Patents by Inventor John P. Ruterbusch

John P. Ruterbusch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8696019
    Abstract: A knee airbag module for restraining an occupant seated in the interior compartment of a vehicle. The module includes an inflatable airbag cushion configured to deploy to a location forward of the legs of the seated occupant, and an inflator to supply inflation gas for inflating the cushion. The module further includes a housing configured to couple to the vehicle and a cover connected to the housing. The housing includes a base, a forward side wall and a rearward side wall, which together with the cover form a compartment for housing the airbag cushion prior to deployment, as well as the inflator. A portion of the rearward side wall is inclined to guide the deploying airbag cushion in an oblique direction when breaching the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Greg D. Kitts, John P. Ruterbusch, Michael J. Lange
  • Publication number: 20120242066
    Abstract: A knee airbag module for restraining an occupant seated in the interior compartment of a vehicle. The module includes an inflatable airbag cushion configured to deploy to a location forward of the legs of the seated occupant, and an inflator to supply inflation gas for inflating the cushion. The module further includes a housing configured to couple to the vehicle and a cover connected to the housing. The housing includes a base, a forward side wall and a rearward side wall, which together with the cover form a compartment for housing the airbag cushion prior to deployment, as well as the inflator. A portion of the rearward side wall is inclined to guide the deploying airbag cushion in an oblique direction when breaching the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Spencer W. CHAVEZ, Greg D. Kitts, John P. Ruterbusch, Michael J. Lange
  • Patent number: 7946611
    Abstract: An airbag module for protecting the knees of an occupant located in an occupant compartment of a vehicle, the airbag module configured to be mounted behind an instrument panel of the vehicle and including a housing; and an airbag configured to be filled with an inflation gas. The housing may surround the airbag. The housing may include two connected portions. The housing may also be configured so that when the airbag is inflated and deploys the two portions of the housing disconnect and the first housing portion bends downward into a position where the first portion forms a ramp to guide the airbag from a stored position into the occupant compartment. The airbag module may also include a mounting mechanism configured to mount the housing to the instrument panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Gary A. Card, John P. Ruterbusch
  • Publication number: 20100244410
    Abstract: An airbag module for protecting the knees of an occupant located in an occupant compartment of a vehicle, the airbag module configured to be mounted behind an instrument panel of the vehicle and including a housing; and an airbag configured to be filled with an inflation gas. The housing may surround the airbag. The housing may include two connected portions. The housing may also be configured so that when the airbag is inflated and deploys the two portions of the housing disconnect and the first housing portion bends downward into a position where the first portion forms a ramp to guide the airbag from a stored position into the occupant compartment. The airbag module may also include a mounting mechanism configured to mount the housing to the instrument panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Gary A. Card, John P. Ruterbusch