Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Bruce Andrew Kalandek

Pongdet Paul Wipasuramonton

Mutaz A Shkoukani

Robert Tobian

Shakir Salmo

Michael R Dillon

Brian J Bailey

Joseph Massa

Shakir M Salmo

Martin Specht

David R Arnold

Matthias Volkmann

Stefan Jost

Mark Otto Olson

Roland Furtado

Calum Beattie

Kenneth Douglas Moniaci

John Musiol

Jovica J Jakovski

Peter Priemer

Michael A Hague

Markus Jost

Paul Wipasuramonton

Daniel Bujaidar

Philip J Macy

James Schierbeek

Mike Stojanovski

John C MacLean

Rasoul Moradi

Richard L Morgan

James A Horton

Marina Elias

An airbag module comprising an airbag () having a passive adaptive vent on a rear panel of the airbag, the vent having a movable vane which when moved causes the vent () to change state from open to closed or from closed to open, the airbag further including a main tether () secured to a face panel () of the airbag, the main tether moving with the face panel, the main tether having an opening () into which is threaded a portion of a control tether (), the control tether is connected to the vane () and to the face panel, wherein movement of the end of the control tether in a first direction generally that of the inflating air bag causes the other end of the control tether secured to the vane to be moved in a direction different than the first direction.

Driver airbag module and bag with passively vented cushion

A curtain airbag (A-F) for a vehicle () has an inflatable cushion. The cushion (A-F) has one or more side inflatable portions extending along one side of the interior of the vehicle () adjacent the interior door or doors on the one side and an inflatable frontal portion () projecting inwardly directionally toward the interior of the vehicle positioned in front of a seated occupant () and between the occupant () and an instrument panel or dash of the vehicle. Preferably, the inflatable frontal portion () is positioned between the occupant () and the steering wheel () wherein the frontal portion () laterally juts into the passenger compartment forming an inflatable barrier between a front pillar () of the vehicle () and the occupant ().

Curtain airbag with offset countermeasure

A ramp deflector mechanism () for attachment to a vehicle frame () has a metal housing () having a first wall or plate (), a second wall or plate (), a hinge () and an articulated third wall or plate (); an inflatable member () situated in the housing (); an inflator () operatively connected between the first wall or plate () and the inflatable member (); and wherein the inflation of the inflation member () causes the articulated wall () to rotate outwardly to absorb crash energy and slow down the accident.

Offset impact countermeasures

An improved airbag assembly () has an inflator (), an airbag () and a diffuser (). The diffuser () is formed from two folded inner and outer pocket panel layers of fabric and sewn to the airbag (). The folded inner pocket layer () is configured to fit inside the outer pocket layer () forming a two-layer structure. The fold () in the inner layer () is oriented in a first direction relative to the weave of the fabric and the fold of the outer layer () is oriented at a second direction relative to the weave of the fabric wherein the second direction is different from the first direction. The first direction and second direction of folds () are inclined relative to the other so upon assembly the inner pocket layer () fabric weave is directionally inclined on a bias relative to the outer pocket layer () fabric weave.

Airbag with enhanced gas diffuser

A curtain air bag () for containing an occupant within a vehicle (), configured to be attached to a corresponding portion of the vehicle () above a location of windows () in a side () of the vehicle (). Each of the first and second sides () are configured to be connected to a respective adjacent first and second pillar of the vehicle () at an anchoring location of at or not more than 25 millimeters below the center of gravity of a NHTSA test head form () impact location, preferably the inflated portion of the air bag () extends well below the anchoring location so that the lower inflated portion of the air bag extends 25 mm or more below the bottom of the test head form ().

Ejection countermeasures for curtain air bags

A diffuser () for use in an air bag system, the diffuser comprising: a connector part () configured to be connected to an air bag inflator, the connector part including a side wall (); and a gas distribution part formed as an integral extension of the connector part and configured to deliver gas from the connector part to the air bag (), and the distribution part including a first conduit () and a second conduit (), the two conduits configured to give the diffuser a low profile.

Air bag module with T-diffuser for inflator

An air bag module () including an inflatable air bag () having a first region formed by opposing edge borders () of two facing panels or panel pieces (), the first region initially open to receive a gas distribution hose (), the gas distribution hose comprising a tubular portion () and a flat portion () integrally formed with the tubular portion, the tubular portion configured to receive inflation gas at one portion and having openings () therein to permit the egress of inflation gas; the flat portion of the hose located between the opposing edge borders of the facing panels; and a seam or seams () extending through the facing borders to join the flat portion of the hose between the facing edge borders in a gas tight manner.

Air bag with fill hose and method of assembly

An air bag module () comprising: a curtain air bag () having an inflatable portion and a mounting portion, the mounting portion or tab () including opposing first and second mounting sides or surfaces; a mounting bracket or clip () for the inflatable curtain air bag, comprising first and second plates (), each plate engagable with a respective first or second mounting side or surface (), the first plate having a first opening () and the second plate having a second opening (); the first plate about the first opening, including a plurality of bendable first tabs (-), each first tab deformable through the second opening to provide a crimp contact between the first plate () and the second plate () thereby trapping the mounting portion or tab () of the air bag between the first and second plates.

Curtain air bag module and mounting clip

A three-point safety belt system () including: a tongue () configured to receive portions of a safety belt assembly (); the safety belt assembly () comprising a shoulder belt section () and a lap belt section (), the shoulder belt section including a hollow, generally flat first tube or tubular section (), the first tube or tubular part configured to tear apart along a preferred region (), a web guide (); a first and second retractor (); the lap belt section () extending from the tongue to the corresponding retractor () and the shoulder belt section () extending from the tongue to the other retractor (), each retractor configured to respectively retract the lap belt section and the shoulder belt section and to permit the extension or protraction of same; an inflatable air bag () received within the shoulder belt section and movable with the first tubular part () of the shoulder belt section, and inflatable by an inflator causing the air bag to extend and break the first tubular part as the air bag inflates from a stored condition to an inflated condition.

Three-point safety belt system with integral air bag

A seat mounted side impact airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle has an airbag with a first inflation chamber for engaging the pelvic region of the vehicle occupant and a second inflation chamber for engaging the thoracic region of the vehicle occupant. The inflation chambers are separated by a chamber separator. An inflator provides inflation gas to fill the airbag housed in a tubular housing manifold having a first aperture and a second aperture. The housing manifold is shaped to retain the inflator and create two discrete flows of inflation gas. A first flow of inflation gas goes into the first inflation chamber via the first aperture and a second flow of inflation gas goes into the second inflation chamber via the second aperture. The chamber separator is tightly sealed around the housing manifold to prevent the first flow and second flow to pass into the other inflation chamber. The chamber separator may be rubber coated with the housing manifold having a recess adapted to accept and hold the chamber separator sealed in a gas tight manner around the exterior of the housing manifold.

Seat mounted side impact airbag module

An airbag attachment associated with a non-inflatable portion on a side curtain airbag provides loops that are sewn or otherwise attached to the non-inflatable portion of the airbag. The loops directly encircle a gas supply tube and are provided on the non-inflatable portion such that the non-inflatable portion of the airbag can be slipped over the gas supply tube and suspended similar to a shower curtain on a curtain rod. The use of mounting tabs in the region of the non-inflatable portions is eliminated. Additional attachment ties with frangible seams can be used to attach the airbag to the gas supply tube in the location of the non-inflatable portion near the loop such that the airbag can be properly folded and bundled for compact placement within the vehicle body. The loops can be passed through openings in non-inflatable portions of the airbag, each loop directly encircling the gas supply tube. The loops can be provided with an attachment hole to enable the loops to be fastened to the vehicle body similar to a mounting tab. Upon deployment the side curtain airbag will remain suspended from the loops.

Side curtain airbag assembly

A side impact air bag curtain apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag adapted to be installed within a vehicle in a stowed condition proximate the roof rail of a vehicle and when inflated expands from the stowed condition to a deployed condition generally in front of an adjacent side of the vehicle; the air bag including a set of first air bag anchors fixedly connected to a determinable set of fixed first vehicle anchors within the vehicle, the air bag including at least one second air bag anchor at an end of the air bag; and a force-resolving member such as a bent rod or other member fixedly mounted at a determinable orientation within the vehicle and adapted to slidingly receive and support the second air bag anchor. The force-resolving member in concert with the foreshortening of the air bag during inflation causing the second air bag anchor to move to a preferred orientation.

Side impact or curtain air bag with position enhancing or locating mechanism

A side impact or rollover protection restraint system ( ) comprising: an air bag of sufficient length to extend from a first ( ) pillar to at least a second pillar ( ) of the vehicle, the air bag ( ), upon inflation, is of sufficient height to extend from proximate a roof rail ( ) of the vehicle to a location generally adjacent the shoulder of a 50th percentile sized seated occupant such that the inflated air bag will lie between the occupant and a side portion of the vehicle; the air bag including a first and a second panel of material that are joined together to create at least one inflatable volume ( ) and a plurality of internal tethers or separators for forming corresponding bridges between predetermined regions of each of the first and second panel such that upon inflation of the air bag these regions are spaced from one another by an internal tether.

Inflatable side air bag curtain module with chamber separators

Air bag, module and method of folding a side air bag or cushion

An air bag for side impact protection system comprising: an air bag (,) having an inflatable first chamber (,) formed of two joined-together first (,) and second (,) panels of material, the first chamber including a forward part (,) and an opposite rear part (,); an inflator (,) for generating inflation gas to inflate the air bag, the inflator including exit ports (,) which channel the inflation gas into the first chamber in a determinable direction; the air bag further including a flow diverter (,) positioned to receive inflation gas and to divert at least a component of the inflation gas to flow generally perpendicular to the first direction. In one embodiment the flow diverter is formed as an open topped tube; in another embodiment; the flow diverter includes a plurality of vent openings in the side of the tube. In a third embodiment of the invention the diverter is formed by a permeable sack of material. In another embodiment of the invention the rear of each of the first and second panels includes a curved portion which is separated by a curved separator panel to form a pressure accumulator.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Bruce Andrew Kalandek