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. 20, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 21, 2000
Peter C. Feldman, Almont, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus ( ) helps protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus ( ) includes a knee bolster ( ), an inflatable device ( ), an actuatable inflator ( ), and a flexible tether ( ). The knee bolster ( ) is movable in the vehicle from a stored position adjacent to an instrument panel ( ) of the vehicle to an actuated position to engage a knee of the occupant of the vehicle. The inflatable device ( ) moves the knee bolster ( ) from the stored position to the actuated position. The inflatable device ( ) inflates in a first direction toward the knees of the vehicle occupant. The inflator ( ) inflates the inflatable device ( ). The tether ( ) limits movement of the knee bolster ( ) in the first direction and positions the knee bolster in the actuated position. The tether ( ) engages an exterior central surface portion ( ) of the inflatable device ( ) and restricts inflation of the central surface portion ( ) of the inflatable device. The inflatable device ( ) inflates laterally in the vehicle due to the tether ( ) restricting inflation of the central surface portion ( ) of the inflatable device.