Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Roger P Daniel

Timothy G Laske

George G Lim

Lynda K Fulgenzi

Praful J Patel

Heather M Loftus

Louis R Brown

Clifford C Chou

Jeffrey L Goins

Steven R Loxton

Donald P Czarnecki

John M Maddox

Sarah L Kirkish

Carl D Yost

An improved structure is provided for supporting pillars of automotive vehicles which provides energy absorption through provision of three stamped metallic panels (24, 26, 28) defining first and second energy absorbing chambers (56, 58) therebetween and an interior trim cover (30) joined to all the panels and defining a third chamber (62) between it and the interior of the three panels and selected energy absorbing media carried between the trim cover and the interior of the panels. Generally C-shaped spring structures (74) and plastic honeycomb structures (68) are preferred for the energy absorbing media.

Energy absorbing vehicle pillar structure

An improved structure is provided for supporting pillars of automotive vehicles which provides energy absorption through provision of three stamped metallic panels (24,26,28) defining first and second energy absorbing chambers (56,58) therebetween and an interior trim cover (30) joined to all the panels and defining a third chamber (62) between it and the interior of the three panels and selected energy absorbing media carried between the trim cover and the interior of the panels. Generally C-shaped spring structures (74) and plastic honeycomb structures (68) are preferred for the energy absorbing media.

An infant seat apparatus is described for a primary seat in a motor vehicle. The infant seating apparatus includes an infant seat cushion, an infant seat back and an overhead guide attached to an upper end of the infant seat back substantially perpendicular to the infant seat back. The guide projects toward a primary seat back of the primary seat, over the infant seat. The overhead guide directs the inflation of an airbag into the passenger compartment over the infant seat.

Integrated infant seat for vehicles

An inflatable restraint device is provided for an automotive vehicle for operation between the upper portion of the vehicle occupant and the vehicle side. The device 32 is an airbag assembly carried within and forming a structural part of the roof side rail 30 of the vehicle. The airbag assembly 32 includes an inflator housing 46 positioned within the roof side rail 30 and a trim cover 66 overlies the roof side rail and defines a downward facing passage 70 so that inflation of an airbag 66 effects downward opening of the airbag 60 between the occupant seat 26, the door 16 and window 17 of the vehicle.

Roof rail mounted airbag assembly

An integrated infant seat apparatus is described for a primary seat in a motor vehicle. The infant seating apparatus includes an infant seat cushion, an infant seat back and an overhead guide attached to an upper end of the infant seat back substantially perpendicular to the infant seat back. The infant seat is disposed on a tilting infant seat base, adapted to orient the overhead guide with an instrument panel mounted airbag, enabling the guide to direct the inflation of an airbag into the passenger compartment over the infant seat.

Tilt forward seat base for integrated infant seat

A vehicle door includes an inner panel, an outer panel joined to the inner panel, a door trim substrate mounted on the inner panel, and a door trim cover mounted on the door trim substrate to form a space therebetween. The vehicle door also includes a generally pre-deployed air bag disposed in the space between the door trim substrate and the door trim cover for inflation upon a side collision type impact on the vehicle door.

Vehicle door with pre-deployed air bag

A seat belt presenter (10) for an active seat belt system (14) for restraining a vehicle occupant includes a guide (82) having surfaces (87) which surround opposite major side surfaces (41, 43) of belt webbing (40). A lift arm (74) has an end portion (78) to which the guide (82) is attached. The lift arm (74) is movable between a presented position in which the guide (82) supports a tongue assembly (48) adjacent to the vehicle occupant and a stored position in which the guide is disposed when the tongue assembly is engaged with a buckle (50). A spring (110) biases the lift arm (74) and the guide (82) to the presented position. A motor (130) when energized moves the lift arm (74) and the guide (82) to the stored position. The guide (82) is maintained at a constant attitude angle as the lift arm (74) moves between the presented and stored positions.

Seat belt presenter

A rotatable seat for an occupant of a vehicle includes a generally horizontal seat portion, a generally upright back portion, and a structure for rotating the seat portion and/or back portion in reaction to an impact from the side of the vehicle to place the rotatable seat between the occupant and the intruding side of the vehicle.

Rotatable seat for vehicles

A chest transducer for measuring the gross load distribution and direction of loading on the thorax of an anthropomorphic dummy during dynamic testing of a vehicle passenger restraint system. The chest transducer comprises a simulated rib cage constructed and arranged to permit dynamic measurements of at least three components of restraint system loads applied to a plurality of key segments of the rib cage during restraint system testing.

Dummy chest load distribution transducer

Force-indicating legs adapted to be fitted to the pelvic assembly of an anthropomorphic dummy for use in the dynamic testing of vehicle passenger restraint systems. The legs permit the measurement of most of the skeletal forces that are likely to be experienced during dummy leg contact with a vehicle instrument panel or a knee bolster in dynamic restraint system testing. Each dummy leg has a knee joint connecting the simulated femur and tibia bones and an ankle joint connecting the simulated tibia bone with a simulated foot structure. Forces acting on the simulated femur and tibia bones are measured by load cells capable of measuring axial (Z axis) compression and tension loads, shear loads on both orthogonal (X and Y) axes, lateral and longitudinal (or vertical) bending moments, and torsional moments. Knee shear load in the knee joint and upward angle bending load in the ankle joint are measured by load cells capable of measuring at least the axial loads resulting in the respective knee shear or ankle bending loads. The knee joint preferably includes biasing means to allow biomechanically correct tibia-to-femur movement during knee shear load measurements.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Roger P Daniel