Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Anthony C Burgi

Michelle M Abraham

Peter C Feldman

Andrew M Haig

Michael T Tichvon

Patricia O Stein

Mark Klann

An apparatus (,) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (,) having a seat (,) for the occupant and a vehicle side structure (,) comprises an air bag module (,) including an air bag (,) inflatable into a position between the occupant and the vehicle side structure. The apparatus (,) also comprises a bracket (,) for supporting the air bag module (,) on the vehicle seat (,). The bracket (,) comprises a first bracket portion (,) connectable to the seat frame (,), and a second bracket portion (,) for mounting the module (,). The bracket (,) includes a hinge (,) disposed intermediate the first and second bracket portions (,) and interconnecting the first and second bracket portions. The hinge (,) enables the second bracket portion (,) to pivot relative to the first bracket portion (,) during inflation of the air bag (,) to affect the direction in which the air bag deploys from the vehicle seat (,).

Mounting bracket for seat mounted air bag

A steering wheel assembly (,) mounts on a vehicle steering shaft (,) which has a threaded end portion (,). The steering wheel assembly (,) comprises a steering wheel armature (,), an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,) supported on the steering wheel armature (,), an inflator (,) for providing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,), a hub (,) fixedly attached to the steering wheel armature (,) and for non-rotatable attachment to the steering shaft (,), and a rotatable fastener (,) rotatably supported on the hub (,) for axially forcing the hub onto the steering shaft (,) upon rotation of the fastener in a first direction. The fastener (,) has a first end portion (,) including gearing (,) for rotating the fastener and a second end portion (,) for threadedly engaging the threaded end portion (,) of the steering shaft (,) upon rotation of the fastener. A retainer plate (,) spaced from the inflator (,) is fixedly attached with the steering wheel armature (,). The retainer plate (,) overlies the first end portion (,) of the fastener (,) and retains the fastener on the steering wheel armature (,).

Steering wheel assembly

An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (34) includes an inflation fluid source (12) actuatable to effect flow of inflation fluid (52) to inflate the inflatable device. The apparatus (10) includes a first actuatable initiator (50) for, when actuated, effecting actuation of the inflation fluid source (12) and creating a temperature rise. The apparatus (10) also includes a second actuatable initiator (50a) for, when actuated, effecting actuation of the inflation fluid source (12). The apparatus includes an igniter (72) for actuating the first initiator (50) to actuate the inflation fluid source (12), without actuating the second initiator (50a). The second initiator (50a) can be actuated in response to a rise in temperature resulting from actuation of the first actuatable initiator (50) and at a time delay after actuation of the first initiator. An ignitable material (80) ignites to actuate the second initiator (50a) at a predetermined temperature to which the ignitable material is exposed as a result of the rise in temperature.

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Rochester, MI, United States of America

Anthony C Burgi