Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

United Technologies Corporation

Alex G Meduvsky

Joseph John Zwolinski

Matthew C Frank

Arnold J Herberg

Kurt F Fischer

George W Goetz

William P Braun

Dennis J Fiore

Dean M Jaradi

Charles E Steffens, Jr

John P Wallner

Jack L Blumenthal

Tracy S Sparks

Stephen William Rouhana

Jerome W Emery

Steven W Maurer

Jonathan Dahlstrom

Thomas Osentoski

William E Gest

Sundeep Venkat Kankanala

William C Forbes

Colleen Kalczynski

David L Geyer

Keith Ball

John N Clark

Thomas L Ruhlman

Edward Q Glac

Heidi M Westlake

A buckle switch arrangement for a multi-point seat belt system. A restraints control module is provided to receive signals from sensors operatively associated with the vehicle seat which determine and identify seat occupancy and also to receive signals from other sensors operatively associated with the vehicle seat which sense seat belt webbing payout. The signals obtained by the restraints control module are interpreted and, based on the interpretation, a telltale device may be activated to warn the vehicle operator that a seat occupant is not in compliance with seat belt usage.

Intelligent arrangement buckle switch for seat belts

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () that is inflatable to an inflated condition for helping to protect the vehicle occupant. The protection device () includes a panel () of material that helps define an inflatable volume () of the protection device. The panel () includes a vent opening () that has an open condition for venting inflation fluid from the inflatable volume (). The vent opening () is in the open condition during initial deployment of the protection device (). A channel () encircles the vent opening (). The channel () is at least partially defined by a peripheral portion () of the panel () that extends along a periphery () of the vent opening (). A tether () has a portion () that extends through the channel (). The tether () draws together the peripheral portion () of the panel () to reduce the size of the vent opening () when the protection device () deploys a predetermined distance toward the inflated condition.

Air bag vent with tether

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus () includes an inflatable occupant protection device () and a support member (). A vent opening () extends through the support member (). A vent member () is associated with the vent opening (). The vent member () initially closes the vent opening (). Inflation fluid moves the vent member () relative to the support member () for enabling a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). A tether () extends between the inflatable occupant protection device () and the vent member (). The tether () is responsive to inflation of the inflatable occupant protection device () away from the support member () by more than a predetermined distance for moving the vent member () relative to the support member () for reducing the flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening ().

Air bag module with vent controlled by tether

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus () includes an inflatable occupant protection device () and a support member () having a vent opening () through which inflation fluid may flow. The apparatus () also includes a mechanism () for controlling a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). Inflation fluid pressure within the inflatable occupant protection device () tends to move the mechanism () for increasing a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). The mechanism () is responsive to inflation of the inflatable occupant protection device () beyond a predetermined distance for restricting the flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). The apparatus () further includes a locking member () for blocking the mechanism () from increasing the flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening () after the inflatable occupant protection device () has inflated beyond the predetermined distance.

Air bag module with locking member for locking the position of a vent member

An occupant restraint system () includes first and second lap belts (and) for collectively extending across a lap of the occupant (). First and second shoulder belts (and) extend over the shoulders of the occupant (). A buckle assembly () interconnects the lap belts (and) and the shoulder belts (and). The occupant restraint system () also includes first and second buckle-lowering belts (and) attached to the buckle assembly () for creating a downwardly acting biasing force on the buckle assembly () so as to move the buckle assembly () downwardly relative to the seat () and towards the lap of the occupant ().

Four-point seat belt system with buckle-lowering belts

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes a knee bolster (). An energy absorbing device () is interposed between the knee bolster () and the vehicle (). The device () includes a field responsive fluid () having a viscosity that varies in response to an energy field acting on the fluid. The device () also includes at least one passage () through which the fluid () flows upon movement of the knee bolster () relative to the vehicle (). The device () further includes means () for varying the viscosity of the fluid () to vary the flow rate through the at least one passage () and thereby vary the resistance to movement of the knee bolster () relative to the vehicle ().

Energy absorbing knee bolster

A vehicle occupant protection system ( ) comprises first and second lap belts ( and ) and first and second shoulder belts ( and ). A buckle assembly ( ) is provided for interconnecting the first and second shoulder belts ( and ) and the first and second lap belts ( and ). At least one lap belt retractor ( ) is operatively connected to the first and second lap belts ( and ) and is electrically actuatable, in response to receiving a first electrical locking signal, for locking the at least one lap belt retractor ( ) to prevent withdrawal of the first and second lap belts ( and ). An occupant actuatable mechanism ( ) is operatively connected to the at least one lap belt retractor ( ) and is responsive to actuation by the vehicle occupant for providing the first electrical locking signal to the at least one lap belt retractor ( ).

Four-point seat belt system having occupant lockable retractors

An apparatus ( ) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) and an inflation fluid source ( ) for providing inflation fluid ( ) for inflating the protection device. The apparatus ( ) also includes an opening ( ) through which the inflation fluid ( ) flows from the inflation fluid source ( ). A member ( ) is movable to control flow of the inflation fluid ( ) through the opening ( ). A volume of a field responsive fluid ( ) resists movement of the member ( ). The field responsive fluid ( ) has a viscosity that varies in response to an energy field acting on the fluid. The apparatus ( ) further includes means ( ) for varying the viscosity of the field responsive fluid ( ) to vary the resistance to movement of the member ( ).

Variable output inflator

An apparatus includes a pressure vessel with a closure structure (14) including a part (62) consisting of a single, continuous body of homogeneous metal material. The part (62) has a plurality of fluid outlet openings (22), a fluid outlet conduit (88) communicating with the outlet openings (22), and a pocket (100) separate from the outlet conduit (88). The pocket (100) has a closed inner end (116) defined by a thin wall portion (120) of the part (62). An initiator (40) is received in the pocket (100), and is actuatable to rupture the thin wall portion (120) of the part (62). In a preferred embodiment, a retainer structure (102) holds the initiator (40) in the pocket (100). The retainer structure (102) and the part (62) have adjoining, unthreaded surfaces (160, 108) engaging each other in an interference fit which is tight enough to hold the retainer structure (102) and the initiator (40) in the pocket (100) when the initiator (40) is actuated.

Inflator for an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device

An inflator (14) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a body (60) of ignitable gas generating material, an igniter (260) for igniting the body (60) of gas generating material, and a housing (50) having a tubular wall (52) surrounding the body (60) of gas generating material. The tubular wall (52) has a longitudinal central axis (40), a plurality of outlet openings (100) through which gas flows radially outward, and an open end portion (232) with the contour of a dome centered on the axis (40). The inflator (14) further includes a circular end cap (56) which is located coaxially within the tubular wall (52). The end cap (56) supports the igniter (260) on the axis (40), and has a peripheral surface portion (216) with the contour of a dome centered on the axis (40). The open end portion (232) of the tubular wall (52) closely overlies the peripheral surface portion (216) of the end cap (56).

Air bag inflator and method of assembly

An inflator (14) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes ignitable gas generating material, an igniter (260) for igniting the gas generating material, and a housing (50) having a tubular wall (52) surrounding the gas generating material. The housing (50) further has an end wall (54) defining a closed end of the housing (50). The housing (50) contains a tubular structure (62) including a cylindrical filter (70) for the gas. The tubular structure (62) extends coaxially within the tubular wall (52) and has an axially inner end portion (180) adjacent to the end wall (54). A sealing structure engages the tubular structure (62) to block gas from bypassing the filter (70) by flowing around the inner end portion (180) of the tubular structure (62). The sealing structure includes a pair of opposed sealing surfaces (94, 150) which extend circumferentially around the axis (40) and which face radially toward each other. The inner end portion ( 180) of the tubular structure (62) is compressively engaged by, and is compressed between, the opposed sealing surfaces (94, 150).

An inflator (14) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a body (60) of ignitable gas generating material, an igniter (260) for igniting the body (60) of gas generating material, and a housing (50) having a tubular wall (52) surrounding the body (60) of gas generating material. The tubular wall (52) has a longitudinal central axis (40), a plurality of outlet openings (100) through which gas flows radially outward from the housing (50), and an end wall (54) defining a closed end of the housing (50). The inflator (14) further includes a circular spacer (140) located coaxially within the tubular wall (52) adjacent to the end wall (54). The spacer (140) has a plurality of radially projecting spacer lobes (172) at locations that are spaced from each other circumferentially around the spacer (140). An annular elastomeric seal (142) extends circumferentially around the spacer (140) across and between the spacer lobes ( 172). The seal (140) is compressively loaded axially and radially between the surrounding surfaces of the adjoining parts of the inflator (14).

An air bag inflator (10) includes a housing (12) open at one end. Inflator parts including gas generating material (70) are disposed in the housing (12). A retainer assembly (138) in the housing has a first part (170) expanded outwardly into interlocking engagement with a part (30) of the housing wall (14) adjacent the opening (24). This blocks movement of the retainer assembly (138) relative to the housing (12) toward the open end (24) of the housing (12). An end cap (90) is screwed into the open end (24) of the housing (12) after the retainer (140) is positioned in and interlocked with the housing (12). The retainer (140) is disposed intermediate the end cap (90) and the gas generating material (70). Because retainer (140) is disposed between the gas generating material (70) and a body of auto ignition material (122) in the end cap (90), a nozzle ( 150) is formed in the retainer (140) to direct auto ignition combustion products toward the gas generating material (70).

Air bag inflator

A device for detecting contaminants on a surface of a conductive test sample includes first and second probes for engaging contaminants on a test sample surface. The first and second probes are connectable to a device for measuring voltage drop and are dimensioned and configured for measuring voltage drop across contaminants on the test sample surface at a predetermined contact force. The predetermined contact force is selected to prevent the first and second probes from piercing the contaminants. The device also includes a device for biasing the probes against the contaminants on the test sample surface with the predetermined contact force. The device for biasing the probes against the contaminants on the test sample surface include a moveable probe arm and a counterweight on the moveable probe arm which permits the predetermined contact force between the first and second probes to be selected. The moveable probe arm is adapted for both horizontal and vertical movement. Current leads connected to the probes are connectable to a source of electrical potential. Voltage leads connected to the probes are connectable to means for measuring and indicating the voltage drop between the voltage leads. The presence of contaminants on the test sample surface may be detected by engaging the first and second probes against the contaminants on the test sample sample surface with the predetermined contact force, applying an electric current to two current leads, and measuring a voltage drop across two voltage leads.

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Warren, MI, United States of America

Alex G Meduvsky