Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Matthew C Frank

Alex G Meduvsky

Joseph John Zwolinski

Arnold J Herberg

Robert D Sayles

Kurt F Fischer

Charles E Steffens, Jr

Bob L McFalls

William P Braun

Luis Cendejas

John N Clark

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus () includes an inflatable occupant protection device () and a support member () having a vent opening () through which inflation fluid may flow. The apparatus () also includes a mechanism () for controlling a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). Inflation fluid pressure within the inflatable occupant protection device () tends to move the mechanism () for increasing a flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). The mechanism () is responsive to inflation of the inflatable occupant protection device () beyond a predetermined distance for restricting the flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening (). The apparatus () further includes a locking member () for blocking the mechanism () from increasing the flow of inflation fluid through the vent opening () after the inflatable occupant protection device () has inflated beyond the predetermined distance.

Air bag module with locking member for locking the position of a vent member

An occupant restraint system () includes first and second lap belts (and) for collectively extending across a lap of the occupant (). First and second shoulder belts (and) extend over the shoulders of the occupant (). A buckle assembly () interconnects the lap belts (and) and the shoulder belts (and). The occupant restraint system () also includes first and second buckle-lowering belts (and) attached to the buckle assembly () for creating a downwardly acting biasing force on the buckle assembly () so as to move the buckle assembly () downwardly relative to the seat () and towards the lap of the occupant ().

Four-point seat belt system with buckle-lowering belts

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes a knee bolster (). An energy absorbing device () is interposed between the knee bolster () and the vehicle (). The device () includes a field responsive fluid () having a viscosity that varies in response to an energy field acting on the fluid. The device () also includes at least one passage () through which the fluid () flows upon movement of the knee bolster () relative to the vehicle (). The device () further includes means () for varying the viscosity of the fluid () to vary the flow rate through the at least one passage () and thereby vary the resistance to movement of the knee bolster () relative to the vehicle ().

Energy absorbing knee bolster

An apparatus ( ) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) and an inflation fluid source ( ) for providing inflation fluid ( ) for inflating the protection device. The apparatus ( ) also includes an opening ( ) through which the inflation fluid ( ) flows from the inflation fluid source ( ). A member ( ) is movable to control flow of the inflation fluid ( ) through the opening ( ). A volume of a field responsive fluid ( ) resists movement of the member ( ). The field responsive fluid ( ) has a viscosity that varies in response to an energy field acting on the fluid. The apparatus ( ) further includes means ( ) for varying the viscosity of the field responsive fluid ( ) to vary the resistance to movement of the member ( ).

Variable output inflator

An apparatus ( ) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat ( ) comprises a seat belt ( ) and a seat belt retractor ( ) including a spool ( ) supported for rotation about a spool axis ( ) in a seat belt withdrawal direction ( ) and an opposite seat belt retraction direction ( ). An electric motor ( ) is energizable to rotate the spool ( ) in the seat belt retraction direction ( ) and is de-energizable. The electric motor ( ) is energizable to rotate the spool ( ) in the seat belt retraction direction ( ) to apply a predetermined amount of tension to the seat belt ( ). An electrically actuatable brake ( ) associated with the motor ( ) is actuatable to maintain the predetermined amount of tension on the seat belt ( ) after the motor applies the predetermined amount of tension to the seat belt.

Seat belt pretensioner with brake

An apparatus ( ) for helping to protect a vehicle occupant ( ) includes first and second lengths of belt webbing ( ) for extending over the occupant. First and second spools ( ) are supported for rotation in a belt retraction direction ( ) and an opposite belt withdrawal direction ( ). The apparatus ( ) includes a mechanism ( ) for blocking rotation of the spools ( ) in the belt withdrawal direction ( ) until a predetermined force is applied to the spools, and for permitting rotation of the spools in the belt withdrawal direction when a force above the predetermined force is applied to the spools. The mechanism ( ) drivingly interconnects the spools and permits rotation of one of the spools ( ) in the belt withdrawal direction ( ) after blocking rotation in the belt withdrawal direction without causing rotation of the other spool in the belt withdrawal direction.

Four-point seat belt having central load limiter

An apparatus (,) includes a first structure (,) having a seat surface (,) configured to engage and support an inertia weight (,) for inertial movement under the influence of a vehicle crash condition. The apparatus (,) further includes a second structure (,) configured to support the first structure (,) in a vehicle seat belt retractor (,). The first structure (,) has an arcuate array of first orientation teeth (,). The second structure (,) has an arcuate array of second orientation teeth (,). The second orientation teeth (,) are configured to receive the first orientation teeth (,) in meshing engagement in any selected one of a plurality of different circumferential orientations relative to the arcuate array of second orientation teeth (,).

Orientation apparatus for an emergency locking mechanism in a vehicle seat belt retractor

A seat belt webbing guide height adjuster (10) includes a base (50) having first and second columns of openings (84, 86, 104, 106) disposed in a staggered relationship on opposite sides of an axis (61). A carriage (140) is supported on the base (50) for axial movement relative to the base. A seat belt webbing guide (24) is disposed on the carriage (140). A first latch part (200) on the carriage (140) is movable between a first condition in which the first latch part is movable axially past the first openings (84, 86) and a second condition in which the first latch part is located in one of the first openings to block axial movement of the first latch part and the carriage relative to the base (50). A second latch part (210) on the carriage (140) is movable between a first condition in which the second latch part is movable axially past the second openings (104, 106) and a second condition in which the second latch part is located in one of the second openings to block axial movement of the second latch part and the carriage relative to the base (50). The height adjuster (10) includes springs (228, 246) for biasing the first and second latch parts (200, 210) into the second condition, and a release lever (260) for moving the first and second latch parts to the first condition.

D-ring height adjuster

A seat belt height adjuster (30) includes a track (34), a slider (36) movable vertically along the track (34), and a latch (102) mounted on the slider (36). The track (34) has a plurality of latch openings (62) which are spaced apart along the track (34). The latch (102)is receivable in each latch opening (62) to block movement of the slider (36) downward along the track (34). The track (34) further has a plurality of spaced-apart directing portions (80) corresponding to the plurality of latch openings (62). Each directing portion (80) of the track (34) is configured to constrain the latch (102) to move into the next lower latch opening (62) upon movement of the latch (102) downward along the track (34) from a latch opening (62) to the next lower latch opening (62).

Height adjuster for seat belt webbing

A seat belt webbing guide assembly (10) includes a base (50) mountable on a portion (42) of a vehicle. The base (50) includes a wall (60) and first and second columns (80, 82) of projections which project in a first direction (84) from the wall on opposite sides of an axis (62). Each one of the first projections (90, 92) is spaced apart axially from each one of the second projections (102, 104, 106). A carriage (120) is supported on the base (50) for axial sliding movement relative to the base. A seat belt guide (24) is located on the carriage (120). A first latch (170) on the carriage (120) is movable between a disengaged condition movable axially past the first projections (90, 92) and an engaged condition engageable with one of the first projections to block axial movement of the first latch and the carriage relative to the base (50). A second latch (200) on the carriage (120) is movable between a disengaged condition movable axially past the second projections (102, 104, 106) and an engaged condition engageable with one of the second projections to block axial movement of the second latch and the carriage relative to the base (50). The assembly (10) includes biasing springs (194, 208) for biasing the first and second latches (170, 200) into the engaged condition, and a release lever (220) for moving the first and second latches to the disengaged condition.

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Matthew C Frank