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:
Sep. 07, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:
Gregory S. Fraley, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Thomas J. Fowler, Clarkston, MI (US);
Assignee:
Lear Corporation, Southfield, MI (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B60R 2/104 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B60R 2/104 ;
Abstract
An occupant protection apparatus includes a housing and a bladder mounted relative to the housing. The bladder has at least one flexible wall and defines a chamber having an electrorheological or magnetorheological fluid disposed therein. The apparatus further includes a device for creating an electrical or magnetic field about a volume of the fluid to alter the effective viscosity of the fluid when the flexible wall is moved relative to the housing, thereby altering the acceleration rate of the flexible wall relative to the housing.