Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Brian H Frantz

Gregory A Miller

Jack L Jensen

Timothy W Hill

Jeffrey A Welch

Jeffery L Pearson

Ian V Lau

Kenneth H Desaele

Bonnie Y Cheung

Larry G La Grange

Kimberly Jean Hammond

Gert Hans Nilson

Keith D Wilson

An air bag restraint system is used for restraining a rear seat occupant having an upper head portion and a lower knee portion. The restraint system includes a front seat including an upstanding seat frame and a reaction plate attached to the seat frame. An inflator is mounted on the reaction plate and the inflator discharges inflator gas. An air bag is mounted on the reaction plate and is in fluid communication with the inflator for receiving inflator gas therein to inflate the air bag. A deployment door is mounted rearward the reaction plate, inflator and air bag and is movably secured to the reaction plate and releasably secured to the seat. Advantageously, the deployment door also serves as a rearward trim panel for the seat.

Restraint system for rear seat occupant

An air bag module for a vehicle includes an inflator for discharging inflator gas and an air bat; for inflation by the discharging inflator gas. The air bag has a fixed edge adapted to be fixedly connected to the vehicle and also has a sliding edge adapted to be slidably connected to the vehicle. Upon air bag deployment, the sliding edge of the air bag slides along the vehicle and extends the air bag to the inflated condition. The air bag module preferably includes a conduit having a first portion in fluid communication with the inflator for receiving the discharging inflator gas therein. The conduit also includes a second portion spaced apart from the inflator and having an opening in fluid communication with the air bag for directing inflator gas into the air bag. The second portion of the conduit directs the discharging inflator gas such that the sliding edge of the air bag is forced to the extended condition. Advantageously, the conduit allows the inflator to be spaced apart from the air bag for easier packaging of the air bag module in the vehicle. Further packaging advantages are preferably gained by slidably connecting the sliding edge of the air bag to the same conduit which transmits the inflator gas from the inflator to the air bag.

Side mounted air bag module

The air bag assembly, including the inflator and the stored air bag are mounted on the vehicle pillar adjacent the front seat back. Upon deployment, the air bag unfurls from a housing mounted on the pillar and extends along the door between the end of the seat and the door. The air bag assembly can include either an air bag which unfurls forwardly for the front seat occupant, or which unfurls rearwardly for the rear seat occupant, or air bags for both the front and rear occupants. The air bags maybe inflated by a single inflator, or separate inflators may be provided for the front and the rear seats. A sensor may be mounted on either the door or the pillar to provide an input signal to the air bag actuating electrical circuit.

Air bag for side impact

An occupant restraint system includes a folded cushion having an upper wall portion against which is seated a reaction member mounted to the support plate of the system by a strap. The periphery of the reaction member is sealed or pocketed to the upper wall portion by (1) flaps sewn to the upper wall portion and overlying the periphery of the reaction member; or, (2) a sheet of flexible material sewn to the upper wall portion and having tear lines so as to separate into flaps. Both the flaps and sheet of flexible material are sandwiched to the reaction member by a retainer member secured thereto.

Occupant restraint system

An occupant restraint system includes a folded cushion having an upper wall portion and a reaction member which is pocketed or sealed against the upper wall portion by a sheet of flexible material having an inner portion covering the reaction member and an outer peripheral portion which is secured to the upper wall portion. The reaction member is mounted to the support of the system by a flexible strap and has a sharpened edge. During a subsequent stage of deployment of the cushion, the sharpened edge of the reaction member severs the peripheral portion of the sheet of flexible material from the inner portion thereof so that the peripheral portion and the upper wall of the cushion can move normal to or toward the occupant.

Inflation gas flow directing member for air bag system

An occupant restraint system includes a folded cushion having an upper wall portion against which is seated a reaction member mounted to the support of the system by a strap. The periphery of the reaction member is sealed to the upper wall portion of the cushion by a sheet of flexible material which covers the reaction member and has its peripheral edge portions interfolded with the folded side and end walls of the folded cushion.

An occupant restraint system includes a folded cushion and a reaction member mounted to the support of the system by a strap. The reaction member is pocketed to the inside of the upper wall of the cushion by flaps to seal the interface between the reaction member and the upper wall of the cushion. The flaps are located at the ends of legs of strip members which are arranged in cruciform fashion relative to each other and have their bights crossing the reaction member. The legs and flaps of the strip members are folded relative to each other and sandwiched between the reaction member and a retainer member secured to the reaction member.

A testing apparatus connects to an inflatable restraint and simulates the inflation curve of a pyrotechnic device used in a vehicle. A manifold connects the inflatable restraint to a pair of parallel accumulators for communicating a gas to the inflatable restraint. The accumulators store gas at a high pressure. A valve is connected and interposed between each of the accumulators and the manifold for releasing the flow of the gas out of the accumulators. An adjustable orifice is connected and interposed between each of the valves and the manifold for regulating the flow of the gas out of the accumulators. A flow shut off device is connected to the manifold and is interposed between the accumulators and the inflatable restraint and is adapted for stopping the flow of gas from the first and second accumulator to the inflatable restraint. A valve timing sequencer is connected to the valves and the flow shut off device for timing the actuation of the valves and the flow shut off device whereby the valves and the flow shut off device are actuate in sequence to release the gas from the accumulators and then stop the flow of the gas to the inflatable restraint to simulate the inflation curve of the pyrotechnic device.

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Brian H Frantz