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:
Sep. 06, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1993
Laurence H Keeler, Washington, MI (US);
Robert E Resh, Dryden, MI (US);
Susan A Richards, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for restraining a vehicle occupant comprises an air bag assembly having a center of gravity (70) and including a container (20), an air bag (42), and an inflator (50). The air bag assembly is pivotally mounted to an instrument panel (16) of the vehicle with a pivot axis (90) offset from the center of gravity (70). The air bag assembly has a stored position and an operative position and is pivotable from the stored position to the operative position. Thrust produced upon inflation of the air bag pivots the air bag assembly. The apparatus further includes a knee blocking member (36) secured to a side (24) of the container (20) of the air bag assembly. When the assembly moves from the stored position to the operative position, the knee blocking member (36) moves to an occupant restraining position. An actuator (110, 116) is operatively mounted to the air bag assembly and the instrument panel (16) for, when actuated, applying a moment to the air bag assembly to pivot the air bag assembly from the stored position to the operative position.