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. 10, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 14, 2000
Timothy A. Swann, Mesa, AZ (US);
Vincent M. Mramor, Chandler, AZ (US);
Kevin M. Brown, Mesa, AZ (US);
Roy D. Van Wynsberghe, Mesa, AZ (US);
Bryan W. Shirk, Mesa, AZ (US);
Eric C. Erike, Mesa, AZ (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (,) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle comprises a knee bolster (,) for engaging at least one leg of the occupant to restrain the occupant. The knee bolster (,) comprises a metal tube (,) having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition. The metal tube (,) when in the expanded condition positions the knee bolster (,) to help protect the vehicle occupant. The apparatus (,) also comprises a pyrotechnic transfer line (,) extending within the collapsed metal tube (,). The pyrotechnic transfer line (,) when ignited generates fluid under pressure in the metal tube to expand the metal tube from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition. The apparatus (,) further comprises an igniter (,) for igniting the pyrotechnic transfer line (,).