Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Tool, Inc.

Other

Trw Automotive Gmbh

Arnold J Herberg

Joseph John Zwolinski

Alex G Meduvsky

John Darin Fiegener

Louis R Brown

William P Liteplo

Michael D Tinstman

Barney J Bauer

Ryan Thompson

Matthew C Frank

Thomas Gernetzke

Jason G Sidman

Daniel Bloch

Evgeny I Rivin

Neil Gordon Murray, Jr

David J Romeo

Charles S Pillsbury, Iv

Neal H Delventhal

Marcus R Hanna

Eric A Miller, Jr

Victor R Fey

Uwe Class

Michael Bolz

Barry J Maloney

Brent K Olson

Jagan Kumar Surendran

Ben Bangser

Daniel L Ha

Alex P Kotivosky

Paul DiTullio

Matthew P Cioe

Ying-Kuo Lee

A seatbelt system comprising a buckle; a spool with a ratchet wheel and webbing that is windable onto or off of the spool as the spool rotates. A control mechanism is operatively engaged with a pawl located proximate the ratchet wheel. When the control mechanism is in a first condition, the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are rotatable to wind the webbing onto or off of the spool. When the control mechanism is in a second condition, the pawl is moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are only able to rotate the webbing onto the spool. The control mechanism includes electronic switches and sensors that have to be actuated along with engaging the locking tongue in the buckle in order to move the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

Locking retractor mechanism for a seatbelt system and a method for actuating the same

A seatbelt system comprising a buckle; a spool with a ratchet wheel and webbing that is windable onto or off of the spool as the spool rotates. A control mechanism is operatively engaged with a pawl located proximate the ratchet wheel. When the control mechanism is in a first condition, the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are rotatable to wind the webbing onto or off of the spool. When the control mechanism is in a second condition, the pawl is moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are only able to rotate the webbing onto the spool. The control mechanism includes a button that has to be pushed by a user after the seatbelt is engaged with the buckle in order to move the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

Direct locking retractor assembly for a seatbelt system and a method for actuating the same

An apparatus () for a vehicle includes a steering wheel () and a vehicle occupant protection device () that is mounted to the steering wheel () and is actuatable for helping to protect an occupant of the vehicle. At least a portion of the vehicle occupant protection device () is movable relative to the steering wheel () for actuating an electric device () associated with the vehicle when a force is applied to any one of various locations on the vehicle occupant protection device (). The apparatus () also includes a mechanism () for substantially blocking tilt of the movable portion of the vehicle occupant protection device () relative to the steering wheel () during movement for actuating the electric device ().

Apparatus having a mechanism for limiting the movement of an air bag module relative to a steering wheel

A vehicle restraint system () comprises first and second lap belts (and), first and second shoulder belts (and), and a buckle assembly () for interconnecting the lap belts (and) and the shoulder belts (and). The vehicle restraint system () also comprises first and second lap belt retractors (and) for the first and second lap belts (and), respectively. A linking mechanism () connects the first and second lap belt retractors (and) and is adapted to transfer motion between the first and second lap belt retractors (and). As a result, the first and second lap belts (and) are retracted in unison and by equal amounts during retraction and are withdrawn in unison and by equal amounts during withdrawal from the first and second lap belt retractors (and).

Four-point vehicle occupant restraint system with linked lap belt retractors

A method for vehicle-sensitive actuation of a locking mechanism for a seatbelt retractor in a vehicle by means of a actuation signal that is generated by a control unit equipped with a microcontroller. Measured signals are transmitted to the control unit from several sensors that detect the vehicle situation. The actuation signal is suppressed when a suppression algorithm in the control unit determines that the seatbelt is not in use, that the vehicle is standing still, that the vehicle speed is not above a certain limit value, or that only the vehicle acceleration measured in the vertical direction exceeds a certain triggering limit value.

Vehicle-sensitive actuation of a seatbelt retractor

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 device () for helping to protect an occupant () of a seat () of a vehicle () includes first and second lap belt portions (and) for collectively extending across a lap portion of the occupant (). The vehicle occupant protection device () also includes first and second shoulder belt portions (and) for extending over first and second shoulders, respectively, of the occupant (). An end release buckle assembly () interconnects the first and second lap belt portions (and) and the first and second shoulder belt portions (and).

Vehicle occupant protection device including an end release buckle assembly

A seat belt system ( ) includes a lap belt ( ) including a first portion ( ) and a second portion ( ). A retractor ( ) includes a spool ( ) rotatable about an axis ( ). The first and second lap belt portions ( ) are secured to the spool ( ). The spool ( ) is biased to rotate in a first rotational direction to wind the first and second portions ( ) onto the spool. The first and second portions ( ) when tensioned urge the spool ( ) to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction to unwind the first and second portions from the spool. A locking mechanism ( ) is actuatable to lock the spool ( ) against rotation in the second rotational direction. First and second web grabbing devices ( ) are actuatable to clamp onto the first and second portions ( ) when the locking mechanism ( ) is in the locked condition.

Seat belt system with dual payout retractor

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

A seat belt system ( ) comprises a seat belt ( ) and a tongue assembly ( ). A buckle ( ) engageable with the tongue assembly ( ) secures the system ( ) in a buckled condition in which the belt ( ) is divided into a torso portion ( ) and a lap portion ( ). The system ( ) also includes an inflatable device ( ) comprising an inflatable portion ( ) of the belt ( ). An inflation fluid source ( ) provides inflation fluid to the inflatable device ( ) only when the tongue assembly ( ) is engaged with the buckle ( ). A cinch mechanism ( ) has a cinched condition resisting movement of the belt ( ) through the tongue assembly ( ). The inflatable device ( ), when inflated, causes the cinch mechanism ( ) to move to the released condition and causes the torso portion ( ) and the lap portion ( ) of the belt ( ) to be tensioned about the vehicle occupant.

Tongue assembly and buckle for inflatable seat belt

An apparatus (10) includes a crash sensor (49) which senses a crash event and provides a signal (50) indicative of the crash event. A transmitter (54) transmits a signal (58) in response to the crash sensor signal (50). A receiver (60), which is separated from the transmitter (54), receives the transmitter signal (58) and provides a control signal (80) upon receiving the transmitter signal (58). A buckle switch (34) is operable to detect a belted or an unbelted condition of a seat belt system (18). The apparatus (10) also includes an actuatable pretensioner device (49) which actuates to help to protect a vehicle occupant during a crash event. A power switch (82) receives the control signal (80) to connect the pretensioner device (49) electrically with a power source (35, 84) in response to the power switch (82) receiving the control signal (80) while the buckle switch 34 is detecting a belted condition.

Seat belt pretensioner apparatus

An apparatus (40) pretensions seat belt webbing (16) which is extensible about an occupant of a vehicle seat (14). The apparatus (40) includes a movable first member (140), a connector (42) for connecting the first member (140) with the seat belt webbing (16), a movable second member (200), a pyrotechnic device (120) for applying a force to the second member (200) to move the second member, and force limiting coupling device (240). The force limiting coupling device (240) couples the first member (140) and the second member (200). The coupling device (240) moves the first member (140) with the second member (200) until a predetermined force is applied by the connector (42) to the first member (140) resisting movement of the first member with the second member. Thereafter, the coupling device (240) enables the second member to move relative to the first member.

Apparatus for pretensioning seat belt webbing

An apparatus (40) pretensions seat belt webbing (16) which is extensible about an occupant of a vehicle seat (14). The apparatus (40) includes a housing (50) defining a chamber (56), a piston (90) in the chamber (56), and a coupling member (42) for coupling the piston (90) to the seat belt webbing (16). The coupling member (42) transmits force acting on the piston (90) to the seat belt webbing (16). The apparatus (40) further includes a first pyrotechnic device (200) for applying a first force to the piston (90) to move the piston initially in a first direction (B) in the chamber (56) to remove slack in the seat belt webbing (16). A second pyrotechnic device (220) applies a second force to the piston (90) in the first direction (B) to tension the seat belt webbing (16) against the occupant after the slack has been removed from the seat belt webbing (16) by the first force.

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Davisburg, MI, United States of America

Arnold J Herberg