The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 2008

Filed:

Oct. 13, 2004
Applicants:

Joseph R Brown, Grosse Ile, MI (US);

Joseph F Mazur, Washington, MI (US);

Marshall L. Quade, Pickney, MI (US);

Inventors:

Joseph R Brown, Grosse Ile, MI (US);

Joseph F Mazur, Washington, MI (US);

Marshall L. Quade, Pickney, MI (US);

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B60R 21/16 (2006.01); B60R 22/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

An occupant safety restraint system ('OSR system') () and method for fully deploying an airbag () before an occupant contacts the airbag (). In one embodiment, the OSR system () includes a seatbelt restraint system (), a variable-output airbag system (), and a controllercoupled to the seatbelt restraint system () and the airbag system (). The seatbelt restraint system () includes a seatbelt restraint () for restraining the occupant and a seatbelt-tension sensor () for detecting a load or tension in the seatbelt restraint (). The controllerutilizes the seatbelt load for determining a current seatbelt-tension rate and actuating the airbag system () to deploy the airbag () at one or more output rates. In other words, the controllercan utilize the seatbelt restraint system () and the airbag system () in combination for regulating the output rate of the airbag system ().


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…