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. 24, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 08, 1999
Bruce R. Hill, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Kenneth D. Brannon, Mesa, AZ (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc./ TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
Apparatus (,) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (,) which has a side structure (,) comprises a vehicle occupant protection device (,) that is inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The vehicle occupant protection device (,) includes an inflatable bladder (,) contained within an outer shell (,) and completely unattached to the outer shell. An inflation fluid source (,) provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable bladder (,). The inflatable bladder (,) is made of gas impermeable material having overlying portions (,) that are sealed together in an airtight manner by a radio frequency weld (,). The outer shell (,) provides structural support for the inflatable bladder (,).