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:
Jul. 08, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 10, 2001
Kurt F. Fischer, Oxford, MI (US);
Ernst M. Faigle, Dryden, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A vehicle occupant protection apparatus ( ) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect a vehicle occupant. An inflator ( ) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid to inflate the protection device ( ). A retainer ( ) is connected with the protection device ( ). One of the inflator ( ) and the retainer ( ) is movable between a first condition blocking venting of inflation fluid from the apparatus ( ) and a second condition venting inflation fluid from the apparatus. The apparatus ( ) includes an electrically energizable mechanism ( ) to release the one of the inflator ( ) and the retainer ( ) for movement from the first condition to the second condition to vent inflation fluid from the apparatus. The apparatus ( ) also includes vehicle electric circuitry ( ) including a sensor ( ) for sensing at least one occupant condition or vehicle condition and a controller ( ) responsive to the sensor for controlling the electrically energizable mechanism ( ).