The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 05, 1993
Filed:
Jul. 13, 1992
John E Gordon, Vandalia, OH (US);
Robert E Huffman, Tipp City, OH (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle air bag module mounted on a vehicle steering column comprises a container containing an inflator and an air bag folded on top. The air bag has a fabric body, a gas inlet surrounding the inflator, and a crown located opposite the gas inlet. The outer ends of four tethers are equally spaced about the center of the crown and are sewn to it. The inner ends of the tethers are clamped to the casing of the inflator and held by frictional force. Upon inflation, the periphery of the air bag deploys to its full breadth as the tethers restrain deployment of the air bag center. After inflation pressure builds, the force exerted on the air bag crown overcomes the frictional force holding the tether inner ends, which will release, enabling the entire air bag to fully inflate. In a modification, the tethers are all sewn to the upper portion of the air bag crown to delay deployment of the upper part of the air bag until the lower part has deployed.