AIRBAG WITH NON-CIRCULAR VENT HOLE

摘要

This disclosure describes an airbag in which non-circular vent holes replace traditional circular vent holes. Vent holes, in general, provide a geometric asymmetry in the airbag pattern and induce a stress concentration in the geometry. Investigation of airbag deployments has shown that circular vent holes elongate during the early stages of a deployment. This causes stress concentrations at the two circumferential points of the circle as the fabric is strained. Based on this discovery, the inventors determined that a noncircular vent hole, such as an ellipse or rectangle would be advantageous during the early deployment since this non-circular vent hole has assumed a more natural position during this early straining, thereby not inducing additional straining in this region.