Elio Engineering Inc.

Other

Next Autoworks Company

Robert E Glaspie

Paul A Elio

Hariharan K Sankaranarayanan

Hari Sankara Iyer

Frank Gabbianelli

Azhagu Nachimuthu Sennimalai Subramanian

Michael DeVor

Bogoljub Velanovich

Frank Varansano

Edward Kustrzyk

Jerrold Lavine

Systems and methods that facilitate vehicle passenger protection during side impact events and, more particularly, to systems and methods which increase the survival space between the vehicle side structure and a vehicle passenger located in the vehicle passenger compartment while maintaining reasonable vehicle structure deceleration levels. The systems and methods enable the seat structure assemblies to move inboard during side impact events by coupling the seat structure assemblies to a deformable cross bar or beam. The embodiments include a deformable cross-car beam that is deformable in one or more locations along its length using changes in geometry and/or changes in material to initiate controlled deformation under a cross-car load due to a side impact event.

Deformable cross-car beam system for side impact protection

Continuous seat adjustment apparatus is used in conjunction with a seating device including a track assembly having an inner track and an outer track longitudinally movable on the inner track. The apparatus includes a pair of opposed jaws mounted on the outer track for pivotal movement between first and second orientations. Each of the jaws defines an opening with the inner track longitudinally extending therethrough. The jaws frictionally engage the inner track in the first orientation to substantially prevent longitudinal movement along the inner track and the jaws release the inner track in the second orientation to allow continuous longitudinal movement along the inner track. A spring device is affixed to the pair of opposed jaws to provide a bias on the jaws tending to move the jaws into the first orientation and an adjustment member is provided for moving the jaws against the spring bias from the first orientation to the second orientation.

Continuous seat adjustment mechanism

A seat frame recliner mechanism includes a cylindrical element defining an inner surface with gear teeth, a journal contact area, and a notch formed in a radially extending surface. The cylindrical element, including the gear teeth, the journal contact area, and the notch are formed as an integral unit to prevent false latching. A conically shaped element has an outer surface with mating gear teeth and a mating journal contact area. A tab is positioned to be received within the notch for limiting and defining reclining movements. The conically shaped element is movable axially inward into a locked orientation with the gear teeth of the elements engaging for inhibiting relative movement of a back portion and a seat portion, and movable axially outward to an unlocked orientation with the gear teeth of the elements disengaged for permitting relative movement of the back and seat portions. The journal contact areas of the inner and outer surfaces cooperate to maintain axial alignment between the elements during relative axial movement therebetween.

Cone recliner/clutch mechanism

Variable clutching seat recliner apparatus includes a drum coupled to a seat back, a band wrapped about the drum inhibiting rotation thereof, a tightening mechanism coupled to opposed ends of the band such that a force applied to the seat back in either of two opposing directions produces a tension in the band adjacent either end and a corresponding loosening of the band adjacent the other end. The tightening mechanism includes a lever pivotable about a fixed pivot point to convert a portion of the tension to reduce the loosening, and a variable control mechanism positioned proximate the lever for limiting pivotal movement of the lever.

Variable clutching seat recliner mechanism

A recliner mechanism includes a cylindrical element attached to a back portion and a conically shaped element attached to a seat portion. The cylindrical element has an axially extending central opening formed therein defined by a conically tapered inner surface, and the conically shaped element has an outer surface receivable within the central opening. The conically shaped element is movable in an axially inward direction to a locked orientation with the inner surface of the cylindrical element engaging the outer surface of the conically shaped element to inhibiting relative pivotal movement of the back portion and the seat portion. The conically shaped element is also movable in an axially outward direction to an unlocked orientation with the inner surface of the cylindrical element disengaged from the outer surface of the conically shaped element to permitting relative pivotal movement of the back portion and the seat portion.

A self-tightening mechanism mounted on a seat having a back portion. The self-tightening mechanism including a drum coupled to the back portion, a band wrapped about the drum inhibiting rotation thereof and having a first end and a second end. A tightening mechanism coupled to the first end and the second end such that a force applied to the back portion in either of two opposing directions produces a tension in the band adjacent either one of the first end and the second end and a corresponding loosening of the band adjacent the other end. The tightening mechanism including a lever pivotable about a fixed pivot point to convert a portion of the tension to reduce the loosening.

Growing community of inventors

Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Robert E Glaspie