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:
Feb. 01, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1998
Anthony C Burgi, Rochester, MI (US);
Mark Klann, Troy, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (34) includes an inflation fluid source (12) actuatable to effect flow of inflation fluid (52) to inflate the inflatable device. The apparatus (10) includes a first actuatable initiator (50) for, when actuated, effecting actuation of the inflation fluid source (12) and creating a temperature rise. The apparatus (10) also includes a second actuatable initiator (50a) for, when actuated, effecting actuation of the inflation fluid source (12). The apparatus includes an igniter (72) for actuating the first initiator (50) to actuate the inflation fluid source (12), without actuating the second initiator (50a). The second initiator (50a) can be actuated in response to a rise in temperature resulting from actuation of the first actuatable initiator (50) and at a time delay after actuation of the first initiator. An ignitable material (80) ignites to actuate the second initiator (50a) at a predetermined temperature to which the ignitable material is exposed as a result of the rise in temperature.