Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Robert L Arwood

Eric J Baumbach

Brian Christopher Ford

John Cooper

John M Burdock

Mutaz A Shkoukani

Jin Ho Jung

Robert J Sadenwater

Thomas G Busacca

Kaustubh Bedekar

Robert H Block

Walter R Green

Jean-Luc Blancou

Pat Atkinson

An air bag usable to protect the driver of the vehicle comprising: a face panel; a rear panel of generally the same shape as the face panel and secured to the face panel along its periphery; the rear panel including a centrally located opening configured to receive an air bag inflator that introduces gas into the space formed by the face and rear panels; a tether of elongated shape having first and second ends and a center region, the center region is positioned into a Z-shaped configuration and secured to the face panel proximate a geometric center of the face panel.

Driver side air bag

An airbag module has an airbag with an inflation chamber. The inflation chamber has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the inflation chamber is deployed generally along a first axis and the second portion of the inflation chamber is generally deployed along a second axis. The first axis is transverse to the second axis. The first portion of the inflation chamber is defined by a front panel and a back panel. The second portion of the inflation chamber is attached to the back panel. An inflator is in communication with the airbag. A tether is provided in the first portion of the inflation chamber. The tether has three portions. The first portion of the tether extends across the first inflation chamber and is secured to the airbag at a first panel location and a first back panel location. The second portion of the tether extends across the first inflation chamber and is secured to the airbag at the first back panel location and a second front panel location displaced from the first front panel location. The third portion of the tether extends across the first inflation chamber and is secured to the airbag at the second front panel location and a second back panel location displaced from the first back panel location.

Inflatable knee bolster airbag with internal tether

A knee bolster for a vehicle has an air bag and an air bag inflator. The air bag has an inflated condition and a deflated condition. The air bag is attached to the knee bolster, which is moveable with the air bag. The knee bolster may move from an unactuated position when the air bag is in the deflated condition to an actuated position when the air bag is inflated. A guide structure, which is attached to the knee bolster directs the bolster along a linear path from the unactuated position to the actuated position.

Upward deploying inflatable knee bolster with mechanical guides

An airbag folding apparatus includes a folding tube, a folder support apparatus, and a plunger mechanism. The folding of an airbag utilizing the folding apparatus comprises the following steps. A vehicle airbag is attached to the plunger mechanism and the airbag is lowered into the folding tube. The plunger mechanism is introduced into the folding tube after the airbag is completely inside the folding tube. The plunger mechanism is forcibly lowered into the folding tube causing the airbag to be compressed or folded. The plunger mechanism remains exterior to the airbag throughout the folding process. The plunger mechanism is then detached and a fold retention sheet is wrapped around the folded airbag.

Airbag folding apparatus and method of folding

Growing community of inventors

Frasier, MI, United States of America

Robert L Arwood