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:
Feb. 15, 2005
Filed:
Apr. 09, 2003
Diane M. Schwark, Lenox, MI (US);
Hector Javier Zarazua Mauleon, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Diane M. Schwark, Lenox, MI (US);
Hector Javier Zarazua Mauleon, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Washington, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus () helps to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () having an instrument panel () by preventing a forceful impact between lower portions () of legs () of the occupant () and the instrument panel () during a vehicle collision. The apparatus () comprises an inflator () that is actuatable for providing inflation fluid and an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () for receiving inflation fluid from the inflator (). The protection device () inflates from a stored condition to an inflated condition () engaging the lower portions () of legs () of the occupant (). The protection device (), when in the stored condition, includes a rolled lower portion () and an upper portion () that is folded into a stack () of pleated sections.