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:
Apr. 15, 2003
Filed:
May. 15, 2000
Mark M. Klozik, Shelby Township, MI (US);
Daniel G. Alcini, Shelby Township, MI (US);
Jerri A. Brachel, Macomb, MI (US);
Chienhom Lee, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Gregory R. Kigar, Toledo, OH (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus ( ) for helping to protect a vehicle occupant comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ), an inflator ( ), a cover ( ), and a reaction plate ( ). The inflator ( ) provides inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable device ( ). The cover ( ) at least partially encloses the inflatable device ( ) and the inflator ( ). The cover ( ) has a front panel ( ), which faces a vehicle occupant, and side panels ( ), which laterally surround the inflatable device ( ). The reaction plate ( ) has a base plate portion ( ) to which the inflatable device ( ), the inflator ( ), and the cover ( ) are attached. The reaction plate ( ) has at least one projection ( ) extending from the base plate portion ( ). The at least one projection ( ) overlies at least a portion of at least one of the side panels ( ) of the cover ( ) to resist deformation of the at least one side panel laterally away from the inflator ( ) as the inflatable device ( ) inflates.