Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090152839 | SUPPLEMENTAL INFLATABLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITH HUSH PANEL HOUSING - A supplemental inflatable restraint system is provided for use with a vehicle having an instrument panel at a forward end therein. A hush panel, which defines a cavity configured to nest the SIR therein, is attached to a lower portion of the instrument panel. The cavity has an opening facing in a generally downward direction. A cushion is operable to transition through the opening from a non-expanded state, in which the cushion is inside the cavity, to an expanded state, in which the cushion is outside the cavity. A fluid dispensing apparatus regulates transition of the cushion from the non-expanded to the expanded state. A closeout door is attached to the hush panel to cover the cushion, and transition from a closed to an open position. The hush panel acts as a structural reaction surface for the cushion, and is generally not visible to a vehicle occupant seated upright and adjacent thereto. | 06-18-2009 |
20090206581 | Airbag System - An embodiment of an airbag system includes a cavity configured to store an airbag, wherein the cavity has an aperture that provides an outlet for the airbag during deployment. The embodiment also includes a cover releasably attached over the aperture via an attachment mechanism having an initial attachment strength. The initial attachment strength is configured to reduce to a release attachment strength in response to receipt of a release signal at the attachment mechanism. | 08-20-2009 |
20090302587 | Split Top Air Bag Assembly - Air bag assembly is inflatable by an inflator mounted on the vehicle forward of the vehicle occupant seat. The air bag assembly has a vertical extending, occupant facing restraining surface located at a distance from the air bag base end. An air bag base wall extends generally horizontally from a base end mounted on the inflator and divides the air bag assembly into a lower air bag portion for restraint of the occupant lower torso and an upper air bag portion for restraint of the upper torso. The upper air bag portion includes an inflatable left hand lobe rising from the left side of the base wall and an inflatable right lobe rising from the right side of the base wall. The left and right hand lobes define an upper un-inflated void space, the lower extent of which is provided by the horizontal extending base wall. | 12-10-2009 |
20090315305 | Vehicle Seat Side Air Bag - A vehicle seat includes a seat back frame, a cushion, and an air bag assembly mounted upon the frame within a hollow provided in the cushion. A trim cover includes a side panel facing the side of the vehicle and a front panel facing forwardly, the side panel and front panel being joined to one another at a vertical extending seam. The side panel also has a lower horizontal extending separable seam, an upper horizontal extending separable seam, and a forward vertical seam that may or may not be sewn to the front panel. On inflation of the air bag, the inflating air bag forces the side panel outwardly causing separation of the separable seams and inflate forwardly, upwardly and downwardly through separable seams of the side panel. In addition, a rear vertical extending seam can be provided that would extend between the upper and lower horizontal extending separable seam. | 12-24-2009 |
20090315373 | Vehicle Seat Side Air Bag - A vehicle seat includes a seat back frame, a foam cushion mounted on the frame, and an air bag assembly mounted upon the frame within a hollow provided in the cushion. A trim cover covers the cushion and conceals the air bag assembly, and includes a side panel facing the side of the vehicle and a front panel facing forwardly. The side panel and front panel are joined together at a vertical extending separable seam. The side panel has a lower portion and an upper portion joined together at a horizontal extending separable seam located adjacent to the lower edge of the air bag assembly. Upon inflation of the air bag, the inflating air bag forces the side panel outwardly causing separation of the separable seams and enabling the air bag to inflate both forwardly through the vertical extending separable seam and downwardly through the horizontal extending separable seam. | 12-24-2009 |
20100043687 | Sewing Method for Seat Cover - A method is provided for sewing a seat cover to provide a front panel and a side panel with an L-shaped separable seam and inner and outer chutes for air bag deployment. The method comprises sewing the front panel and the inner chute together with permanent vertical extending and horizontal extending seams that will not break during air bag deployment, and sewing the side panel and the outer chute together with permanent vertical extending seams and horizontal extending seams that will not break during air bag deployment. And thereafter sewing the front panel and the side panel together with separable vertical extending seams and horizontal extending seams that will break upon the air bag deployment to allow inflation of the air bag while the inner chute remains attached to the front panel and the outer chute remains attached to the side panel to guide the inflating air bag. | 02-25-2010 |
20100045006 | Air Bag Inflation Baffle - An air bag includes a bag base wall having a mouth registering with an inflator and extending rearward along an instrument panel and toward the seated occupant. Spaced apart left and right sidewalls connect the bag base wall with a top wall and an occupant facing wall, thereby defining upper and lower torso restraining portions. An internal baffle has a baffle base wall sewn to the bag base wall rearwardly of the mouth and a left side baffle portion and a right side baffle portion attached to and extending from the baffle base wall and attached to the sidewalls of the air bag so that inflation gas impinges on the baffle and divides into left and right flow streams flowing on opposite sides of the baffle base wall and directed downwardly into the lower torso restraining portion and away from the upper torso restraining portion. | 02-25-2010 |
20100090449 | Motor Vehicle Safety Restraint System - A safety restraint system for selectively restraining an occupant of a motorized vehicle is provided. The safety restraint system includes a cylinder defining an elongate channel therein. A piston is disposed inside the channel, and selectively translates from an undeployed position to a deployed position. A linking member operatively connects the safety belt webbing to the piston such that translation of the piston increases the tension of the belt webbing. The safety restraint system also includes an inflatable cushion operatively attached to the cylinder, and configured to selectively transition from a non-expanded state to an expanded state. An inflation device operable to release inflation fluid is in fluid communication with both the inflatable cushion and the cylinder. Activation of the inflation device operates to transition the cushion from the non-expanded state to the expanded state, and translate the piston from the undeployed position to the deployed position. | 04-15-2010 |
20100123301 | MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM - A safety restraint system for selectively restraining an occupant of a motorized vehicle is provided. The safety restraint system includes a safety belt webbing that is operatively mounted inside the vehicle passenger compartment, proximate to a seat assembly. An inflatable airbag cushion is engaged with a first end portion of the belt webbing. The cushion is configured to selectively transition from a non-expanded state, in which the cushion is in a stowed condition, to an expanded state, in which the cushion is in an inflated condition. An inflation device, operable to release inflation fluid, is in fluid communication with the cushion. Activation of the inflation device operates to transition the cushion from the non-expanded state to the expanded state. Transitioning of the cushion from the non-expanded state to the expanded state operates to retract a predetermined length of the belt webbing, thereby increasing the tension of the belt webbing. | 05-20-2010 |
20100194081 | INFLATABLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITH DEPLOYMENT TRAJECTORY CONTROLLER - An inflatable restraint system for selectively restraining an occupant of a motorized vehicle is presented herein. The inflatable restraint system includes a bladder having forward and rearward panel portions. The bladder is attached to the vehicle instrument panel, and configured to transition from a non-expanded state, in which the rearward panel portion is substantially flush with respect to the instrument panel, to an expanded state, in which the rearward panel portion is extended into the passenger compartment distal from the instrument panel. An inflation device is operatively coupled to the bladder, and configured to selectively transition the bladder from the non-expanded state to the expanded state. One or more trajectory control arms are attached at one end to the bladder, and a second end to the vehicle. The trajectory control arms are configured to redirect the bladder along an upward, arcuate path when transitioning to the expanded state. | 08-05-2010 |
20100230937 | Extendable Stabilizer for Airbag - Apparatus for stabilizing the deployment of an airbag includes an airbag housing in which a folded up airbag is housed. The housing has an open side through which the airbag is deployed and a door is pivoted to the housing and is pivoted open by the deploying airbag. An extension panel is mounted on the door by a track mechanism so that the extension panel is movable between a normal retracted position along side the door and an extended position in which the extension panel extends beyond the door. An extension mechanism for causes the extension panel to be moved to the extended position when the airbag is deploying so that the door and the extension panel direct and stabilize the deploying airbag. | 09-16-2010 |
20100251950 | Sewing Method For Seat Cover - A method is provided for sewing a seat cover to provide a side panel and an inset panel with a C-shaped separable seam and inner and outer chutes for air bag deployment. The method comprises sewing the side panel and the inner chute together with permanent vertical extending and upper and lower horizontal extending seams that will not break during air bag deployment, and sewing the inset panel and the outer chute together with permanent vertical extending seams and upper and lower horizontal extending seams that will not break during air bag deployment. And thereafter sewing the side panel and the inset panel together with separable vertical extending seams and upper and lower horizontal extending seams that will break upon the air bag deployment to allow inflation of the air bag while the inner chute remains attached to the front panel and the outer chute remains attached to the side panel to guide the inflating air bag. | 10-07-2010 |
20120065843 | AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT - A method of deploying a side impact airbag is provided. The method includes selectively determining a delay time based on an impact type, where the delay time associated with an impact on a first side is different than the delay time associated with an impact on a second side; and selectively generating a control signal to at least one of deploy and not deploy the side impact airbag based on the delay time. | 03-15-2012 |
20120091697 | OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM - An occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle having a seat system configured to provide seating to an occupant positioned adjacent to a console having a top surface and configured to provide utility; which includes a cushion stored in the folded configuration and having an inflatable chamber configured to inflate adjacent to an occupant to provide impact restraint to the occupant; an inflator configured to provide gas to inflate the inflatable chamber of the cushion; wherein a bottom portion of the cushion deploys to a position below the top surface of the console and a top portion of the cushion deploys to a position above the top surface of the console; wherein, during occupant loading, a portion of cushion contacts the console to receive lateral support and to react the forces imparted into the cushion induced by the occupant impacting the cushion, wherein the lateral support impedes lateral displacement of the cushion providing additional restraint to the occupant. | 04-19-2012 |
20130015643 | AIRBAG MODULE FOR MOUNTING ON SEAT BOTTOM FRAMEAANM Gorman; David J.AACI Royal OakAAST MIAACO USAAGP Gorman; David J. Royal Oak MI USAANM Thomas; Scott D.AACI NoviAAST MIAACO USAAGP Thomas; Scott D. Novi MI USAANM Kehrig; Christopher J.AACI Sterling HeightsAAST MIAACO USAAGP Kehrig; Christopher J. Sterling Heights MI US - An airbag module is mounted on the outboard side of a vehicle seat bottom frame having a vertical wall. An airbag assembly includes a housing, an inflator within the housing, and an airbag folded within the housing. A molded plastic airbag cover includes a top wall having an airbag opening therein through which the airbag is inflatable, and a vertical depending wall adapted to overlie the vertical wall of the seat bottom frame in spaced relation therefrom to conceal the airbag assembly. The vertical depending wall has mounting elements extending therefrom into engagement with the vertical wall of the seat bottom frame for mounting the airbag cover on the vertical depending wall of the seat bottom frame. The housing has fastener elements mounting the housing on the airbag cover. And the airbag cover has fastener elements thereon for mounting the airbag cover on the seat bottom frame. | 01-17-2013 |
20130076014 | SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG CUSHION - A side impact airbag cushion for mounting on a seat in a motor vehicle includes an occupant facing panel and a panel opposite the occupant facing panel, and a mounting portion mounted on the seat back. A cushion upper half portion is positioned near the occupant head, and a cushion lower half lower portion is positioned adjacent the occupant torso and has a central unfilled region surrounded by a tubular inflated ring that extends toward the occupant from the central unfilled region. The cushion upper half portion has a tubular inflated pillow region that extends toward the occupant further than the tubular inflated ring surrounding the central unfilled region, to thereby provide an enlarged pillow surface for supporting the occupant head. An upper tether attached to the cushion is shorter in length than the cushion so that the tether rotates the cushion upper half portion toward the occupant head. | 03-28-2013 |
20130079208 | METHOD FOR FOLDING AIRBAG CUSHION - A method is provided for folding an airbag cushion assembly having first and second opposed panels attached to a mounting bracket and sewn together at the panel peripheral edges, and upper and lower tethers attached to the mounting bracket and to the panel peripheral edges, said upper and lower tethers being shorter in length than the distance from the mounting bracket to the panel peripheral edges. The method includes laying the cushion assembly on a table with upper and lower tethers on the bottom and the panel peripheral edges folded underneath due to the tethers being shorter. A fold is made in the first and second panels but not the tethers, to shorten the first and second opposed panels and unfold the peripheral edges that had been folded underneath. Then the cushion is rolled and then folded to obtain a folded airbag cushion lying atop the mounting bracket. | 03-28-2013 |
20130197764 | METHOD FOR CONTROL OF SEAT MOUNTED AIRBAG IN A SEAT WITH ARMREST - An airbag is mounted in a vehicle seating system having both the airbag and a pivoting armrest on the same side of the occupant seating position. The armrest pivots between a vertical stored position and a horizontal armrest position. The deployment of the airbag is controlled by deployment logic including: sensing the position of the pivoting armrest to determine the vertical position or the horizontal position; sensing vehicle conditions indicative of a need to deploy the airbag mounted on the seat back; and not deploying the airbag mounted on the seat back if the armrest is in the vertical stored position. | 08-01-2013 |
20140103625 | PARACHUTE AIRBAG DIFFUSER - One variation may include a product including an airbag diffuser that may be elongated and may be constructed and arranged to provide a gas catcher constructed and arranged to maintain the diffuser in an extended position when hot gases from an inflator impinge on the gas catcher. | 04-17-2014 |
20140197621 | SEAT WITH SIDE AIRBAG GUIDE CHUTE - A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a back frame, and a foam cushion assembly positioned adjacent the back frame. A trim cover is secured over the foam cushion assembly. The trim cover includes a first edge and a second edge sewn together to define a tear seam. A side airbag module is attached to the back frame. The side airbag module includes an airbag that is deployable through the tear seam. A guide chute includes a first strap end attached to the trim cover adjacent the tear seam, and a second strap end attached to a component of the seat assembly other than the back frame, such as the foam cushion assembly. | 07-17-2014 |
20140265503 | SEAT MOUNTED BUCKLE PRESENTER - A buckle presenter for moving a seat belt buckle with a vehicle seat of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle seat has a seat frame connected to a seat adjustment mechanism that moves the vehicle seat. The buckle presenter includes an anchor strap and a buckle strap. The anchor strap is anchored with respect to the vehicle seat such that it is substantially restricted from moving when the vehicle seat is being adjusted vertically. The buckle is attachable to the buckle strap, which is connectable to the vehicle seat such that it moves with the vehicle seat when it is being adjusted vertically. The buckle strap is configured to move along the anchor strap. When a load is applied to the seat belt buckle, the buckle strap and the anchor strap are configured to interlock such that the buckle strap is substantially restricted from moving vertically. | 09-18-2014 |
20140332302 | FENDER LOCATED PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION AIRBAG - A number of variations may include a product comprising an airbag mounted in a fender region laterally adjacent a hood and forward of a vehicle side door which deploys from the fender region when activated to protect a pedestrian from impacting at least a portion of the frontal area of a vehicle structure. | 11-13-2014 |
20140332303 | FENDER LOCATED PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION AIRBAG - A number of variations may include a product comprising an airbag which propels a moving member that releases a hood hinge mechanism upon deployment and which deploys a cushion to provide pedestrian protection from at least one of a rearward region of the hood, a lower windshield, an A-pillar, an outboard region of a hood, or a fender. | 11-13-2014 |
20140332304 | FENDER LOCATED PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION AIRBAG - A number of variations may include a product comprising an airbag mounted in a fender region laterally adjacent a hood and forward of a vehicle side door which provides a means for deployment through a discrete door to provide protection to a pedestrian from impacting the frontal area of a vehicle structure. | 11-13-2014 |
20140332305 | FENDER LOCATED PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION AIRBAG - A number of variations may include a product comprising: an airbag mounted in a fender region laterally adjacent a hood and forward of a vehicle side door which deploys through a fender integrated deployment door to protect a pedestrian from impacting at least a portion of the frontal area of a vehicle structure. | 11-13-2014 |
20140333053 | VEHICLE AND AN AIRBAG ASSEMBLY FOR THE VEHICLE - A vehicle and an airbag assembly are disclosed. A bladder includes a first expandable region defining a first maximum width between first and second sides of the first expandable region along a first axis when in a deployed position and a second expandable region defining a second maximum width between first and second sides of the second expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position. A tether faces the second side of the first expandable region. The tether is attached to the bladder such that the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second expandable region to define a total width along the first axis greater than one of the first and second maximum widths. | 11-13-2014 |