Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Zf Passive Safety Systems US Inc.

Other

Trw Limited

Trw Automotive Gmbh

Angelo J Adler

Kurt F Fischer

Alexandra E Schroeder

Douglas M Gould

Alexandra E Smith

Daniel R Sutherland

Daniele Aranzulla

Dylan Moran

Gary G Gordon

Hylus Ranjit Raj Jayakar

Martin Burkhardtsmaier

David J Davis

Jack A Phillion

Alberto Rodriguez

Heather R Kramer

Robert R Debbs

Amit Sharma

Ali S EmamBakhsh

Eyad Nayef

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a far-side collision in which the vehicle is impacted on a side opposite the seat in which the occupant is seated includes a curtain airbag configured to inflate and deploy from a roof of the vehicle in response to a far-side collision. The curtain airbag has an inflated and deployed condition in which the curtain airbag is positioned inboard of the vehicle occupant.

Curtain airbag for far-side impacts

A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag. The airbag has a stored condition within the vehicle seat and is inflatable to deploy laterally in the cabin to a deployed condition in front of the occupant. The airbag is configured to utilize the vehicle seat as a reaction surface for restraining the movement of the airbag in response to occupant penetration into the airbag.

Seat-mounted occupant restraint system

A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag mounted to the vehicle roof. The airbag has a stored condition and is inflatable to a deployed condition having a front-facing occupant receiving portion and an opposite rear-facing portion facing away from the occupant. The airbag has one or more connections with the vehicle roof, with the airbag and the connections being configured such that the roof serves as a reaction surface for supporting the airbag against movement in response to a forward moving occupant impacting the occupant receiving portion. The system is non-reliant on the rear-facing portion of the airbag engaging and using vehicle structure as a reaction surface for supporting the airbag against movement in response to the impacting occupant.

Roof-mounted occupant restraint system

A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a floor and a cabin with a floor for the occupant includes an airbag. The airbag has a stored condition on the vehicle floor and is inflatable to a deployed condition aligned with the occupant in a forward-rearward direction of the vehicle. The airbag is configured to utilize the vehicle floor as a reaction surface for restraining the movement of the airbag in response to occupant penetration into the airbag.

Floor-mounted occupant restraint system

A front head/torso airbag () of a vehicle occupant restraint system includes a cover surface () and a baffle surface () forming a contact face for the vehicle occupant () which merges Into the cover surface (). In the inflated state of the airbag () being in the mounted position, the baffle surface () includes a central surface portion and laterally adjacent thereto at feast one bulge () projecting from the central surface portion for laterally protecting the head ().

Front-head/chest airbag

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag configured to be mounted to a support structure of the vehicle. The airbag is inflatable to deploy from a stored condition away from the support structure toward a vehicle seat in which the occupant is seated to one of a first deployed condition in which the airbag is configured for a non-reclined condition of the vehicle seat, and a second deployed condition in which the airbag is configured for a reclined condition of the vehicle seat. The airbag is configured to deploy to the first deployed condition in response to determining a non-reclined condition of the vehicle seat and to the second deployed condition in response to determining a reclined condition of the vehicle seat.

Adaptive airbag for protecting occupants in a vehicle

A method for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a side structure and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes providing an airbag in a stored condition offset from a centerline of the seat. The airbag has a first portion and a second portion fluidly connected with one another. The first portion is inflated and deployed to a position lateral of the occupant. The second portion is inflated and deployed from the first portion to a position in front of the occupant.

Occupant restraint system

An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag configured to be mounted to a seat back of a vehicle seat. The airbag is inflatable between the seat back and an adjacent side structure of the vehicle to one of a first deployed condition in which the airbag is configured for a non-reclined condition of the vehicle seat, and a second deployed condition in which the airbag is configured for a reclined condition of the vehicle seat. The airbag is configured to deploy to the first deployed condition in response to determining a non-reclined condition of the vehicle seat and to the second deployed condition in response to determining a reclined condition of the vehicle seat.

Adaptive side airbag for protecting occupants in a vehicle

An apparatus () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () that includes a first panel () with at least one first vent opening (). A second panel () secured to the first panel () includes a base portion () and a door portion (). The base portion () includes at least one second vent opening () and is folded to position the door portion () between the first panel () and the base portion (). The door portion () has an open condition positioned away from the vent openings () permitting inflation fluid to vent through the vent openings. The door portion () has a closed condition positioned between the first and second vent openings () blocking inflation fluid from venting through the first and second vent openings. The door portion () is movable to the closed condition when the protection device () deploys. The door portion () has a generally triangular configuration with a base merging with the base portion () of the door panel () and first and second edge portions () that extend away from the base and converge at a terminal end () of the door portion.

Air bag with adaptive venting

An apparatus () helps to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (), an inflation fluid source (), and a diffuser plate (). The inflation fluid source () provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (). The diffuser plate () is disposed between the inflation fluid source () and the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (). The diffuser plate () includes a main body portion () and a plurality of raised portions (). The raised portions () define slots () for allowing inflation fluid to flow from the inflation fluid source () to the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ().

Air bag module with diffuser

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus () includes an inflatable occupant protection device () and a member () that defines a deployment opening () through which the inflatable occupant protection device () is inflatable. The vehicle occupant protection apparatus () also includes a cover () having an attachment portion () and a deployment door portion (). The attachment portion () is securable to the member () for positioning the deployment door portion () for closing the deployment opening (). The cover () also includes a rupturable portion (and) that ruptures for enabling inflation of the inflatable occupant protection device () through the deployment opening (). At least a part of the rupturable portion (and) is formed at a union of the attachment portion () and the deployment door portion ().

Vehicle protection apparatus with cover having a rupturable portion with tear tabs

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. A vent member () is movable relative to the support member () for varying a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). The vehicle occupant protection apparatus () also includes a tether () for moving the vent member () and an actuatable mechanism () that has a first condition preventing the tether () from moving the vent member () and a second condition enabling the tether () to move the vent member ().

Vehicle occupant protection apparatus having vent member that is controlled by a releasable tether

An air bag module (12) includes an inflator (20), a canister (24) which contains the inflator (20), and an air bag (18). The air bag module (12) further includes a retainer assembly (26) which contains the air bag (18) in an uninflated condition. The retainer assembly (26) includes a pair of retainers (210,212) that are fastened together with an edge portion (192) of the air bag (18) retained between the retainers (210,212). The retainer assembly (26) and the canister (24) are fastened to each other in an assembled relationship in which an inlet opening (196) in the air bag (18) is aligned with an outlet opening (112) in the canister (24). The retainer assembly (26) and the canister (24) snap together into a mechanically interlocked condition when they are moved into their assembled relationship. The inflator (20) and the canister (24) also snap together into a mechanically interlocked condition when the inflator (20) is moved into the canister (24).

Growing community of inventors

Shelby Township, MI, United States of America

Angelo J Adler