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:
Oct. 02, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 11, 2000
Halley O. Stevens, Mesa, AZ (US);
John P. O'Loughlin, Gilbert, AZ (US);
Jon J. Freesmeier, Mesa, AZ (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A vehicle occupant safety apparatus (,) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,) and a container (,) for storing gas (,) under pressure. The container (,) has an outlet (,). The apparatus (,) includes a mechanism (,) for opening the container (,) to release the gas (,) to flow from the outlet (,) at supersonic speed. The apparatus (,) also includes a pyrotechnic material (,) which is ignitable to generate gas for helping to inflate the inflatable device (,). The pyrotechnic material (,) is ignitable in response to being impacted by the gas (,) flowing from the outlet (,) at supersonic speed. The apparatus (,) further includes a conduit (,) directing at least a first portion of the gas (,) flowing from the container (,) to the pyrotechnic material (,) to ignite the pyrotechnic material.