Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2001-06-05
Hess, Douglas (Department: 2167)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S728100, C280S729000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241283
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection apparatus including an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag. In particular, the present invention relates to an air bag having an internal tether of which one end is mounted adjacent an inflator opening or mouth of the air bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, to help protect an occupant of a vehicle. An air bag for helping to protect a driver of a vehicle is commonly mounted on the vehicle steering wheel and has a circular, pillow-shaped configuration when inflated. Some air bags have internal tethers for controlling the shape of the air bag when inflated and for limiting the distance by which the air bag inflates outward from the steering wheel. One such air bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,858. In this air bag, the internal tether has two end portions that are sewn to the front panel of the air bag, at a location adjacent the inflator.
An air bag is inflated by directing inflation fluid into the air bag at a relatively high pressure. It is desirable to have as little stitching as possible in the material of the air bag because inflation fluid can leak out of the air bag through the small openings formed in the air bag material by the stitches. Stitching openings adjacent the inflator are particularly undesirable because the pressure inside the air bag, when the inflator is actuated, is the highest at that location.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a vehicle occupant protection apparatus comprising an inflator and an air bag. The air bag comprises a front panel and a back panel having generally circular outer peripheral portions sewn to each other. The front panel of the air bag has a retainer portion defining a central opening through which the inflator extends. The retainer portion of the air bag has a plurality of fastener openings spaced apart around the central opening of the retainer portion. The air bag further comprises a tether extending inside the air bag between the front panel and the back panel. The tether has opposite front and back end portions. The front end portion of the tether has a configuration extending around the central opening of the front panel and around the inflator. The front end portion of the tether has an opening through which the inflator extends.
The apparatus further comprises a plurality of fasteners extending through the fastener openings in the retainer portion of the front panel to secure the front panel of the air bag to the inflator. The fasteners secure the front end portion of the tether to the retainer portion of the front panel without sewing, so that the retainer portion of the front panel is free of stitching openings.
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Hess Douglas
Jasmin Lynda
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
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