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:
May. 14, 2013
Filed:
May. 29, 2012
Robert C. Steinbrecher, Dexter, MI (US);
Robert C. Steinbrecher, Dexter, MI (US);
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Erlanger, KY (US);
Abstract
Airbags including hingedly affixed non-inflatable support members and vehicles including such airbags are disclosed. An airbag includes a body portion, a non-inflatable support member having a proximal end and a distal end, and a tether having a support-member-end and an airbag-end. The proximal end of the non-inflatable support member is hingedly affixed to the body portion of the airbag. The support-member-end of the tether is affixed to the distal end of the non-inflatable support member and the airbag-end of the tether is affixed to the body portion of the airbag, thereby tethering the distal end of the non-inflatable support member to the airbag. When the airbag is in a pre-deployment state, the distal end of the non-inflatable support member does not extend beyond a perimeter of the airbag. The non-inflatable support member extends beyond the perimeter of the airbag in a deployed position.