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:
Nov. 22, 2016
Filed:
Oct. 21, 2015
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Cortney Stancato, Novi, MI (US);
James Chih Cheng, Troy, MI (US);
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
An active bolster for an automotive vehicle includes a bladder that inflates an interior trim area of the vehicle to provide a cushion to an occupant during an impact. The bladder has a first wall and a second wall cooperatively defining an interior cavity. The bladder has a two stage vent for venting inflation gas supplied into the cavity during an impact event. The vent has a first aperture defining a first predetermined flow area when a pressure difference across the vent is substantially zero. A bendable member defines at least in part the first aperture. A weakened seam joins the bendable member to an adjacent feature of the bladder. When there is a predetermined pressure difference across the vent, the weakened seam is ruptured and the bendable member deflects to a second position defining a second flow area greater than the first flow area.