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:
Dec. 01, 2015
Filed:
Jul. 23, 2014
Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Washington, MI (US);
Kurt F. Fischer, Leonard, MI (US);
Yohann Le Norcy, Valladolid, ES;
Oscar Ugarte, Valladolid, ES;
Daniel Sutherland, Richmond Township, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Washington, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device inflatable between a vehicle surface and the vehicle occupant. The protection device includes a front panel having a portion presented toward the occupant when the protection device is in an inflated condition. A vent includes at least one opening for releasing inflation fluid from the protection device and has an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition. A tether has a first end connected to the vent for actuating the vent and a second end connected to the protection device. A guide member connected to the front panel slidably receives a portion of the tether between the first and second ends. First and second portions of the guide member are releasably connected together to define a slackened portion. The first and second portions remain connected together in response to initial deployment of the protection device below a predetermined degree to prevent the tether from tensioning such that the vent is in the non-actuated condition. Further deployment of the protection device to the predetermined degree releases the connection between the first and second portions to allow the tether to tension and act on the vent to place the vent in the actuated condition based on the position of the occupant in the vehicle.