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:
May. 20, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 14, 2001
Yasushi Kubota, Toyota, JP;
Masamichi Aono, Nishikamo-gun, JP;
Goro Takahashi, Owariasahi, JP;
Takuya Ohtsuka, Numazu, JP;
Minoru Shibata, Inazawa, JP;
Yutaka Nagai, Ichinomiya, JP;
Hiroyuki Tajima, Chiryu, JP;
Fumitake Kobayashi, Inazawa, JP;
Hiroki Nakajima, Nagoya, JP;
Chiharu Totani, Gifu, JP;
Tadao Tanaka, Nagoya, JP;
Katsunori Noto, Toyota, JP;
Other;
Abstract
A structure of arranging an vehicle occupant protecting apparatus for an automotive vehicle, which can prevent a pillar garnish from scattering when an air bag installed in a front pillar portion is expanded, is provided. An air bag is housed within a space formed by a front pillar main body and a pillar garnish in a front pillar portion When the air bag expands, the pillar garnish is pressed by an expanding pressure of the air bag so that an opening for expanding the air bag is formed between the front pillar main body and the pillar garnish and the air bag expands into a vehicle cabin through the opening. Since a non-expanding portion is formed at the air bag and a hinge portion is formed at the pillar garnish the expanding pressure applied to the pillar garnish when the air bag expand is low, so that the pillar garnish can be easily opened through the hinge portion