729
`4,360,223 11/1982 Kirchoff.............................. 280/729
`4,500,114 2/1985 Grey, Jr. ............................. 280/742
`4,842,300 6/1989 Ziomek et al. ...................... 280/732
`5,016,913 5/1991 Nakajima et al. ................... 280/738
`5,044,663 9/1991 Seizert ................................. 280/730
`
`[21]
`[22]
`[51]
`[52]
`[58]
`
`[56]
`
`
`
`5,160,164 11/1992 Fischer et al. .................. 280/730 A.
`5,172,933 12/1992 Strasser ............................... 280/740
`Primary Examiner—Margaret A. Focarino
`Assistant Examiner—Christopher P. Ellis
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Charles E. Leahy
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`An occupant restraint air bag assembly includes an air
`bag having a base wall portion communicating with an
`inflator and an occupant contacting face wall for
`contact with the occupant upon inflation of the bag.
`The air bag also has an internal dividing wall which
`divides the air bag into a first chamber communicating
`directly with the inflator and a second chamber defined
`between the dividing wall and the occupant contacting
`face wall. A first opening in the dividing wall between
`the chambers communicate inflation gas from the first
`chamber to the second chamber to inflate the second
`chamber. A second opening in the dividing wall is nor
`mally closed by a vent flap which is operably connected
`to the occupant contacting face wall so that the inflation
`of the second chamber and resultant travel of the face
`wall toward the occupant and away from the dividing
`wall will move the valve flap to an open position by
`which the inflation gas is communicated into the second
`chamber through both the first opening and the second
`opening during the further inflation of the bag.
`
`5 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`IPR 2016-01794
`American Vehicular Sciences
`Exhibit 2033
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`US. Patent
`
`Feb. 1, 1994
`Feb. 1, 1994
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
`Sheet 1 of 3
`
`5,282,646
`5,282,646
`
`FIG. 1
`FIG.
`1_
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`
`
`
`
`FI G. 2
`FIG. 2
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`

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`5,282,646
`5,282,646
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`32
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`U.S. Patent
`US. Patent
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`191
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`

`

`US. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 1, 1994
`Feb. 1, 1994
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
`Sheet 3 of 3
`
`5,282,646
`5,282,646
`
`
`
`II. F
`
`'I.‘
`'I
`n_
`
`FIG. 4
`IG. 4
`
`

`

`1
`
`MULTI-CHAMBER AIR BAG witH
`DISPLACEMENT RESPONSIVE VALVE
`
`5
`
`10
`
`The invention relates to a vehicle air bag and more
`particularly provides a two chamber air bag with a
`valve communicating inflation gas between the cham
`bers in response to the degree of displacement of the air
`bag toward the occupant.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`It is well known to provide an inflatable air bag for
`restraining a vehicle occupant. The air bag assembly
`includes a folded bag which is connected to a source of
`inflation gas. Release of the inflation gas into the air bag
`15
`causes the bag to expand rapidly so that a face wall of
`the air bag is displaced toward contact with the occu
`pant. It is well known to provide such air bags having
`internal walls which divide the air bag into various
`20
`chambers and to provide openings in the walls to com
`municate inflation gas between the chambers. Prior
`patents have proposed various arrangements of check
`valves and pressure relief valves for selectively opening
`and closing the opening to control the communication
`25
`of inflation gas between the chambers.
`The present invention provides a new and improved
`air bag assembly in which the degree of opening and
`closing of the opening communicating between the air
`bag chambers is dependant upon the displacement of
`30
`the air bag toward the fully deployed position.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`An occupant restraint air bag assembly includes an air
`bag having a base wall portion communicating with an
`35
`inflator providing inflation gas and an occupant con
`tacting face wall for contacting the occupant upon infla
`tion of the bag. The air bag also has an internal dividing
`wall which divides the air bag into a first chamber com
`municating directly with the inflator and a second
`40
`chamber defined between the dividing wall and the
`occupant contacting face wall. A first opening in the
`dividing wall between the chambers permits the con
`trolled communication of inflation gas from the first
`chamber to the second chamber to inflate the second
`45
`chamber. A second opening in the dividing wall is nor
`mally closed by a vent flap which is operably connected
`to the occupant contacting face wall so that the inflation
`of the second chamber and resultant travel of the face
`wall toward the occupant and away from the dividing
`50
`wall will move the valve flap to an open position by
`which the inflation gas is communicated into the second
`chamber through both the first opening and the second
`opening during the further inflation of the bag. A travel
`limiting tether is preferably attached to the dividing
`wall to limit the displacement of the dividing wall and
`consistently establish the position of the second opening
`and valve flap. The valve flap is preferably connected
`to the face wall by a tether of predetermined length
`chosen to cause the opening of the second opening
`when the travel of the face wall toward the occupant
`has progressed to a predetermined degree of the total
`travel of the occupant face panel.
`Accordingly the object, feature and advantage of the
`invention resides in the provision of a multi-chambered
`air bag having valving controlling the flow of inflation
`gas between the chambers in response to the degree of
`inflation of the air bag.
`
`5,282,646
`2
`A further feature object and advantage of the inven
`tion resides in the provision of an air bag having divided
`into a chamber closest the inflator and a chamber clos
`est the occupant, with openings and valving acting
`between the chambers in a manner to limit the size of
`the flow opening until the occupant contacting wall of
`the air bag has moved away from the inflator by a pre
`determined distance toward the occupant.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`These and other features, objects and advantages of
`the invention will become apparent upon consideration
`of the description of the preferred embodiment of the
`invention and the appended drawings in which:
`FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken through the air bag
`and showing in schematic form the inflation of the air
`bag in which limited travel of the air bag occurs due to
`occupant position;
`FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the
`further inflation of the air bag toward an occupant
`seated further from the module, thus opening the valve
`flap in the dividing wall between the air bag chambers;
`FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the air bag of FIG. 1
`showing the construction in greater detail; and
`FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a
`second embodiment of the invention.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle
`body air bag system in which an air bag module gener
`ally indicated at 10 is mounted in a recess in the top
`surface of an instrument panel 12 located forward of an
`occupant 14. The air bag module 10 generally includes
`an inflator 16 which generates inflation gas and is
`mounted in a housing or canister 18. An air bag 22 of
`flexible fabric material is suitably mounted on the mod
`ule 10 and is normally folded upon itself to overlie the
`inflator 16 in a stored condition beneath the outer sur
`face of the instrument panel. FIG. 1 shows the air bag
`22 having been unfolded and deployed through the
`instrument panel toward the occupant by inflation gas
`upon activation of the inflator 16.
`As best seen in FIG. 2 the air bag 22 is divided into a
`first chamber 26 and a second chamber 28 by a vertical
`dividing wall 30. The first chamber 26 communicates
`directly with the inflator 16 to receive the inflation gas
`therefrom, while the second chamber 28 is separated
`from the inflator 16 by the dividing wall 30. The second
`chamber 28 is situated between the dividing wall 30 and
`a occupant contacting face wall 32 of the air bag 22. A
`travel limiting tether strap 34 has one end attached to
`the inflator 16 and the other end attached to the divid
`ing wall 30 and functions to limit the travel of the divid
`ing wall 30 toward the occupant so that the dividing
`wall 30 is established in the vertical position of FIG. 2
`against the forces of the inflation gas acting thereon.
`The dividing wall 30 has a first opening 36 provided
`therein which communicates inflation gas from the first
`chamber 26 to the second chamber 28. In addition, the
`dividing wall has a second opening 38 therein provided
`by a open mesh screen 40.
`In FIG. 1 it is seen that the second opening 38 pro
`vided by the open mesh screen 40 is closed by a valve
`flap 44 which reaches through the first opening 36 and
`overlies the upstream side of the second opening 38 to
`block the flow of inflation gas through the open mesh
`screen 40. As best seen in FIG. 2, the valve flap 44 has
`
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`10
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`20
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`5,282,646
`3
`4
`closing engagement with the open mesh screen 68 of the
`an end 46 sewn or otherwise suitably attached to the
`occupant contacting face wall 32 so that the travel of
`second opening 66.
`the occupant contacting face wall 32 to the position of
`It will be appreciated that the use of the multi-cham
`FIG. 2 will have pulled the valve flap 44 away from
`ber arrangement disclosed herein, and the displacement
`responsive valving arrangement for the dividing wall
`overlying the second opening 38 so that the inflation gas 5
`is free to pass from the first chamber 26 to the second
`between the chambers permits the tuning of the air bag
`chamber 28 through both the first opening 36 and the
`system to a wide range of desired performance charac
`second opening 38. Thus, the valve flap and the second
`teristics. For example the size, shape, number, and spac
`opening 38 cooperates to define a closure which is ini
`ing of the vent openings may be varied. In addition, the
`tially normally closed to block gas communications, but
`length of the valve flap and its tether portion may be
`then opens to permit gas communication.
`varied to vary the degree of movement of the occupant
`FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the air bag shown in
`contact face wall which triggers the opening of the
`the fully inflated position of FIG. 2 and having parts
`valve flap. In addition, the material of the valve flap can
`be chosen to be either a gas permeable or impermeable
`broken away and in section to show in greater detail the
`construction of the airbag 22. As best seen in FIG. 3 the 15
`material.
`travel limiting tether strap 34 is preferably comprised of
`Furthermore, although the drawings herein show an
`a piece of air bag type fabric which includes laterally
`air bag comprised of two chambers it will be appreci
`spaced apart legs 50 and 52 which are sewn or other
`ated that three, four or any multiple number of cham
`wise suitably attached to the dividing wall 30 at later
`bers may be employed and may have associated primary
`ally spaced locations to support the dividing wall 30 at
`flow openings which are open and secondary normally
`its vertical position of FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore,
`closed flow openings which are opened by a valve in
`FIG. 3 shows that the first opening 36 is preferably a
`response to the relative displacement between different
`wall portions of the air bag.
`round opening which is situated beneath and centered
`with respect to the second opening 38. In the prede
`In addition, it will be understood that the addition of
`a dividing wall in the air bag is only one example of how
`ployment folded condition, the valve flap 44 will reach
`25
`through the first opening 36 and be unfolded to overlie
`the separate chambers may be fabricated. Alternately,
`the open mesh screen 40 of the second opening 38. The
`two chambers could be achieved by using a smaller
`edges of the valve flap 44 are preferably tacked to the
`complete bag within the larger complete bag, each
`vertical wall 30 by a row of stitches, adhesive, velcro or
`having top, bottom and side walls so that the inner
`other suitable fastener which can be forcibly separated
`smaller bag would parade the dividing wall between the
`30
`when the valve flap 44 is to be moved away from the
`chambers. The valve arrangement described here could
`second opening 38. Furthermore, as best seen in FIG. 3
`then be utilized in a similar fashion.
`the valve flap 44 includes a tether portion 54 which is
`In addition it will be appreciated that the particular
`necked down to reach through the opening 36 without
`closure valve arrangement shown herein is just one
`substantially reducing the cross sectional flow area of 35
`example of suitable valve arrangement which may be
`the first opening 36.
`installed in the dividing wall. Although the valve flap
`In comparing FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, it will be appreci
`preferably reaches through an access opening such as
`ated that the length of the valve flap 44 and or its tether
`the first opening 36 of FIG. 3, or the gap 70 of FIG. 4,
`54 may be varied as desired to determine the degree of
`it will be appreciated that the valve flap could close the
`movement of the occupant face wall 32 away from the 40
`secondary opening on the downstream side thereof
`dividing wall 30 which will result in the valve flap 44
`within the second chamber.
`being tensioned and pulled through the first opening 36
`Furthermore it will be understood that the valve
`to open the second opening 38.
`assembly shown herein is only one example of a suitable
`Furthermore, it will be appreciated that tether having
`valve assembly, and other valve assemblies such as that
`a predetermined length chosen to cause opening of the 45
`of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/981,336 by Mi
`closure when the travel of the face wall toward the
`chael John Wolanin et al filed Nov. 25, 1992 and as
`occupant has progressed to a predetermined degree of
`signed to the assignee of this invention, may be em
`the total travel of the occupant face panel so that the
`ployed in the air bag assembly hereof.
`further inflation of the second chamber is obtained by
`Thus it is seen that the invention provides a new and
`improved air bag assembly.
`the combined communication of inflation gas through 50
`both the first opening and the second opening, and to
`We claim:
`cause the closure to remain closed during any degree of
`1. An occupant restraint air bag comprising:
`lesser progress of the face wall so that the inflation of
`an inflator for generating inflation gas;
`the second chamber is obtained only by inflation gas
`an air bag having a first chamber receiving inflation
`communication through the first opening.
`gas from the inflator and a second chamber sepa
`55
`FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the in
`rated from the first chamber by a wall,
`vention in which an air bag 60 has a vertical dividing
`a first opening in the wall between the chambers to
`wall 62 having a plurality of first openings 64 spaced
`permit the controlled communication of inflation
`circumferentially about the secondary opening 66. The
`gas from the first chamber to the second chamber
`open mesh screen 68 which extends across the opening
`to inflate the second chamber,
`66 stops short at the top thereof to leave a gap 70
`a second opening in the wall between the chambers
`through which the valve flap 74 reaches to overlie the
`and having a closure normally closed to communi
`open mesh screen 66. The aggregate cross sectional area
`cation of the inflation gas from the first chamber to
`of the first openings 64 will control and limit the flow of
`the second chamber,
`-
`inflation gas from the first chamber to the second cham- 65
`and a tether located within the second chamber and
`ber until such time as the travel of the occupant contact
`having a first end operably associated with the
`ing face wall 76 has progressed away from the dividing
`closure and a second end attached to the air bag so
`wall 62 sufficient to pull the movable flap 74 out of
`that the inflation of the second chamber and conse
`
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`a.
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`5,282,646
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`and a second chamber defined between the divid
`quent travel of the air bag pulls the tether to open
`ing wall and the occupant contacting face wall,
`the closure and permit communication of inflation
`gas through both the first and second openings.
`a first opening in the dividing wall between the cham
`bers to permit the controlled communication of
`2. An occupant restraint air bag comprising:
`inflation gas from the first chamber to the second
`an inflator for generating inflation gas;
`chamber to inflate the second chamber and dis
`an air bag having an occupant contacting face wall
`place the face wall toward the occupant,
`for displacement toward the occupant upon infla
`valve opening in the dividing wall between the
`tion of the air bag, said air bag having a dividing
`chambers and having an associated valve flap nor
`wall dividing the air bag into a first chamber com
`mally closed to block communication of the infla
`municating with the inflator to receive inflation gas 10
`tion gas through the valve opening from the first
`and a second chamber defined between the divid
`chamber to the second chamber,
`ing wall and the occupant contacting face wall,
`a first opening in the wall between the chambers to
`and means acting between the valve flap and the
`occupant face wall so that the inflation of the sec
`permit the controlled communication of inflation
`ond chamber and consequent displacement of the
`gas from the first chamber to the second chamber
`face wall toward the occupant travel of the air bag
`to inflate the second chamber and displace the face
`pulls the valve flap away from the valve opening to
`wall toward the occupant,
`open the valve opening and permit communication
`a travel limiting tether attached to the dividing wall
`of inflation gas through both the first and second
`to limit the displacement of the dividing wall,
`openings to further inflate the air bag.
`20
`a second opening in the wall between the chambers
`An occupant restraint air bag comprising:
`5.
`and having a closure normally closed to block
`an inflator for generating inflation gas;
`communication of the inflation gas from the first
`an air bag having an occupant contacting face wall
`chamber to the second chamber,
`for displacement toward the occupant upon infla
`and a tether located within the second chamber and
`tion of the air bag, said air bag having a dividing
`having a first end operably associated with the
`wall dividing the air bag into a first chamber com
`closure and a second end attached to the face wall
`municating with the inflator to receive inflation gas
`so that the inflation of the second chamber and
`and a second chamber defined between the divid
`consequent displacement of the face wall toward
`ing wall and the occupant contacting face Wall,
`the occupant pulls the tether to open the closure 30
`a first opening in the dividing wall between the cham
`and permit communication of inflation gas through
`bers to permit the controlled communication of
`both the first and second openings to further inflate
`inflation gas from the first chamber to the second
`the air bag.
`chamber to inflate the second chamber and dis
`3. The occupant restraint air bag of claim 2 further
`place the face wall toward the occupant,
`characterized by the tether having a predetermined 35
`-
`a valve opening in the dividing wall between the
`length chosen to cause opening of the closure when the
`chambers,
`travel of the face wall toward the occupant has prog-
`a mesh screen attached to the dividing wall and ex
`ressed to a predetermined degree of the total travel of
`tending across the valve opening,
`the occupant face panel so that the further inflation of
`an access opening located adjacent the mesh screen,
`the second chamber is obtained by the combined com- 40
`a valve flap reaching through the access opening in
`munication of inflation gas through both the first open
`the dividing wall and having a first end located in
`ing and the second opening, and to cause the closure to
`the first chamber and overlying the mesh screen to
`remain closed during any degree of lesser travel of the
`block communication of the inflation gas through
`the valve opening from the first chamber to the
`face wall so that the inflation of the second chamber is
`obtained only by inflation gas communication through 45
`second chamber and a second end attached to the
`the first opening.
`occupant face wall so that the inflation of the sec
`ond chamber and consequent displacement of the
`4. An occupant restraint air bag comprising:
`face wall toward the occupant pulls the valve flap
`an inflator for generating inflation gas;
`an air bag having an occupant contacting face wall
`away from the mesh screen and through the access
`opening to open the valve opening and permit
`for displacement toward the occupant upon infla- 50
`communication of inflation gas through both the
`tion of the air bag, said air bag having a dividing
`first and second openings.
`wall dividing the air bag into a first chamber com
`municating with the inflator to receive inflation gas
`
`# *
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