Autoliv Development Ab

Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Remi Baillivet

Thierry Jacqmarcq

Akira Ueki

Richard Lawrence Matsu

Marcus Weber

Raimund Nebel

Hugues Doursoux

Olivier Bertrand

Christopher Donald Morgan

Yutaka Hirota

Gilles Garret

Terry Allen Sella

David Robert Palm, Jr

Zhiyong Jiang

Yutaka Tsuchida

David Palm

Laurent Satge

Jean-Marie Cruet

Jean-Bernard Tessier

The invention relates to a device for removably mounting an airbag module on a steering wheel having a retaining portion of a resilient ring for forming elements for holding hooks on the other of the airbag module or the steering wheel in zones of interaction with the hooks, a mounting portion of the resilient ring forming a mounting rotation axis to ensure the rotation of the resilient ring, the resilient ring further including a locking portion, wherein the other of the airbag module or the steering wheel includes a first stop which is arranged to block the movement of the locking portion of the resilient ring in a first direction perpendicular to the mounting rotation axis (Y).

Device for removably mounting an airbag module on a steering wheel

A steering wheel unit () for a motor vehicle having, a steering wheel body (), an airbag module () accommodated in a hub region of the steering wheel body (), which includes a housing (), an inflator connected to the housing (), and an airbag () folded into the housing (), and at least three axial positioning units which define the axial position of the housing () when not pressed down with respect to the steering wheel body (). Each of the three axial positioning units include an axial positioning element () connected on the module side to the housing (), or an axial positioning element connected to the steering wheel body on the steering wheel body side, wherein the positioning element features a metal support unit (). The at least three support units () are elements separate from each other.

Steering wheel unit, airbag module, and steering wheel body

Driver airbag cushion assemblies comprising dampening means. In some embodiments, the assembly may comprise a driver airbag module, a steering wheel armature, and an intermediate plate positioned between the driver airbag module and the steering wheel armature. The assembly may further comprise one or more horn actuators, such as horn springs coupled to the airbag module, and one or more dampening members. The one or more dampening members may be used to couple two or more of the armature, plate, and airbag module together. In some embodiments, the dampening member(s) may be functionally and/or physically decoupled from the one or more horn actuators.

Dampening driver airbag assemblies and related systems and methods

An airbag system () having a two-chamber airbag (), wherein the main chamber has an impact surface () which the vehicle occupant can contact and a support surface () with the main chamber () supported on an interior fitting () of the vehicle. A secondary chamber () forms a support cushion for the main chamber (), the main chamber () having a greater volume than the secondary chamber (). The secondary chamber () is located between the support surface () and the interior fitting (). The airbag () has an overflow protective element () between the main and secondary chambers (). A first gas generator () inflates the main chamber () and a second gas generator () inflates the secondary chamber (), wherein both generators () or only the first generator () can be controlled for inflating the main chamber () as desired.

Airbag system for passenger protection

A steering wheel unit for a motor vehicle. The steering wheel unit has a steering wheel and an airbag module () located in the hub area of the steering wheel. This airbag module forms a housing (), an airbag () folded into the housing, and a gas generator (). The airbag module can be pushed down against the force of at least one spring element to activate a horn, whereby positioning means are present which define the position of the airbag module in relation to the steering wheel. In order to achieve a high degree of operational reliability and a very exact positioning of the airbag module in the steering wheel, at least one retaining means () is present which acts between the airbag module and the steering wheel (). This retaining means is ineffective in the absence of outer forces and when the airbag module () is pressed down to activate a horn.

Steering wheel unit

A method of folding an air-bag is disclosed. The air-bag is initially located in a substantially flat condition. Two side portions of the air-bag are rolled inwardly towards the gas generator and are then folded back (,) towards the centre of the air-bag, thus releasing tension in the upper layer of fabric between the two rolls. The rolled regions are then themselves rolled inwards form the opposed ends thereof and are again finally turned back, again to release any tension in the central region of the fabric. Consequently, the central region of the fabric, which is located opposite the gas generator, is slack, enabling that part of the fabric to move away from the gas generator relatively easily when the gas generator is activated.

Method of folding an air-bag and an air-bag

Growing community of inventors

Dampierre-en-Bray, France

Remi Baillivet