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:
Aug. 13, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1999
Timothy A. Swann, Mesa, AZ (US);
Jess A. Cuevas, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
Ahmad K. Al-Amin, Higley, AZ (US);
Jack L. Blumenthal, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Roy D. Van Wynsberghe, Mesa, AZ (US);
Bryan W. Shirk, Mesa, AZ (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An inflator ( ) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) comprises a storage container ( ), a primary inflation fluid under pressure in a gaseous state in the container, and a secondary inflation fluid under pressure in the container. The container ( ) is openable to enable the primary inflation fluid to flow out of the container into the inflatable device to inflate the inflatable device ( ). At least a portion of the secondary inflation fluid is in a non-gaseous state in the container ( ) during flow of the primary inflation fluid into the inflatable device. The portion of the secondary inflation fluid in the non-gaseous state thereafter changing to the gaseous state and flowing into the inflatable device to maintain the inflatable device in the inflated condition.