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:
Jan. 25, 2005
Filed:
Sep. 10, 2002
Alex G. Meduvsky, Romeo, MI (US);
Matthew C. Frank, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Arnold J. Herberg, Davisburg, MI (US);
Joseph J. Zwolinski, Warren, MI (US);
Alex G. Meduvsky, Romeo, MI (US);
Matthew C. Frank, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Arnold J. Herberg, Davisburg, MI (US);
Joseph J. Zwolinski, Warren, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes a knee bolster (). An energy absorbing device () is interposed between the knee bolster () and the vehicle (). The device () includes a field responsive fluid () having a viscosity that varies in response to an energy field acting on the fluid. The device () also includes at least one passage () through which the fluid () flows upon movement of the knee bolster () relative to the vehicle (). The device () further includes means () for varying the viscosity of the fluid () to vary the flow rate through the at least one passage () and thereby vary the resistance to movement of the knee bolster () relative to the vehicle ().