Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC

Roland Furtado

Roy P Deutschmann

Srinivas Krishnan

Byron Spencer

Alexandra Marie Lazaros

Matthias Volkmann

Bruce Andrew Kalandek

Calum Beattie

Mutaz A Shkoukani

Kenneth Douglas Moniaci

Joseph Massa

Michael Jendrowski

Brandon Streeter

Justin Mills

Daniel Bujaidar

Patrick O'Mara

Pratik Rane

Abhishek Gothekar

Mike Stojanovski

An airbag module includes a housing and an inflatable cushion structured to be received in the housing. A deployment guide is attached to the housing and is structured to be deployable from the housing to a deployed condition to guide the inflatable cushion in an associated occupant contact direction during cushion inflation. A first side tether is structured to extend along a first side of the deployment guide and includes a first portion structured to be attachable to a portion of a vehicle at a first attachment location of the first side tether. A second portion of the first side tether is attached to the deployment guide at a second attachment location of the first side tether. The second attachment location is structured to reside above the first attachment location of the first side tether.

Vehicle airbag module including tethered deployment guide

An airbag tether separation system includes an airbag tether separator having an explosive and a housing including a wall with at least one space formed in the wall. The tether separator is structured so that, when the explosive is activated, the explosive produces shockwaves causing separation of a portion of a tether extending between the explosive and the wall. At least a portion of the shockwaves also pass into the at least one space, from where they may pass through the space away from a separation region of the tether and to an exterior of the housing, or be reflected in a direction away from the separation region of the tether.

Airbag tether separation

A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an airbag cushion. A reaction surface is configured to move between a retracted position and a deployed position upon deployment of the airbag cushion, such that the reaction surfaces will direct the airbag cushion toward an occupant area upon deployment of the airbag cushion. Multiple embodiments of reaction surfaces are disclosed, including deployable instrument panel sections, flexible straps, and hoods.

Airbag assembly with reaction surface

An airbag can include active vents to manage the pressure within the airbag when deployed. The active vent can be at least partially controlled by using a tether. A tether separator can be configured to separate the tether. The tether separator can include an explosive. The tether separator can be operatively positioned relative to the tether such that, when the tether separator is activated, the explosive produces shockwaves and/or heat energy. The shockwaves and/or the heat energy can cause the tether to be separated into two pieces. In some instances, a portion of the tether can be held in tension to facilitate the separation of the tether.

A driver's side airbag module for a vehicle. The airbag module includes an upper panel, a lower panel, and an extension panel. The extension panel has a varying width. A lateral tether restrains the extension panel in the lateral direction when the airbag module is deployed. The extension panel and the lateral tether create an oblong shaped airbag cushion. The airbag module also includes a lower tether that connects the lower panel and the bottom of the upper panel so that the upper panel is held on the bottom portion during deployment.

Driver side airbag module

A steering wheel assembly () contains a dampening system for mitigating vibrations transferred from a vehicle to the steering wheel assembly (). A plurality of damper spring elements or grommets or damper spring elements () are each retained within a corresponding steering wheel support member (). An air bag module () is fixed to a steering wheel () while resting upon the damper spring elements () for eliminating and/or reducing lateral displacement/vibrations normally attendant to vehicle operation. A horn switch () containing a plurality of annular support members () may be positioned over the damper spring elements (), wherein each annular support member () is coaxially aligned and positioned over a corresponding grommet () to also manage vertical displacement; the air bag module () is then fixed over the horn switchand to the steering wheel (). Movement of the airbag module can actuate the horn switch.

Integrated steering wheel, vibration absorber, and driver airbag

An information processing and display system comprising steering wheel () having a rim () and at least one spoke (), and a plurality of sensors () placed about one or both of the rim and the spoke, each sensor selectively actuable due to the proximity of a finger, fingers, a hand or hands of a driver; and a processor, logic device or computer () in communication with each sensor and capable of detecting specific hand or finger movements corresponding to specific desirable functions.

Steering wheel with distributed sensors

A curtain airbag (A-F) for a vehicle () has an inflatable cushion. The cushion (A-F) has one or more side inflatable portions extending along one side of the interior of the vehicle () adjacent the interior door or doors on the one side and an inflatable frontal portion () projecting inwardly directionally toward the interior of the vehicle positioned in front of a seated occupant () and between the occupant () and an instrument panel or dash of the vehicle. Preferably, the inflatable frontal portion () is positioned between the occupant () and the steering wheel () wherein the frontal portion () laterally juts into the passenger compartment forming an inflatable barrier between a front pillar () of the vehicle () and the occupant ().

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Novi, MI, United States of America

Roland Furtado