Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Wendell C Lane, Jr

Kenneth Herbert Kohlndorfer

Markell Seitzman

David R Arnold

Richard A Boelstler

Susan A Richards

Charles E Steffens, Jr

Jon E Burrow

Richard William Koning

Barney J Bauer

Mark Francis Gray

Michael Joseph Lachat

Bob L McFalls

Lawrence M Refior

Robert D Sayles

Michael John Moore

Kevin M Gillis

Michael A Hague

David J Dziuda

Patrick J Fonk

Robert M Varga

Randy G Handrinos

A linear pretensioner device for motor vehicle belt restraint systems. In one embodiment, the linear pretensioner is formed by a pair of stamped sheet metal housing components joined along a plane which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the internal piston bore. After the sheet metal housing half members are formed, assembly proceeds by loading the elements of a cable assembly into one of the housing half members, placing the second housing half member over the first and fastening them together by spot welds or other fastening processes. Alternate embodiments include a one-piece housing component deformed to form the housing, and a variety of means for connecting together the housing members or sections. The invention is also related to methods of assembling various designs of pretensioners.

Stamped housing linear pretensioner

A safety device for a storage rack can include a length of webbing configured to span across a rear side of the storage rack. A sensor device can be coupled to one end of the webbing and a signaling device can be configured to communicate with the sensor device. The signaling device can include a selectively actuatable alert indicator. The sensor device can be operable to sense an increase in tension in the webbing when an item is placed in a position on the storage rack so as to engage the webbing. The sensor device can generate a signal indicative of the increase in tension and communicate the signal to the signaling device. The signaling device can be operable to actuate the at least one alert indicator responsive to the communicated signal so as to provide an indication of a position of the item relative to the storage rack.

Storage rack safety device

A safety system including a web guide comprising: a load-bearing member; a roller rotationally supported in relation to the load-bearing member; a one-way clutch for permitting the roller to rotate in a first direction and for prohibiting the roller from rotating in an opposite second direction.

Roller web guide (or D-ring) seat belt system

A seat belt retractor ( ) characterized by low mass and low operating noise, resistant to dust, moisture, and corrosion comprising: an integrally formed, quadrilaterally shaped main body portion ( ). In the preferred embodiment of the invention the frame is injection molded using 50% or greater long glass fiber plastic or die cast or injection molded metal. A spring housing wall and wall of a mechanism cover are also integrally formed in the sides of the retractor. Positioned within the spring housing wall is a spring coil guide, as well as an integrally formed anchor, which is used to hold the outer end of a rewind spring. The mechanism side of the frame further includes an integrally formed post or pin to pivotally support a locking pawl.

Seat belt retractor with integrally formed frame

A seat belt retractor ( ) characterized by low mass and low operating noise, resistant to dust, moisture, and corrosion comprising: an integrally formed, quadrilaterally shaped main body portion ( ). In the preferred embodiment, the frame is injection molded using 50% or greater long glass fiber plastic or die cast or injection molded metal. A spring housing wall and wall of a mechanism cover are also integrally formed in the sides of the retractor. Positioned within the spring housing wall is a spring coil guide, as well as an integrally formed anchor, which is used to hold the outer end of a rewind spring. The mechanism side of the frame further includes an integrally formed post or pin to pivotally support a locking pawl.

A belt tightening device (100/100') for use with a safety device such as a seat belt buckle: a flexible member (12), such as an anchoring length of seat belt webbing, operatively connected to the safety device (34); a housing (102) including a first opening (110) through which the flexible member loosely extends; first and second relatively movable clamping members (160, 162) for causing a portion of the flexible member extending from the housing to be drawn into the housing thereby shortening the remaining length of the flexible member causing a safety belt operatively attached to or part of the flexible member to become more tightly disposed about a user thereof.

Compact belt tightener

A low-mount airbag restraint system capable of deploying a single airbag (34) to protect the upper and lower body portions of a seat occupant. The low-mount airbag restraint system includes a crash management system (10) and an airbag deployment assembly (12) mounted in a lower portion of a dashboard (18) or a vehicle door (120). The airbag deployment assembly (12) includes a housing (22) and an airbag module (24) disposed in the housing (22). The airbag module (24) includes an airbag (34) mounted to a manifold (32) and an inflator (30) mounted within the manifold (34). Activation of the inflator (30) causes housing (22) to move from a closed position to an open position for establishing a deployment aperture through which the airbag (34) is deployed.

Low mount airbag deployment system

An airbag module (10) employing a deflagration venting system (40) for adaptively changing the level of venting provided during airbag inflation is disclosed. The adaptively controlled airbag system (10) includes an airbag (12) in fluid communication with an airbag inflator (18). A manifold (16) is provided for directing the output of the airbag inflator (18) into the airbag (12), and a reaction canister (22) houses the airbag (12), the airbag inflator (18), and the manifold (16). A deflagration device (40) is provided for selectively venting the airbag module (10). The deflagration device (40) may be activated for creating at least one variable shaped vent (50, 52) for regulating output from the airbag inflator (18) and adaptively changing the deployment force of the airbag (12).

Deflagration venting system for airbag systems

A spool sleeve (78) is rotatable in webbing withdrawal and webbing retraction directions (A, B). A lock pawl (122) engageable with a ratchet wheel (114), stops rotation of the spool sleeve (78) in the webbing withdrawal direction (A). The spool sleeve (78) is rotatable relative to the ratchet wheel (114) upon the occurrence of tension in webbing (16) above a predetermined amount. A cutter (94) is located radially within the spool sleeve (78) for cutting the spool sleeve (78) when the spool sleeve (78) rotates relative to the stopped ratchet wheel (114). In one preferred embodiment, the cutter (220) includes a portion (226) which is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis (164) of the spool sleeve (192) to cause the cutter (220) to move axially relative to the spool sleeve. In another preferred embodiment, the spool sleeve (284, 286) is comprised of a plurality of pieces fitted together to extend around the axis (164). In another preferred embodiment, the rotation of the spool sleeve (396, 398) is resisted and the amount of resistance can be changed. Two cutters (472, 510) provide different amounts of resistance when they cut the spool sleeve (396, 398).

Seat belt retractor with energy management

An assembly comprising: a seat (20) having a tubular frame part (40a) having a gas flow port (80); and an air bag module (36) comprising an inflator (50), the inflator including at least one exit port (56); wherein the inflator (50) is mounted within the frame part (40a) with the exit port (56) in fluid communication with the flow port (60). In one embodiment the inflator is slid into its desired position through the tubular frame part and in another the inflator (and a manifold 80') is received within an opening in the frame part.

Integrated side impact air bag system within a seat structure

An integrated inflator/air bag/belt tightening system in which some of the inflation gas generated by an inflator (72) is channeled to a piston casing (90) and used to urge a piston (96) downwardly, the motion of the piston moves a seat belt clamping device with the seat belt clamped therebetween to reduce slack about an occupant.

Integrated side impact inflator and module with seat belt pretensioning

A vehicle safety apparatus (10) has a seat belt system (16) with webbing (24) for restraining a vehicle occupant (88). A sensor (116) detects the occurrence of a condition indicative of a vehicle collision. A payout device (36) enables pay out of the webbing (24) in response to force applied to the webbing by the vehicle occupant (88). The payout device (36) is enabled to function in response to the signal. During payout of the webbing (24), energy is absorbed. In one embodiment, energy is absorbed by deforming a deformable material (104).

Vehicle safety apparatus with selective energy management

A safety system comprising: a passenger seat (10) having fixed anchors (14) adapted to secure and retain a child seat (40;70); the child seat having clamps (50,52) for lockingly engaging a respective one of the anchors; and a switch (80,80') mounted in proximity to at least one of the anchors (14), having an active state and an inactive state, wherein when the clamp lockingly engages a corresponding anchor the state of the switch is changed to provide an indication that a child seat has been installed.

Integrated switch for air bag deactivation

An apparatus (10) for a vehicle includes a child seat (54) for holding a child. A support device (16, 44) supports the child seat (54) on a seat (12) of the vehicle for movement relative to the seat (12) during a collision in which at least one condition exceeds a predetermined threshold. An energy absorbing device (60) absorbs kinetic energy of the child and the child seat (54) during such relative movement. The support device may include support bars (16) that permit sliding movement of the child seat (54) relative to the support bars (16) and the vehicle seat (12). Several types of energy absorbing devices may be used, including compressible bellows (60), cuttable strips of sacrificial material (108), crushable pieces of sacrificial material (154), deformable projections (188), a payout device (250) with webbing (296), compressible shock absorber assemblies (340), and slidable frictionally engaging portions (392 and 396).

Apparatus with a child seat and an energy absorption mechanism

A belt tightener (10) for a vehicle safety belt system is connected to a seat belt buckle (16). A piston (34) located in a cylinder (32) of a driving mechanism (18) is connected to the buckle (16) by a cable (22). A gas generator (38) produces gas in response to a vehicle collision to move the piston (34) and the buckle (16) in a first direction (20) along a longitudinal axis (42) of the cylinder (32). The cylinder (32) is fixedly mounted on a support member (70) with the longitudinal axis (42) of the cylinder (32) extending along the first direction (20). The support member (70) includes a mounting portion (72) connectable to a vehicle (12). A cover (100) defines a chamber (102) in which the support member (70) and the driving mechanism (18) are located. A flexible boot (130) into which the cable (22) extends is connected to the cover (100) and extends between the buckle (16) and the cover (100).

Growing community of inventors

Romeo, MI, United States of America

Wendell C Lane, Jr