Abstract: A damper assembly for a suspension system of a vehicle includes a housing adapted to be mounted to one end of a strut in the suspension system. The housing has a chamber with fluid therein. The damper assembly also includes at least one diaphragm extending across the chamber to react with the fluid, to be compliant at relatively small displacements, and to be rigid at relatively large displacements.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stabilizing a stationary trailer. One embodiment of the device comprises a jack and a stabilizing member. The jack attaches to the bottom of the trailer, such that when the jack is extended, a base component of the jack engages the ground. A stabilizing member attaches at one end to the base of the jack and attaches at the other end to the bottom of the trailer. The length of the stabilizing member adjusts such that the stabilizing member has one length when the jack is in the raised position, and a second length when the jack is in the lowered position. The length of the stabilizing member may be locked such that the stabilizing member retains a particular length.

Abstract: The invention relates to an active impact protection system (1) for a knee area and/or a lower leg area of a vehicle occupant in a motor vehicle, particularly in a passenger car. The impact protection system (1) comprises an impact element (2) that can be extended toward the vehicle occupant out of a passive position and into an active position by means of a drive device (4). A particularly advantageous design results when the impact element (2) is formed by a lid of a passenger-side glove compartment (3).

Abstract: This invention is a multi-functional tool designed to stop injury, save time, and minimize aggravation to truck drivers when sliding trailer tandems and or releasing fifth wheel devices The device can be used as an extension handle facilitating the safe manual pulling of release handles without having to strain when bent at the waist, reducing the chance of serious back injury. When the trailer tandem locking pins are not aligned, our device incorporates a screw jack attached to a spring operating the handle, without the need for brute force. The device holds the locking pin release handle in the released position while the driver moves the trailer axles to the needed position. The invention's use of a mechanical advantage provides greater pulling power than is possible by one person Furthermore, our invention eliminates the need for personnel to be in proximity of moving equipment and at risk of bodily harm or even death.

Abstract: Method for actuating a reversible belt pretensioner for pretensioning a belt webbing, unwound from a belt reel, of a seat belt in a motor vehicle, the belt pretensioner having a drive which acts on the belt reel, and the seat belt having, as a belt extraction lock, a locking device which acts on the belt reel in the unwinding direction and whose locking can be released only if the belt reel is rotated about a certain angle of rotation in the winding-on direction. After a triggering of the belt pretensioner caused by a hazardous situation and if a variable indicative of the belt force indicates a decrease in the belt force, an opening mode is initiated in which the belt pretensioner drive is actuated in order to open the blocking device in such a manner that, at the beginning of the opening mode, the belt reel rotates about the specific angle of rotation in the winding-on direction.

Abstract: In a vehicle suspension system, suspension arms are attached to the right and left sides of a vehicle body frame, a knuckle is attached to the ends of the suspension arms, a front shock absorber is provided between the vehicle body frame and the suspension arm on each side of the frame, and a stabilizer bar is provided extending between the right and left suspension arms. The stabilizer bar extends between rigid right and left shock support members provided on the ends of the suspension arms. The rigid shock support members are coupled to the knuckle, and also support the lower ends of the front shock absorbers. Costs of the suspension system are reduced by providing the rigid support member in combination with the stabilizer bar, since the shape of a suspension arm can be simplified without requiring particular increase in rigidity.

Abstract: A restraint system and method is adaptive to the size of the occupant, and adapts both pretensioning and load limitation characteristics to the occupant. The adaptive restraint system generally includes a retractor, a belt anchorage pretensioner, and a retractor pretensioner. The system is operable in at least a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, both the belt anchorage pretensioner and the retractor pretensioner are activated when the occupant is estimated to be above a predetermined size, thereby providing a first load limitation characteristic. In the second mode, only the belt anchorage pretensioner is activated when the occupant is estimated to be at or below the predetermined size, thereby providing a second load limitation characteristic.

Abstract: A door system for an automotive vehicle includes an impact-responsive catcher pin which may be operated by a supplemental restraint system having side impact sensing capability so that the impact-responsive catcher pin may be directed to deploy from a housing mounted within a vehicle door, to a position in which the catcher pin locks the vehicle door to a rocker beam adjoining the door.

Abstract: A control system is operatively associated with a suspension system of a vehicle. The associated suspension system includes an associated fluid spring operating at an associated fluid pressure and an associated variable-rate damper having an associated electronically-variable damping rate. The control system includes a pressure sensor operative to generate a pressure sensor signal indicative of the associated fluid pressure of the associated fluid spring, and a controller in communication with the pressure sensor and the associated variable-rate damper. The controller is operative to receive the pressure sensor signal and generate a damper adjustment signal based at least partially on the pressure sensor signal for adjusting the associated electronically-variable damping rate of the associated variable-rate damper. A vehicle suspension system includes such a control system, and a method of controlling a suspension system of a vehicle is also included.

Abstract: A suspension system for a dump truck which is to be connected to a paver using a truck hitch. In one example, a system for connecting a dump truck to a paver includes a liftable and steerable suspension of the truck, the suspension having an adapter with a laterally outwardly facing concave side. A truck hitch of the paver engages the concave side of the adapter to attach the truck hitch to the suspension. In another example, a method of connecting a dump truck to a paver includes the steps of: interconnecting a hydraulic actuator between a frame of the truck and an axle of a suspension of the truck to thereby transmit a load from the frame to the axle; then raising a bed of the truck, the load increasing as the bed is raised; and increasing pressure in the hydraulic actuator in response to the increasing load.

Abstract: According to a pedal support structure, the slide comprises two slide portions constituted of the first and second contact points and the first and second guide faces. Further, these contact portions and these guide faces are respectively located longitudinally separately from each other, and are located so as to be offset from each other in the vehicle width direction, whereby the first and second contact portions and the first and second guide faces can be located substantially horizontally. Accordingly, there can be provided the pedal support structure which can improve flexibility of a layout of the guide face to guide a position change of a pedal bracket and to make the structure compact.

Abstract: A curtain airbag device and a guide unit allow for quick deployment of a curtain airbag by smoothly guiding a link strap that connects a curtain airbag and a guide element into the space between a side edge of a pillar garnish and a vehicle member at the early stage of the deployment of the curtain airbag. When an inflator is activated, a curtain airbag is deployed downward along the cabin-side of a pillar garnish. During the deployment, the rear portion of the curtain airbag is guided by a guide rod via a link strap. The link strap starts moving downward along the guide rod when the curtain airbag begins to be deployed. At this moment the link strap is guided into the space between the pillar garnish and a weather strip by a guide member.

Abstract: The head-protecting airbag device (M1) includes an airbag (12) provided with a gas admissive portion (13) and a non-admissive portion (23). The gas admissive portion (13) includes a gas feed passage (14) for feeding inflation gas G toward both front and rearwards of the vehicle, and a plurality of vertical chambers (17) juxtaposed along front-rear direction of the vehicle. Each of the vertical chambers (17) includes a communication port at its upper end for communicating with the gas feed passage (14). The substantial lengths of a vehicle's outer wall (13b) and an inner wall (13a) of the airbag (12) are differentiated from each other by a belt (31) in the periphery (19) of the communication port (18). Thus the periphery (19) of the communication port (18) guides inflation gas (G) obliquely down and toward the vehicle's exterior (O) when inflation gas (G) flows into the vertical chamber (17) via the communication port.

Abstract: An annular airbag is disclosed, of the type where the center piece (12) of the steering wheel cover (11) (mostly embodied as the emblem of the vehicle producer) remains in place during the unfolding process. In order to prevent a vehicle occupant impacting the hole arising above the center piece with an inflated airbag, the tubular region (17) of the airbag above the center piece is embodied such that the cross-sectional area thereof in the inflated state reduces in the direction of the upper plate of the airbag from the center piece (12). The above is achieved, for example, by means of a special forming of the tubular region, by provision of pockets (21) and/or folds (31), the use of special materials, a special fixing of the airbag to the airbag module (9), or the fitting of tension straps (50).

Abstract: A knuckle is minimized in size to be located in an internal space of a rear wheel. An upper arm is disposed lower than a conventional double wishbone type and one end of the upper arm is secured to the knuckle. A shock absorber couples at a lower end thereof to the knuckle by passing through a space between a lower arm and assist arm. This configuration thus constructed greatly increases the space of the trunk room, reduces noise by minimizing the transmission of road impact and vibration, and improves ride comfort as well as braking stability and turn stability.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates an airbag assembly comprising a panel having a tear seam forming at least one airbag door, and a door chute assembly comprising a laterally extending flange connected to the panel proximate the airbag door. The door chute assembly includes a chute depending from the flange away from the panel and the chute has at least one opening comprising a window portion communicating with an angled channel portion. The airbag assembly further comprises a door panel assembly including at least one door panel disposed within the chute and connected to the airbag door. The door panel has a downwardly depending flange having at least one projection extending laterally through the at least one opening of the chute. The airbag assembly further comprises an inflatable airbag mounted on the door chute.