T K Holdings, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Spencer William Chavez

John Paul Ruterbusch

Michael J Lange

Vera Ljajcaj

Russell Joseph Mihm

Gary Andrew Card

Greg D Kitts

William Donald Tabor, Iv

An airbag system for a vehicle includes an inflator, and a cushion operably connected to the inflator including a plurality of sealed cushion segments interconnected by a plurality of cushion joints. The activation of the inflator dispenses a flow of inflation gas into the cushion to sequentially inflate the plurality of sealed cushion segments from a stowed state to a deployed state. A passenger compartment of a vehicle includes an instrument panel including at least an upper panel surface and a downward panel surface, and an airbag system located in the instrument panel.

Forward mount compact passenger airbag module with passive gas modulation

A knee airbag module for restraining an occupant seated in the interior compartment of a vehicle. The module includes an inflatable airbag cushion configured to deploy to a location forward of the legs of the seated occupant, and an inflator to supply inflation gas for inflating the cushion. The module further includes a housing configured to couple to the vehicle and a cover connected to the housing. The housing includes a base, a forward side wall and a rearward side wall, which together with the cover form a compartment for housing the airbag cushion prior to deployment, as well as the inflator. A portion of the rearward side wall is inclined to guide the deploying airbag cushion in an oblique direction when breaching the housing.

Knee airbag module

An airbag assembly includes an airbag cushion, an inflator to provide inflation gas to inflate the airbag cushion, a diffuser provided between the inflator and the airbag cushion and a deflector provided between the inflator and the diffuser. The diffuser forces the inflation gas to change flow direction at least one time before the inflation gas exits into the airbag cushion. The deflector deflects particulates emitted from the inflator into a predetermined portion of the diffuser to inhibit particulates from entering into the airbag cushion. The predetermined portion of the diffuser may be an upper corner of the diffuser.

Airbag assembly

A knee airbag module can include a knee airbag cushion and a deployment control mechanism, with the deployment control mechanism limiting displacement of the knee airbag cushion in at least a vertical direction relative to a vehicle. The deployment control mechanism can induce an airbag cushion to deploy in a direction rearward (relative to a front of a vehicle) and oblique along a vehicle dashboard quickly by controlling and limiting the downward deployment distance and making the rearward and oblique direction become a path of least resistance for deployment of the knee airbag cushion. In addition, the airbag module and the deployment control mechanism can permit a knee airbag cushion to provide enhanced coverage of an occupant's leg, such as above the knee of the occupant's leg, by controlling the deployment of the knee airbag cushion without the need to use an airbag cushion with a greater vertical height.

Knee airbag

An airbag assembly comprises an airbag cushion, an inflator to provide inflation gas to inflate the airbag cushion, and a diffuser provided between the inflator and the airbag cushion. The diffuser includes a plurality of panels. The plurality of panels force the inflation gas to change flow direction at least two times before the inflation gas exits into the airbag. The panels each include openings for inflation gas to pass through. Openings in a first panel are not aligned with the openings in a second panel.

An airbag module for protecting the knees of an occupant located in an occupant compartment of a vehicle, the airbag module configured to be mounted behind an instrument panel of the vehicle and including a housing; and an airbag configured to be filled with an inflation gas. The housing may surround the airbag. The housing may include two connected portions. The housing may also be configured so that when the airbag is inflated and deploys the two portions of the housing disconnect and the first housing portion bends downward into a position where the first portion forms a ramp to guide the airbag from a stored position into the occupant compartment. The airbag module may also include a mounting mechanism configured to mount the housing to the instrument panel.

An airbag module includes a cover having an I-shaped tear line. The I-shaped tear line has a first tear seam parallel to and spaced apart from a second tear seam. A third tear seam is continuous with and perpendicular to the first tear seam and the second tear seam. When an airbag is inflated the tear line separates and the airbag deploys there through.

Airbag module

A modular airbag housing and a method for its manufacture are provided. The modular airbag housing is constructed from a plurality of pieces, including a plurality of plates, at least two of which are modular, and an inflator retainer. The housing has a plurality of tabs for attaching to the vehicle. Two hook plates having a plurality of hook members may be attached to the housing. The inflator retainer includes a first half and a second half. Both halves of the retainer include a substantially arcuate outer surface and at least one flange, a securing of the halves fixing a portion of an airbag therebetween. The second half includes a plurality of inflation orifices for directing inflation gas from an inflator unit into an airbag attached to the inflator retainer.

Growing community of inventors

Linden, MI, United States of America

Spencer William Chavez