Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Other

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Autoliv Aspinc.

Terry Alan Wheelwright

Don Larry Parker

Derek John Wiscombe

Charles Paul Dinsdale

Roger Dean Rickenbach

Andrew Lawrence Holliday

Andy Lawrence Holliday

Christine Elizabeth Devey

Megan Donahue

David W Parkinson

James L Nelson

Craig A Markusic

Louis A Mueller

Abraham Joseph Mitchell

Nathaniel Lee Gerlach

Matt Cox

Bryant S Whitcomb

Andrew Holiday

Megan Donehue

Andrew Lawrence Holiday

Craig Allen Markusic

Don Larry Parry

In some embodiments, an airbag module may comprise an airbag cover configured to be positioned within a vehicle seat and comprising an opening. The opening may be configured to receive a structural element of the vehicle seat therethrough, such as an armrest mount. The module may further comprise an airbag cushion positioned within the airbag cover and configured to deploy from the airbag cover such that forces from deployment of the airbag cushion are directed applied to the structural element, in some cases directing these forces to the seat frame.

Vehicle seat armrest coupled airbag modules

Far-side inflatable airbag assemblies are disclosed to be installed to deploy adjacent an occupant during a far-side collision event or a far-side oblique collision event, and may retain the occupant at the occupant's vehicle occupant position to protect the occupant from collision with structures within the vehicle, as well as from collisions with other occupants of the vehicle. The far-side inflatable airbag assemblies of the present disclosure may be particularly beneficial when installed between vehicle occupant positions of the vehicle.

Far-side airbag assemblies with pillow and sail

An inflator assembly arranged in an airbag system for use in a vehicle includes an elongated inflator with at least one mounting stud for mounting the inflator assembly in the vehicle and a gas deflector having a back plate and a front cover with at least one opening to diffuse gas generated from the inflator. The front cover is slid on the back plate along a longitudinal axis of the inflator such that the front cover is slidably engaged with the back plate to enclose a portion of the inflator. Further, the front cover and the back plate are securely engaged with each other by a crimp process to prevent opening or deforming of the gas deflector.

Airbag inflator assembly

A navigational device includes a microprocessor, a target marking system, a digital tilt sensor, and a digital compass to determine mapping coordinates of a remote point from an observation point. A user first visually targets the remote point using the target marking system. The digital tilt sensor then determines an angle of inclination to the remote point from the observation point. The digital compass then determines a bearing angle to the remote point from the observation point. The GPS module then determines the GPS coordinates of the observation point. Lastly, the microprocessor determines mapping coordinates of the remote point based upon the angle of inclination data, the angle of bearing data, and the GPS coordinates of the observation point.

Handheld device for calculating locations coordinates for visible but uncharted remote points

Lateral airbag cushions for preventing or inhibiting inboard occupant excursion. Some embodiments may comprise an inflatable cushion configured to deploy adjacent to a vehicle seat laterally of a vehicle occupant and a tether coupled with the inflatable cushion. The tether may be configured to be coupled to the vehicle seat at opposite ends and may be configured to, upon deployment, form the inflatable cushion into a pocket or other lateral engagement structure adjacent to the vehicle occupant to engage a shoulder and/or arm region of the vehicle occupant to prevent or at least inhibit inboard/lateral excursion during an impact event.

Lateral occupant engagement cushions

A side inflatable airbag assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. Inflatable airbag assemblies may provide protection for an occupant in a vehicle collision event. In a side collision event, or other event producing lateral movement of the occupant relative to the vehicle, the disclosed inflatable airbag assembly may receive and support the occupant during ride down so as to prevent or minimize injury resulting from impact with a vehicle door, sidewall, center console, or other vehicle structure disposed lateral to the vehicle seating position. The disclosed airbag may differentially support the occupant by providing varied degrees of support for the shoulder, pelvis, and torso, which may be particularly beneficial to an elderly occupant whose bones may be more susceptible to some injury types and modes as a result of age-incident health issues.

Side airbag assembly

A side inflatable airbag assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. Inflatable airbag assemblies may provide protection for an occupant in a vehicle collision event. In a side collision event, or other event producing lateral movement of the occupant relative to the vehicle, the disclosed inflatable airbag assembly may receive and support the occupant during ride down so as to prevent or minimize injury resulting from impact with a vehicle door, sidewall, center console, or other vehicle structure disposed lateral to the vehicle seating position. The disclosed airbag may differentially support the occupant buy providing varied degrees of support for the shoulder and pelvis, and the torso, which may be particularly beneficial to an elderly occupant whose bones may be more susceptible to some injury types and modes as a result of age-incident health issues.

Side airbag cushions, side airbag assemblies and related methods for stowing a side airbag cushion in a cover to provide, upon deployment, improved timing of pelvis coverage for an associated vehicle passenger are provided. The side airbag cushion desirably includes a first rolled portion and a second accordion folded portion and, wherein, upon deployment, the accordion folded portion provides improved timing allowing for better pelvis coverage for the associated vehicle passenger.

Side airbag with accordion pelvis fold

Airbag cushions and airbag cushion assemblies comprising mitts or bends for mitigating injuries during oblique impacts. In some embodiments, the cushions may be configured to deploy so as to extend adjacent to an occupant in a vehicle laterally of the occupant and form a mitt configured to receive the occupant's head and/or thorax during an oblique impact event. The airbag cushion may comprise a first portion configured to, upon deployment, extend laterally of the occupant towards a front portion of the vehicle and a second portion configured to, upon deployment, extend at an angle relative to the first portion so as to form the mitt.

Oblique impact airbag mitts and related systems and methods

A wire retention feature for an airbag module is provided where the airbag module has an inflator, a wire harness, and at least one of a cover, a wrapper, and a cushion. The wire retention feature has a tab extending from at least one of the cover, the wrapper, and the cushion, and a fastener securely attached to the wire harness. The fastener is securely connectable to the tab such that a pulling force being applied to the wire harness is distributed among the fastener, the tab, and at least one of the cover, the wrapper, and the cushion without negatively affecting the transmission of electrical signals through the wire harness to the inflator.

Airbag wire retention feature

An airbag assembly may include an airbag with a first fabric panel, a second fabric panel attached to the first fabric panel, and a third fabric panel attached to the second fabric panel. The first and second fabric panels may define a first inflatable cushion and the second and third fabric panels may define a C-shaped second inflatable cushion. Upon deployment, the first inflatable cushion may have a first pressure and the second inflatable cushion may have a second pressure greater than the first pressure. Further, the first inflatable cushion may be positioned directly outboard of the thoracic region and the second inflatable cushion may be positioned directly outboard of the acromial region and the coxal region, but not the thoracic region, to provide gentler cushioning for the thoracic region.

3-layer 'C' shaped side airbag

An airbag assembly can include an airbag cushion and a protective flap. In some arrangements, the protective flap is positioned over at least a portion of an inflatable region of the airbag cushion to prevent the inflatable region of the airbag cushion from being pinched due to securement of the airbag cushion to a mounting member via which the airbag assembly can be secured to a vehicle.

Protective flap for airbags

A side impact system for protection of an occupant of a vehicle includes a vehicle seat bolster forming a seat bolster cavity and an inflatable side airbag. The airbag includes a side panel having an outer portion defining an outer chamber. A tube panel is disposed within the side panel and joined to a seat bolster portion of the side panel. The tube panel defines a seat bolster chamber and has an opening to allow gas to flow from the seat bolster chamber to the outer chamber. The tube panel, the seat bolster portion of the side panel, and the seat bolster chamber remain within the seat bolster cavity when inflated. The seat bolster portion of the side panel contacts an inner side of the seat bolster cavity when the airbag is inflated. An inflator is operable to provide gas to the seat bolster chamber and the outer chamber.

Seat bolster chamber

An inflatable side airbag apparatus having a thorax cushion and an independently inflatable overlapping high pressure pelvic cushion is disclosed. The airbag system provides for rapid deployment of the pelvic cushion. The thorax cushion inflates adjacent to and provides impact protection for an occupant's thorax and pelvis in a lateral collision. The pelvic cushion inflates between the thorax cushion and the side structure of the vehicle and provides impact protection for the occupant's pelvis. The airbag system also includes an inflator having a gas guide that is in fluid communication with both cushions, and inflates the pelvic cushion to a higher pressure than the thorax cushion. The thorax cushion further includes a diffuser hood for diverting inflation gas toward the pelvic region of the cushion, thereby rapidly positioning the pelvic cushion in its intended deployment position.

Inflatable airbag with overlapping chamber

An inflatable fabric cushion is disclosed that can maintain a high internal pressure while having an exposed inflator squib. The inflatable cushion has a precision opening sized to be commensurate with a diameter of the inflator squib. The precision opening tightly circumscribes the inflator to limit leakage of inflation gas when the squib projects out of the opening. The cushion also has a throat through which the inflator may be inserted into the cushion. After the inflator is inserted into the cushion, the throat is sealed closed by wrapping the throat around the inflator housing and being cinched when the airbag assembly is mounted on a vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Morgan, UT, United States of America

Terry Alan Wheelwright