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:
Feb. 01, 1995
Matthew C Bollaert, Capac, MI (US);
Louis R Brown, Oxford, MI (US);
Edward J Burley, Romeo, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a first fabric panel (60), a second fabric panel (62), and a seam (64) at which the fabric panels (60,62) are fastened to each other. The restraint (12) further includes a vent opening (128) which interrupts the seam (64) to direct inflation fluid to exit the restraint (12) between the fabric panels (60,62). The restraint (12) is inflated between a vehicle seat (16) and an adjacent vehicle door (18) upon the occurrence of a side impact collision, and protects an occupant of the seat (16) from being forcefully struck by the door (18). The vent opening (128) directs the inflation fluid to exit the restraint (12) in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction in which the door (18) is moved toward the seat (16) by the side impact collision. As a result, the flow of inflation fluid which is directed from the restraint (12) through the vent opening (128 ) is directed away from the occupant and is not blocked or impeded substantially by the seat (16) or the door (18).