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. 27, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 15, 1997
Ernst M Faigle, Dryden, MI (US);
Tracy S Sparks, Lapeer, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14), a source (16) of inflation fluid, and a valve (20) in an inflation fluid flow path extending from the source (16) to the protection device (14) through the valve (20). The valve (20) is actuatable to regulate a flow of inflation fluid through the valve (20) so as to vary rates at which inflation fluid pressure increases in the protection device (14). A controller (22) has a memory location (29) storing predetermined modes of actuation for the valve (20). The predetermined modes of actuation include modes that correspond to predetermined curves (A-E) of inflation fluid pressure versus time. The controller (22) responds to one or more crash conditions by selecting one of the predetermined modes of actuation and by actuating the valve (20) in the selected mode.