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:
Apr. 04, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 28, 1997
Frank Wu, Novi, MI (US);
Hoover Universal, Inc., Plymouth, MI (US);
Abstract
A seat assembly having a side air bag with a force concentrator at least partially surrounding the air bag to concentrate and direct the force of the inflating air bag to a designed deployment seam to cause the seam to rupture and allow the air bag to deploy therethrough. The force concentrator avoids the application of the air bag deployment force on the trim cover material and thus reduces the influence of the trim cover on the air bag deployment and prevents stretching of the trim cover. The force concentrator forms a non-stretchable structure at least partially surrounding the air bag which carries the air bag force and directs it to the deployment seam. This produces a consistent deployment of the air bag from one seat assembly to the next and also over time as the trim cover and seat wears.