Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-06
2001-03-27
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S736000, C102S530000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206412
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle safety apparatus and, in particular, to an inflator for an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an inflatable curtain.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to inflate a vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant. The vehicle occupant protection device is inflated by inflation fluid from an inflator. One particular type of vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain that is inflatable into a position between the vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle to help protect the vehicle occupant in the event of a side impact to the vehicle and/or a vehicle rollover. It may be desirable for the inflatable curtain to remain inflated for an extended period of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable between a part of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The safety apparatus also comprises an inflation fluid source that is actuatable to direct into the vehicle occupant protection device both gas for initially inflating the vehicle occupant protection device and materials for forming a low-density closed cell foam material in the vehicle occupant protection device. The closed cell foam material assists in maintaining the vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition.
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Shirk Bryan W.
Swann Timothy A.
Van Wynsberghe Roy D.
Jasmin Lynda
Mai Lanna
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Inc.
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