Appeal No. 2005-2656
Application No. 09/805,586
l. An air bag assembly in a vehicle for side impact protection of a vehicle
occupant, the air bag assembly comprising:
an inflator for discharging a gaseous inflation medium; and
an air bag cushion including a first inflatable portion proximal to the inflator for
cushioning the torso of the vehicle occupant, a second inflatable portion distal from the
inflator
for cushioning the head of the vehicle occupant, a first expansion restraining element
extending partially but not completely across the width of the air bag cushion in
substantially nonparallel relation to a flow path of said gaseous inflation medium
between the first and second inflatable
portions, and at least a second expansion restraining element extending partially but not
completely across the width of the air bag cushion in opposing staggered relation to the
first
expansion restraining element in substantially nonparallel relation to said flow path of
said gaseous inflation medium, wherein the expansion restraining elements are adapted
to remain
operative so as to provide expansion restraint upon full inflation of the air bag cushion
without failing such that the expansion restraining elements restrict expansion of the air
bag cushion in the region between the first and second inflatable portions.
THE PRIOR ART
The references relied on by the examiner as evidence of obviousness are:
Matsushima et al. 5,618,595 Apr. 08, 1997
(Matsushima)
Yamamoto et al. 6,065,772 May 23, 2000
(Yamamoto)
Okumura et al. 6,129,377 Oct. 10, 2000
(Okumura)
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