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:
Nov. 21, 1995
Filed:
Jun. 21, 1994
George W Goetz, Rochester, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for use in inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a pressure vessel (14), an actuator assembly (16), and a diffuser (20). The pressure vessel (14) defines a closed storage chamber (18) containing inflation fluid. The actuator assembly (16) opens the storage chamber (18) to release the inflation fluid from the storage chamber (18), and includes a charge of pyrotechnic material (100). The diffuser (20) directs the inflation fluid from the pressure vessel (14) into the vehicle occupant restraint (12) to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint (12). The apparatus (10) further includes a body (160) of combustible material which emits combustion products into the inflation fluid to increase the volume of the inflation fluid at a location outside of the storage chamber (18) by heating the inflation fluid outside of the storage chamber (18). The body (160) of combustible material is located outside of the storage chamber (18) between the storage chamber ( 18) and the vehicle occupant restraint (12).