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:
Apr. 02, 2013
Filed:
Mar. 30, 2011
Raymond E. Kalisz, Livonia, MI (US);
Raymond E. Kalisz, Livonia, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
An active bolster for passenger crash protection in a vehicle comprises a base wall and a front wall, the walls having first and second facing surfaces to form an inflatable bladder with an initial open space between the surfaces. The bladder includes a plurality of tear joints. Each tear joint is comprised of first and second upstanding ribs wherein the first upstanding rib extends from the first surface part way into the open space and extends end-to-end along a first direction. The second upstanding rib extends from the second surface part way into the open space to contact the first upstanding rib and extends end-to-end substantially along a second direction that is substantially transverse to the first direction so that the first and second upstanding ribs contact at an intersection. At each intersection the first and second upstanding ribs comprise a welded joint that is substantially rigid against compression forces and that allows the tear joints to separate under tension during inflation of the bladder.