Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Trw Automotive U.S. LLC

Robert R Debbs

John P O'Loughlin

Homer William Fogle, Jr

Eric R McFarland

David G Magoteaux

Craig M Fischer

Wael S Elqadah

Halley O Stevens

Frank Paul Leonelli, Jr

Keven D Thomas

Arnold M Stephens

Angelo J Adler

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus () includes an inflatable occupant protection device () and a member () that defines a deployment opening () through which the inflatable occupant protection device () is inflatable. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus () also includes a cover () having an attachment portion () and a deployment door portion (). The attachment portion () is securable to the member () for positioning the deployment door portion () for closing the deployment opening (). The cover () also includes a rupturable portion (and) that ruptures for enabling inflation of the inflatable occupant protection device () through the deployment opening (). At least a part of the rupturable portion (and) is formed at a union of the attachment portion () and the deployment door portion ().

Vehicle protection apparatus with cover having a rupturable portion with tear tabs

An actuatable fastener () includes a body () including a head () and a shank (). The body () includes an interior chamber () partially defined by a side wall () extending from the head () into the shank () and an end wall () positioned in the shank. A member () is disposed in the chamber (). An initiator () is actuatable to produce combustion products in the chamber () that act on the member () to move the member in a first direction in the chamber to strike the end wall (). The member () strikes the end wall () creating a fracture () in the shank () separating at least a portion of the shank from a remainder () of the shank. The combustion products moving the member () beyond the fracture () at least a predetermined distance () to move the portion of the shank () at least the predetermined distance from the remainder () of the shank.

Actuatable fastener

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (). An inflator () provides inflation fluid for inflating the protection device (). A vent member () includes at least one vent opening () for venting the inflation fluid. A vent cover () has a closed condition for blocking fluid flow through the at least one vent opening () and an open condition for permitting fluid flow through the at least one vent opening. The vent cover () includes a side wall () that has at least one portion () that projects from the side wall into the vent member () to help maintain the vent cover in the closed condition.

Air bag module with vent cover

An apparatus () includes an inflatable device () for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, and an inflator () with inflation fluid outlets (). A vent member () connected with the inflator () has a vent wall () having at least one vent opening (). A vent cover () includes an outer wall () having first and second end portions (and). The vent cover () has a closed condition clamped on the vent wall () and covering the vent opening (), and an open condition enabling fluid flow through the vent opening. An actuatable device () has an unactuated condition connecting the first and second end portions (and) to maintain the vent cover in the closed condition, and an actuated condition releasing the end portions to release the vent cover to the open condition to vent inflation fluid from the apparatus ().

Growing community of inventors

Yale, MI, United States of America

Robert R Debbs