Davidson Textron Inc.

Mccord Winn Textron Inc.

Textron Automotive Company Inc.

Mccord Corporation

Collins & Aikman Products & Co.

Ctex Seat Comfort Limited

Richard D Rhodes, Jr

John D Gray

Michael J Gallagher

Bruce A Batchelder

Craig B Labrie

Jimmy C Rogers

George F Daniels

Carl F Kackenmeister

David A Gattuso

Vernon A Daniels

Nelson J Morren

Edwin V Stawicki

William M Humphrey, Jr

William David Plant

Alan E Barton

W David Fredericks

Ryan Weeks

Josh Kelman

Anthony R Haba, Ii

Fred Rheinlander

John J Kennedy

Everett A Hastings

Jack J Kennedy

John A Gardner

Stephen Burt

Scott J Moran

An apparatus for deploying an air bag through an automotive dash panel () includes an air bag door () integrally formed in the panel and defined by a door perimeter including a frangible edge () of reduced cross section. A dispenser () supports the air bag () behind the door. A metal reaction plate () is positioned between the air bag () and the door (). When the air bag inflates, it forces the reaction plate () to bend around a horizontal hinge line (). As the reaction, plate pivots it concentrates inflation force along a lower portion of the frangible door edge. This helps to predictably separate the door from the dash panel by tearing along the lower door edge and allowing the tear to propagate up two side edges. In one embodiment, the tear also propagates across an upper edge to completely separate the door from the panel. At least one, and preferably two or three tethers () limit how far the door can travel during air bag inflation. A stop member may be included to limit reaction plate bending. After deployment, the reaction plate remains in a position that prevents the door from returning to its original position. A retaining structure may be included to preclude at least a portion of the air bag door from tearing free of the vehicle panel. A hinge () may be embedded in the panel in a position spanning a portion of the door perimeter. A hollow channel may be formed into the panel along the frangible marginal edge to create a substantial strength differential with the door perimeter to promote bending along the hinge and/or to help confine tearing to the frangible marginal edge during air bag deployment.

Apparatus for deploying an air bag through a hard panel

A pneumatic support system and controller combination including pressurizable expandable chambers ( ); a source of pressure and an exhaust characterized by: a unitary manifold assembly ( ) including a circuit board ( ); a manifold ( ) and one or more microvalves ( ) having a silicon based valve actuator responsive to a signal for controlling flow from said manifold with respect to one or more expandable chambers.

Microvalve controller for pneumatically contoured support

An air cell support system for vehicle seat and mattress applications includes an air cell constructed from facing sheets of flexible material that are sealed along their marginal edges. One of the sheets is impermeable and the other of the sheets is perforated to direct air from the air cell for ventilating an occupant support surface while providing a source of pressure for inflating the air cell.

Inflatable air cell having combined pneumatically adjusted occupant support and thermal conditioning

A vehicular seat (,) including a seat bottom (,) and a seat back (,). In one embodiment, the seat bottom (,) and seat back (,) are formed from a blow molded frame (,) including side walls (,) extending generally upwardly from a bottom panel (,). A support mat (,) comprising fabric/rubber webbing extends across a central cut-out region (,) in the bottom panel (,) and supports an inflatable cushion (,) comprising a series of air cells (,). An extensible upholstery or trim cover layer (,) covers the inflatable cushion (,) and is joined to the frame (,). In a second embodiment, the seat bottom (,) and seat back (,) are formed from a blow molded shell (,). An intermediate layer (,) of plastics material is provided on the shell (,) beneath an upholstery layer (,). An opening in the shell (,) allows the intermediate layer (,) to be expanded outwardly from the shell (,) as the pressure within the shell (,) is increased.

Seating assembly and method of making same

An apparatus for deploying an air bag through an automotive dash panel includes an air bag door integrally formed in the panel and defined by a door perimeter including a frangible edge of reduced cross section. A dispenser supports the air bag behind the door. A metal reaction plate is positioned between the air bag and the door. When the air bag inflates, it forces the reaction plate to bend around a horizontal hinge line. As the reaction plate pivots it concentrates inflation force along a lower portion of the frangible door edge. This helps to predictably separate the door from the dash panel by tearing along the lower door edge and allowing the tear to propagate up two side edges. In one embodiment, the tear also propagates across an upper edge to completely separate the door from the panel. At least one, and preferably two or three tethers limit how far the door can travel during air bag inflation. A stop member may be included to limit reaction plate bending. After deployment, the reaction plate remains in a position that prevents the door from returning to its original position. A retaining structure may be included to preclude at least a portion of the air bag door from tearing free of the vehicle panel. A hinge may be embedded in the panel in a position spanning a portion of the door perimeter. A hollow channel may be formed into the panel along the frangible marginal edge to create a substantial strength differential with the door perimeter to promote bending along the hinge and/or to help confine tearing to the frangible marginal edge during air bag deployment.

Apparatus for deploying an airbag through a hard panel

A system of inflatable air cells (,) is constructed and installed in a seat (,) at locations that are strategic to the comfort of the user. The air cells are selectively pressurized to a desired comfort level and in addition, in response to a vehicle impact, are controlled by valves (,) to have a occupant impact protection pressure therein for protecting the occupant against impact with the vehicle seat.

Vehicle impact responsive multiple bladder seating and headrest system and method

An apparatus for deploying an air bag through an automotive dash panel includes an air bag door integrally formed in the panel and defined by a frangible edge of reduced cross section. A dispenser supports the air bag behind the door. A metal reaction plate is positioned between the air bag and the door. When the air bag inflates it forces the reaction plate to bend around a horizontal hinge line. As the reaction plate rotates it concentrates inflation force along a lower portion of the frangible door edge. This helps predictably separate the door from the dash panel by tearing along the lower door edge and allowing the tear to propagate up two side edges. In one embodiment, the tear also propagates across an upper edge to completely separate the door from the panel. At least one, and preferably two or three tethers limit how far the door can travel during air bag inflation. A stop member may be included to limit reaction plate bending. After deployment, the reaction plate remains in a position that prevents the door from returning to its original position.

A low energy consumption valve module (16) includes low energy consumption valves (20) having either bimorphs or monomorphs defined by a circular diaphragm (21) carrying one or more piezoelectric discs (22) (23) operative to position a sealing disc (36) for sealing a valve seat (34). In one embodiment the discs are energized across conductive seals (51,52,54,56) and in another embodiment the discs are energized by a pair of flexible conductors (150). A process for making the bimorphs or monomorphs comprises a tape cast process in which ceramic with piezoelectric properties is shaped without machining. A process for making the valve module providing a valve body (200) and valve cover (202) of either laser energy transparent or laser energy absorbent polyimide material that are joined at a line to line contact (210) and sealed upon application of a laser welding beam to the line to line contact between the valve body and the valve cover at the perimeter thereof.

Multi-valve module having a ceramic piezoelectric actuator

A vehicular seat (10) including a seat bottom (12) and a seat back (14). In one embodiment, the seat bottom (12) and seat back (14) are formed from a blow molded frame (16) including side walls (18) extending generally upwardly from a bottom panel (20). A support mat (32) comprising fabric/rubber webbing extends across a central cut-out region (28) in the bottom panel (20) and supports an inflatable cushion (48) comprising a series of air cells (50). An extensible upholstery or trim cover layer (56) covers the inflatable cushion (48) and is joined to the frame (16). In a second embodiment, the seat bottom (12) and seat back (14) are formed from a blow molded shell (62). An intermediate layer (64) of plastics material is provided on the shell (62) beneath an upholstery layer (68). An opening in the shell (62) allows the intermediate layer (64) to be expanded outwardly from the shell (62) as the pressure within the shell (62) is increased.

A skin for an automotive interior panel has a main body portion for covering most of the panel and an air bag cover portion for covering the panel portion that the air bag deploys through. Casting a first plastic material against a first portion of a heated mold surface forms the main body skin portion. Casting or spraying a plastic material against a second portion of the heated mold surface forms the air bag cover skin portion. The mold surface portions may be confined from one another by a partition or by masking one portion while casting against the other. The main body and air bag cover skin portions include adjacent edges that extend along the air bag cover portion periphery. The two skin portions are joined together along their adjacent edges while still on the heated mold. An air bag deployment tear seam is formed by first casting a tear seam gap in the cover portion then spraying or casting a relatively weaker material into the gap. Alternatively, a heated engraving tool or laser may be used to form a tear seam groove in the back side of the air bag cover skin portion, or a cutter device may open the cover upon air bag deployment.

Skin for automotive air bag cover panel formed by casting different

An air cell system for vehicle seat and mattress applications includes an air cell constructed from facing sheets of flexible air-impermeable material that are sealed along their marginal edges. A gap is provided at a prescribed location along the seam to accommodate and air tube. The portion of the air tube received in the gap has a generally diamond shaped cross section including a central tubular region and opposed lateral side sections that taper radially outwardly in order to occupy correspondingly shaped regions of the gap. The shaped end of the air tube is sealed to the facing cell layer material to provide an airtight, unstressed seal therebetween.

Inflatable air cell having improved cell-to-air tube connection

A recyclable automotive headliner consists 100% of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material and includes reverse ribs of varying density of PET fibers filled with reinforcements of full density PET material. A method of manufacturing such headliners includes forming the reverse ribs in the PET fibers and either preforming the full density reinforcements and bonding them between the ribs or forming the ribs and then injecting molten full density PET material therebetween.

Recyclable automotive headliner and method of manufacture

An air bag cover door assembly utilizes a releasable fastener along each side of the air bag cover door to provide a predetermined opening characteristic for the cover door. The fasteners can be hook and loop tape, mechanical interlocks, adhesive strips, etc., with one half of each fastener secured to the inside surface of the cover door and the other half secured to a substructure, such as a dashboard pad retainer, in mating engagement with the first half. The fasteners are located along the sides of the cover door proximate the hinging axis of the cover door so that expansion of the air bag causes the cover door to initially hinge along a line extending between the engaged fasteners and then causes the fasteners to separate, allowing the cover door to swing open fully about its hinging axis. This reduces the speed of the cover door as it fully opens, thereby directing the air bag rearwardly toward the occupant and reducing the possibility of windshield breakage when the cover door assembly is used in a passenger side, top mount position of an automobile.

Air bag cover door having a predetermined opening characteristic

A hollow core instrument panel provides the look and feel of a urethane filled instrument panel without the associated disadvantages. A rigid retainer substrate provides a skeletal superstructure. A hollow shell applique is attached to the retainer substrate for providing a decorative exterior. The hollow shell applique includes a resilient upper wall, a lower wall, contoured to matingly engage the retainer substrate, a forward end wall and a rearward end wall. One or more ribs may be provided intermediate the forward and rearward end walls. The forward and rearward end walls are hook-shaped for mechanically clamping about the edges of the retainer substrate. Vent holes prevent pressure build-up within the hollow shell applique.

Growing community of inventors

Somersworth, NH, United States of America

Richard D Rhodes, Jr