EXHAUST REGULATORS FOR AIRBAG INFLATOR SYSTEMS

摘要

An airbag deployment system (10) includes an airbag (12) and an airbag inflator (18) that can be activated by a crash management controller for generating inflation gas that is discharged through one or more exhaust ports (20) to inflate the airbag. The system further includes an exhaust regulator device (36) that is selectively activated by the crash management controller for regulating the flow of the inflation gas through the exhaust ports and adaptively changing the deployment rate of the airbag. The exhaust regulator device includes a valve (42) that is movable relative to the exhaust ports for varying the orifice size through which the inflation gas is discharged.