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:
Mar. 09, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 25, 2001
George W. Goetz, Fountain Hills, AZ (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A vehicle occupant protection apparatus ( ) comprises an inflatable device ( ) and an inflator ( ) having a housing ( ). The inflator ( ) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device ( ). The housing ( ) has a fluid flow area ( ) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing to the inflatable device ( ). The apparatus ( ) also comprises a retainer ( ) for retaining the protection device ( ) in position relative to the housing ( ). The retainer ( ) has a portion ( ) at least partially blocking the fluid flow area ( ) when the inflator ( ) is unactuated. The retainer portion ( ) moves due to the pressure of inflation fluid acting on the retainer portion ( ) upon actuation of the inflator ( ) to increase the fluid flow area ( ).