Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-31
2001-12-04
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S728100, C280S728200, C280S732000, C280S728300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325415
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus including an inflatable protection device and a deployment door that is tethered to limit movement of the door upon inflation of the protection device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical passenger side air bag module for a vehicle includes an inflatable protection device in the form of an air bag, and an actuatable inflator assembly for inflating the air bag. The inflator assembly is mounted on the instrument panel of the vehicle, together with the deflated air bag, behind a deployment door. Upon actuation of the inflator, the inflating air bag opens the deployment door and inflates into the vehicle occupant compartment to help protect a passenger of the vehicle.
The deployment door fits into and closes a deployment opening in the trim pad or cover of the instrument panel. The inflator assembly and the air bag are rigidly secured to a supporting portion of the instrument panel behind the deployment door. In some modules, the deployment door is connected with, but movable relative to, the inflator assembly, during installation in the vehicle, to ensure the best possible fit of the deployment door in the deployment opening. U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,433 describes an air bag module in which the deployment door is movable relative to the inflator assembly and is also tethered to the inflator assembly to prevent it from separating completely from the instrument panel upon actuation of the inflator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a vehicle occupant protection apparatus. The apparatus includes a portion of a vehicle. The apparatus also includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated, stored condition and an inflated condition. The apparatus includes an actuatable inflator for inflating the protection device, and a support for supporting the inflator on the vehicle portion. The apparatus also includes a deployment door having a first condition covering the protection device when the protection device is in the deflated condition and being movable from the first condition to a second condition in response to inflation of the protection device. A support supports the protection device on the vehicle portion. A flexible tether is secured to the vehicle portion and to the protection device and the deployment door, and remains secured to the vehicle portion, for limiting movement of the deployment door away from the vehicle portion in response to inflation of the protection device.
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Keeler Laurence H.
Zelinski Lawrence J.
Lum L.
Swann J. J.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
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