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. 30, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 08, 1999
John P. Wallner, Rochester, MI (US);
Paul F. Altamore, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Gwendoyln C. Hatten, Shelby Township, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (,) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (,) which has a side structure (,) comprises a vehicle occupant protection device (,). The vehicle occupant protection device (,) is inflatable in a first direction into a position between the side structure (,) of the vehicle (,) and a vehicle occupant. When inflated, the vehicle occupant protection device (,) extends fore and aft in the vehicle (,) along the side structure (,) of the vehicle (,). An inflator (,) provides inflation fluid for inflating the vehicle occupant protection device. A mechanism (,) causes the vehicle occupant protection device (,) when inflated to be tensioned in the first direction along the fore and aft extent of the vehicle occupant protection device.