Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Kurt W Schulz

Barney J Bauer

Brian K Blackburn

Scott B Gentry

Joseph F Mazur

Cecil A Collins

Timothy W Hill

Tammy M Butchko

Gerald F Durbin

H John Miller, Iii

James C Lotito

Peter C Kempf

Edward Burley

Matthew W Owen

Michel Paul Rossey

A load-limiting device has a mechanical structure designed to dissipate forces applied by a vehicle occupant to a safety belt during a crash. The load limiting device comprises a housing and a deformable member, at least one of which is configured for connection to a vehicle safety belt and the other of which is configured for connection to a structural part of a vehicle. The housing and the deformable member are moveable relative to each other when force is applied to the one of those members. The housing supports a hardened member formed of a material which is harder than the deformable member and which is positioned to engage and deform the deformable member as the deformable member is being moved relative to the housing.

Load limiting structure for vehicle occupant restraint system

A D-ring assembly comprising a D-ring and a load limiting device. The D-ring has a slot therethrough for receiving a seatbelt webbing and for guiding the webbing from the retractor to the torso of a vehicle occupant. The load limiting device functions by absorbing kinetic energy of the vehicle occupant during a crash to control the deceleration forces experienced by the vehicle occupant. The load limiting device has a deforming member partially embedded in a swivel ball. When a predetermined amount of force is applied on the D-ring assembly, the swivel ball rotates causing the deforming member to create a channel in the load-limiting device.

D-ring assembly with a load limiting device

A pedestrian protecting device for a vehicle has an airbag having a first wall comprising a flexible layer and a second wall comprising a vehicle body panel. An inflatable interior cavity is formed between the first wall and the second wall. An inflator has a conduit to conduct inflation gas between the first wall and the second wall.

Pedestrian protecting device for a vehicle

The present invention provides a method and device for simulating impact conditions which has a test sled , simulated occupant ( ), and a pre-impact force-generating device. The pre-impact force-generating device can apply force directly to the simulated occupant being ( ), thereby overcoming many of the cost problems associated with applying a low and long duration force directly to a test sled ( ). The pre-impact force-generating device can be designed such that instead of providing a low and long duration force to a simulated occupant ( ), it provides a short and high impact force to the simulated occupant ( ). An impact force-generating device provides impact force directly to the sled ( ) which simulates impact conditions.

Sled test apparatus and method for simulating pre-impact crash event

A test apparatus (20) for testing the dynamic performance and verifying the performance of at least one occupant sensor (82) used in a vehicular safety restraint system comprising: a movable sled slidably oriented relative to the occupant sensor; an object, the presence of which is to be sensed by the sensor, mounted and movable with the sled; a support (22, 24, 26a,b, 32, 36) for slidably supporting the sled relative to the sensor (82); a force producing device (90a,b, 92, 94) for moving the sled toward the sensor in a determinable manner; a data collection device (84) for comparing signals derived from the occupant sensor indicative of the relative position to the object with signals derived upon independent measurement of the motion of the sled.

Dynamic proximity test apparatus

An end release type belt buckle for releasably latching a tongue plate of a safety belt system in a latched position. The belt buckle has a base, a release mechanism and an actuator supported for sliding movement on the base. The base has a stationary latch portion adapted to releasably lock the tongue plate in the latched position. The actuator includes a first surface for urging the tongue plate into the latched position, a second surface for retaining the tongue plate in the latched position, and a third surface for actuating the release mechanism to urge the tongue plate from the latched position into a released position. In addition, the end release belt buckle includes an illumination device affixed to the actuator for illuminating selected portions thereof, and an electrically conductive coupling arrangement for maintaining an electrical circuit during sliding movement of the actuator.

End release seat belt buckle

An end release type belt buckle for releasably latching a tongue plate of a safety belt system in a latched position. The belt buckle has a base, a release mechanism and an actuator supported for movement on the base. The base has a stationary latch portion adapted to releasably lock the tongue plate in the latched position. The actuator includes a first surface for urging the tongue plate into the latched position, a second surface for retaining the tongue plate in the latched position, and a third surface for actuating the release mechanism to urge the tongue plate from the latched position into a released position.

Growing community of inventors

Harper Woods, MI, United States of America

Kurt W Schulz