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:
Jul. 16, 1996
Filed:
Nov. 18, 1994
Rodger M Cherry, Macomb Township, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable occupant restraint (18) which, when inflated, protects an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment. A deployment door (12) covers an opening (19) through which the occupant restraint (18) is deployed upon inflation of the occupant restraint. The deployment door (12) comprises a relatively soft first material layer (60) and a relatively hard second material layer (70). The relatively hard second material layer (70) includes (i) a first surface (77) which underlies the relatively soft first material layer (60), (ii) an inner surface (74) which is engaged by the occupant restraint (18) when the occupant restraint is inflated and (iii) a projecting portion (76) projecting beyond the first surface (77) and adhered to adjacent relatively soft material (66) of the soft first material layer (60). The projecting portion (76) and the adjacent relatively soft material (66) define a break line (30) such that the projecting portion and the adjacent relatively soft material move away from each other along the break line to uncover the opening (19) when the inflatable occupant restraint (18) is deployed into the passenger compartment.