Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Massey-ferguson Inc.

Marshall Lawrence Quade

Joseph Robert Brown

David Webster Clark

Chris John Short

Fred Leslie Sole

Joseph F Mazur

Lisandro Trevino

Ashir Prafull Thakore

Edgar Valdez

William F Temple

Scott William Hazell

Earl E Dean

An occupant safety restraint system ('OSR system') () and method for fully deploying an airbag () before an occupant contacts the airbag (). In one embodiment, the OSR system () includes a seatbelt restraint system (), a variable-output airbag system (), and a controllercoupled to the seatbelt restraint system () and the airbag system (). The seatbelt restraint system () includes a seatbelt restraint () for restraining the occupant and a seatbelt-tension sensor () for detecting a load or tension in the seatbelt restraint (). The controllerutilizes the seatbelt load for determining a current seatbelt-tension rate and actuating the airbag system () to deploy the airbag () at one or more output rates. In other words, the controllercan utilize the seatbelt restraint system () and the airbag system () in combination for regulating the output rate of the airbag system ().

Occupant safety-restraint system and method for fully deploying an airbag prior to occupant contact

An air bag module for venting inflation gas if an out-of-position vehicle occupant is too close to the module for proper air bag deployment. The module has an air bag canister having a gas channel port, an inflator, an air bag cushion, a deployment door, a structural gas channel, and a venting system. The venting system connects the structural gas channel to the gas channel port and includes a plug and a plug pulling system for controlling the venting of gas.

Air bag inflator gas venting system

An air bag module comprising an air bag retainer, an air bag cushion, an inflator, and a cover having a front wall and a side wall connected to the air bag retainer, wherein the air bag cushion normally deploys through the front wall of the air bag cover and wherein the side wall has a weakened area to allow a portion of the side wall to open and allow the air bag cushion to deploy therethrough along a lateral deployment path if an out-of-position occupant exerts an external force against the front wall sufficient to impede normal deployment of the air bag cushion through the front wall. The side wall may include an extendable section that is in a retracted position when the air bag cushion is folded and is movable to an extended position by inflation of the cushion.

Air bag cushion energy diverter

An air bag module for venting inflation gas if an out-of-position vehicle occupant is too close to the module for proper air bag deployment. The module has an air bag canister comprising a side wall having gas channel port to communicate with the ambient air, an inflator, an air bag cushion, a deployment door, a structural gas channel, and a venting system connecting the structural gas channel to the at least one gas channel port. The venting system permits venting of gas through the gas channel port when the out-of-position occupant applies sufficient force on the deployment door to prevent the air bag cushion from reaching a fully deployed condition.

An automotive instrument panel (IP) has a thermostatically controlled electric heating element for maintaining the plastic material of the IP at a temperature warm enough to inhibit brittle fracture during deployment of an airbag mounted within the IP. The heating element is formed by depositing a layer of electrically conductive material on an inner surface of the outermost layer of the IP along the perimeter of an airbag deployment path, bonding the outermost layer to a substrate, and using a laser to simultaneously score the IP around the deployment path and cut the conductive layer so that it forms a circuit through which electric current may be passed for resistance heating.

Method of manufacturing an automotive airbag enclosure with an embedded heating element

An inflatable restraint system for attachment to an occupant seat of an automotive vehicle has a canister with an inflatable restraint deployable therefrom, a chute member slidably engaged with the canister for directing deployment of the inflatable restraint and movable between a stowed position when the inflatable restraint is uninflated and the deployed position when the inflatable restraint is inflated. Tethers or other retention devices are attached between the canister and the chute member to retain the chute member in a predetermined position with respect to the canister so as to direct deployment of the inflatable restraint in a predetermined direction from the occupant seat.

Vehicle inflatable restraint system

An automotive instrument panel having a concealed airbag. A molded substrate having first and second surfaces and an aperture therethrough receives an airbag. A curved metal door is secured to the first surface of the substrate by a plurality of fasteners extending through the substrate. The metal door has a generally U-shaped slot with first and second ends being spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the aperture. The slot is positioned radially outwardly of the aperture. The door also has a plurality of indentations to maintain a curved shape conforming with the surface of the substrate. A molded covering overlies the first surface of the door and is secured thereto with an intermediate layer of foam. A foam gasket overlies the slot between the door and the substrate. A foam impermeable layer is placed between the gasket and door to prevent injected foam from impregnating the foam gasket and interfering with the opening of the door. An airbag chute is secured to the second surface of the substrate by the attaching fasteners. The airbag causes the metal door to fold along the line between the first and second ends of the slots.

Automotive instrument panel having an integral airbag

A seamless side inflatable restraint deployment system for an occupant seated in a seat includes a side inflatable restraint module attached to a frame of the seat and having an inflatable restraint, a pad disposed adjacent the side inflatable restraint module having a deployment opening therein, and a tear initiator envelope enclosing the side inflatable restraint module and extending through the deployment opening to concentrate deployment forces of the inflatable restraint to form a desired exit location in a seat trim of the seat for the inflatable restraint to deploy therethrough.

Seamless side inflatable restraint deployment system

A vehicle seat back frame assembly includes a substantially U-shaped frame assembly incorporating a side impact airbag module as a structural, load-bearing component thereof. The substantially U-shaped frame assembly includes a curved top portion having opposing ends and a spacer attached to one of the opposing ends. The side impact airbag module has first and second ends, with the first end being attached to the other of the opposing ends. First and second support members are attached to the spacer and the second end of the airbag module, respectively, for securing the seat back frame assembly in the vehicle.

Vehicle seat back frame and airbag module assembly

A row crop unit (10) is provided with cooperating pairs of molded belts (40), the belts (40) being supported from overhead frame members (20, 22, 24, 26) whereby the build-up of trash within the unit is minimized. A cutoff mechanism (100) is provided, the mechanism (100) being driven by a drive mechanism (110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120) independent of the belts (40) whereby high driving torques on the belts (40) are avoided. The forward ends of the belts (40) are carried by spaced apart sprockets (56) located forwardly of the cutoff mechanism (100) to insure that standing crop material is properly gathered and engaged prior to severing by the cutoff mechanism (100).

Growing community of inventors

Pinckney, MI, United States of America

Marshall Lawrence Quade