Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Brian Christopher Ford

Lawrence Richard Langbeen

Derek Perkins

Thomas A Ennis

Mohannad F Murad

John M Burdock

Hossam Almasri

Randal Gosk

Rolf Sawall

Joel Jerrim

Thomas G Busacca

Harald Snorre Husby

Eric J Baumbach

Michael R Dillon

John Fisher

Robert L Arwood

Robert H Block

Charles R Bonam

Anne Marie Hillenbrand

Mary Grondin

Todd D Fowler

Damon N Hewin

Thomas Busacca

A safety system comprising an air bag configured to have at least one inflatable volume or chamber, an inlet through which inflation gas enters the inflatable volume, the air bag including at least one exit port or vent which when in an open state permits inflation gas to exit the volume or chamber, the exit port or vent located in a selected region of the air bag, a vent closure mechanism secured to the air bag and movable to close the exit port or vent by tension created in a tether which is part of the vent closure mechanism; as the air bag inflates, the tether has one end operatively secured to the air bag, a second end operatively secured to the vent closure mechanism, the tether including a medial portion slidably guided across a portion of the air bag.

Air bag with active vent

An air bag usable to protect the driver of the vehicle comprising: a face panel; a rear panel of generally the same shape as the face panel and secured to the face panel along its periphery; the rear panel including a centrally located opening configured to receive an air bag inflator that introduces gas into the space formed by the face and rear panels; a tether of elongated shape having first and second ends and a center region, the center region is positioned into a Z-shaped configuration and secured to the face panel proximate a geometric center of the face panel.

Driver side air bag

An air bag module () having a base plate () and a toroidal air bag () is disclosed. The toroidal air bag () defines a pocket (). The toroidal air bag () is coupled to the base plate (). A control module () having a base plate portion () and a generally cylindrical portion () is coupled to the base and located within the toroidal air bag (). The control module () has a control module cover () coupled to said generally cylindrical portion () disposed within said pocket ().

Driver side air bag module with annular air bag and centrally disposed control module

An air bag module () is disclosed having an air bag () and a tether () and an active brake () for controlling the length of the tether in correspondence with the size of the occupant to be protected.

Active tether air bag module

An air bag module () comprising: an inflator (), a first support member (-), a second support member (-) and a cover () for enclosing an air bag (); the cover includes a plurality of resilient tabs (), the tabs are situated in a predetermined pattern about a cavity () which receives the air bag (), a formation having a thickened tip is formed on a distal end of each tab, the thickened tip is configured as lock feature () which prevents the cover from disengaging from the first and second support members, each tab and associated lock feature is movable from a rest position to a deflected position upon contact with one of the plates; the first and second support members are locatable about each tab and configured to cooperatively define an effective narrow opening which is of smaller dimension than the thick tip, thereby preventing movement of the thick tip through the first and second support members and hence the disengagement of the cover from the first and second support members.

Driver air bag cover and attachment method

An airbag module comprises an airbag inflatable through an opening and an airbag inflator in communication with the opening. A block selectively diverts inflation gas away from the airbag opening. The block may move from a first position and a second position, the first position permitting the inflation gas to flow to the opening and the second position deflecting the inflation gas away from the opening.

Airbag module for selectively venting airbag inflation gas

A steering wheel assembly having a fastenerless air bag module assembly is disclosed. This assembly employs a housing with a projection and a steering wheel armature configured to receive the projection. The cover is retained between the housing and the steering wheel armature. Furthermore, the present invention provides a steering wheel cover with a tear seam that permits the air bag to deploy more efficiently with less damage to the occupants.

Air bag cover with articulated tear seam

An airbag is folded by attaching a line located inside the airbag to a front side an airbag and extending the line across a guide. The airbag is then compacted around the guide and the line. The line is then placed in communication with a sensor. The line may be a flexible element having an optical pattern read by the sensor. During the folding process, the line may be reeled into a sensor housing.

Method of folding an airbag containing sensor tapes integrated within the airbag

An airbag module utilizes tape dispensing cartridges. A tape end extends from each cartridge to the inside surface of an airbag. As the airbag inflates, tape is drawn from the tape cartridges as the tapes are drawn along with the deploying airbag. The rate at which tape is withdrawn from the cartridges is measured by sensible indicia of a magnetic or optical nature positioned on the tape and drawn past a sensor contained within the tape cartridge. The markings on the tape can be nonuniform along the length of the tape. The tape storage area outlet and the cartridge outlet are each formed by two relatively large radius corners. The tape is sealed to the cartridge to prevent the ingress of contaminants. As the airbag withdraws tape from the cartridges, the seals are unseated.

Airbag deployment velocity sensor

An air bag module comprises an air bag inflator and an air bag inflatable by the air bag inflator. The air bag has a hole to receive the air bag inflator and at least one tab attached to the air bag near the hole to assist in the insertion of the air bag inflator into air bag. The air bag has a heat shield near the air bag inflator.

Air bag cushion and module

An air bag module () comprising: a housing () including a receiving feature () to receive at least a portion of an inflator (), the inflator providing inflation gas to a cooperating air bag; this inflator being removably received in the receiving feature (); a holding member () movable between a first position and a second position, the holding member, while in the first position operatively holding an inflator () to a housing (), the holding member movable between the first and the second positions under the influence of the inflator.

Controlled venting apparatus and method therefor

An airbag module comprises an airbag inflatable through an opening in the airbag. An airbag inflator provides an inflation gas into the opening in the airbag. A flap has a first position permitting gas to flow to the opening in the airbag and a second position deflecting inflation gas away fro the opening in the airbag. A propellant discharges into a discharge space moving the flap between the first position to the second position. A hood at least partially covers the discharge space.

Apparatus for actuating a flap for the venting of inflation gases

A folding apparatus ( ) for inserting an air bag and housing into an interior cavity of a cover, the apparatus comprising: an arcuately shaped tube, the tube sized in cross-section to slidably receive the housing and drawing the air bag up into the tube, the tube including an open first end oriented so that a plane through the first end is substantially parallel to vertical; a ram apparatus movable through the tube and adapted to hold and move the housing and air bag through the tube; a holding apparatus means for orienting the cover so that its internal cavity is in alignment with and adjacent to the first end such that the housing and air bag can be rammed into the cover internal cavity.

Radial tube air bag folding apparatus and method

An airbag comprising a baffle and a heat shield. The baffle contains an opening, which is aligned with at least one-half of the inflator opening and having an area that is at minimum one-half of the area of the inflator opening. Inflation gas from an inflator flows into the baffle and then enters the airbag by way of the baffle opening. Because of the tortuous flow of the inflation gas inside the baffle, the hot particulates fall to the bottom of the baffle and thus never come into contact with the in flatable cushion.

Growing community of inventors

Mt. Clemens, MI, United States of America

Brian Christopher Ford