Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Shield Restraint Systems, Inc.

Porter Engineered Systems, Inc.

James R Eaton

Joseph H Hunter

Larry Alan Gray

Phillip Dale Morgan

Energy absorbing devices for use with child seat restraint webs, seat belt webs, and other webs are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an energy absorbing device includes a body having first and second apertures that receive a portion of a web, such as a web of an occupant restraint system. When a load is applied to the web, such as in a vehicle crash, the body deflects under the load from a first shape to a second shape to absorb the energy transmitted by the web.

Energy absorbing devices for use with webs

Web adjusters and other web connecting devices for use with restraint systems are described herein. In some embodiments, web adjusters, such as tilt-lock web adjusters, can include web gripping features on an edge portion of a web aperture to prevent a web that is joined to the web adjuster from sliding or otherwise moving to one side of the web aperture or the other when the web is pulled in a direction that is not perpendicular to the edge. In some embodiments, the web gripping features can include alternating recessed and raised edge portions.

Web adjuster

A fold-flat seat recliner mechanism for connecting the seat cushion to the seat back in a motor vehicle includes a lower plate assembly attachable to the seat cushion frame and an upper plate interconnecting the seat back and the lower plate assembly. The upper plate and lower plate assembly are interconnected by a parallelogram linkage that provides a range of reclining positions for the seat back relative to the seat cushion and allows the seat back to be folded flat relative to the seat cushion from any recline angle. During folding, the linkage retains its previous geometry so that the seat back, when unfolded, returns to its previously set recline angle. The mechanism is used in pairs, one on each side of the seat. On one side the recliner mechanism includes a mechanism for adjusting the seat back recline angle and a latch operable to inhibit or allow folding of the seat back.

Fold-flat reclining mechanism for a vehicle seat

A transmission control wherein modulating solenoid valves provide for continued governor and accumulator trim boost in the event of a malfunction in either the electrical or the hydraulic system. The transmission control provides redundancy to permit continued operation in the event one of the modulating solenoid valves fails. A single interlock valve is employed to prevent the two modulating solenoid valves from pressurizing the governor and the trim boost circuits when the transmission is operating in the reverse drive range.

Governor interlock valve

A hydraulic control for an automatically shifted power transmission has an electronically controlled governor pressure source which provides a speed and throttle sensitive pressure for controlling the shift points and trim boost in the transmission control. An inhibitor circuit is activated in the event of a discontinuance of the electrical control, resulting in maximum governor pressure, to permit selected vehicle operation in one forward ratio and a reverse ratio. Each ratio interchange is controlled by a respective shift valve and clutch control valve. Each clutch control valve has an integral trim control which is effective to control the pressure rise in the on-coming clutch without bypassing fluid to an exhaust. Also during a ratio interchange, an off-going clutch is controlled at a reduced pressure during a portion of the ratio interchange.

Hydraulic control for a multi-speed power transmission

Ratio interchange control valving

An automatic transmission drive ratio control for operating a five speed automatic transmission is provided. The control is particularly adapted for use with a twin countershaft automatic transmission that requires only one torque transfer device for each drive ratio. A system of valves is employed to direct the flow of pressurized fluid necessary for the on-going actuation of each drive ratio and the simultaneous off-going actuation of the previously actuated drive ratio. The flow control for actuating and deactuating the torque control devices is directly effected by a two-position spool valve operating in concert with a rotary valve, pressurized hydraulic fluid used to position the spool valve and the rotary valve is primarily provided by three on/off solenoid shift control valves. A failure of the electrical supply to the solenoid valves will effect a shift to the third drive ratio when the transmission is operating in the first through fourth drive ratios, but will effect a shift to the fifth drive ratio should the electrical failure occur while operating in the fifth drive ratio.

Rotary shift control valving mechanism for a power transmission

A hydraulic control for operating a five speed automatic transmission with two modulating solenoid valves. The control is particularly adapted for use with a twin countershaft automatic transmission that requires only one torque transfer device for each drive ratio. A system of valves is employed to direct the flow of the pressurized fluid necessary for the on-going actuation of each drive ratio and the simultaneously off-going deactuation of the previously actuated drive ratio. The flow control for actuating and deactuating the torque control devices is directly effected by two, two-position spool valves which operate in concert with two, two-position shuttle valves. Pressurized hydraulic fluid used to position the two-position spool valves and the two-position shuttle valves is primarily provided by two on/off solenoid control valves, but a third on/off inhibitor solenoid valve may also be employed. A failure of the electrical supply to the solenoid valves will effect a shift to the third drive ratio when the transmission is operating in the first through the fourth drive ratio, but will retain the transmission in the fifth drive ratio should the electrical failure occur while operation in that drive ratio. Similarly, the transmission will be retained in the reverse drive range should an electrical failure occur while operating in that drive range, even though the torque transfer device being utilized is also used in the forward drive range.

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Carmel, IN, United States of America

James R Eaton