Patents by Inventor David J Gorman

David J Gorman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9669788
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a knee airbag mounted on a dash panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Richard J. Lannen, David J. Gorman
  • Patent number: 9409538
    Abstract: An integrated airbag and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly includes an airbag module and an HVAC unit. The airbag module includes an airbag housing and an inflatable bladder at least partially disposed in the airbag housing. The inflatable bladder is movable relative to the airbag housing between a stowed position and a deployed position. The HVAC unit includes an HVAC housing. The HVAC housing supports the airbag housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Richard J. Lannen
  • Publication number: 20160096500
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a knee airbag mounted on a dash panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Richard J. Lannen, DAVID J. GORMAN
  • Patent number: 9120454
    Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed. A wall includes a first portion disposed adjacent to a first end, a second portion disposed adjacent to a second end and a middle portion disposed between the first and second portions. A panel includes a first panel portion disposed along the first portion, a second panel portion disposed along the second portion and a middle panel portion disposed along the middle portion. The panel extends outwardly away from the wall a distal surface to define a cavity. An airbag device is attached to the second portion and disposed inside the cavity. A beam is coupled to one of the first portion and the middle portion inside the cavity. The beam extends into the cavity from the first end of the wall along an axis such that the beam is spaced from the second panel portion and the second portion along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Richard J. Lannen
  • Publication number: 20150183390
    Abstract: An integrated airbag and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly includes an airbag module and an HVAC unit. The airbag module includes an airbag housing and an inflatable bladder at least partially disposed in the airbag housing. The inflatable bladder is movable relative to the airbag housing between a stowed position and a deployed position. The HVAC unit includes an HVAC housing. The HVAC housing supports the airbag housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Richard J. Lannen
  • Publication number: 20150145235
    Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed. A wall includes a first portion disposed adjacent to a first end, a second portion disposed adjacent to a second end and a middle portion disposed between the first and second portions. A panel includes a first panel portion disposed along the first portion, a second panel portion disposed along the second portion and a middle panel portion disposed along the middle portion. The panel extends outwardly away from the wall a distal surface to define a cavity. An airbag device is attached to the second portion and disposed inside the cavity. A beam is coupled to one of the first portion and the middle portion inside the cavity. The beam extends into the cavity from the first end of the wall along an axis such that the beam is spaced from the second panel portion and the second portion along the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Richard J. Lannen
  • Patent number: 8585079
    Abstract: An airbag module is mounted on the outboard side of a vehicle seat bottom frame having a vertical wall. An airbag assembly includes a housing, an inflator within the housing, and an airbag folded within the housing. A molded plastic airbag cover includes a top wall having an airbag opening therein through which the airbag is inflatable, and a vertical depending wall adapted to overlie the vertical wall of the seat bottom frame in spaced relation therefrom to conceal the airbag assembly. The vertical depending wall has mounting elements extending therefrom into engagement with the vertical wall of the seat bottom frame for mounting the airbag cover on the vertical depending wall of the seat bottom frame. The housing has fastener elements mounting the housing on the airbag cover. And the airbag cover has fastener elements thereon for mounting the airbag cover on the seat bottom frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David J Gorman, Scott D. Thomas, Christopher J. Kehrig
  • Patent number: 8371414
    Abstract: A system for electronically controlling seat belt load levels during an event includes a first and second compression member, and a seat belt webbing disposed between the first and second compression members. The first and second compression members may cooperate in a manner such that they may apply a selectively variable compression force to the seat belt webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Florian F. Dutke
  • Publication number: 20130015643
    Abstract: An airbag module is mounted on the outboard side of a vehicle seat bottom frame having a vertical wall. An airbag assembly includes a housing, an inflator within the housing, and an airbag folded within the housing. A molded plastic airbag cover includes a top wall having an airbag opening therein through which the airbag is inflatable, and a vertical depending wall adapted to overlie the vertical wall of the seat bottom frame in spaced relation therefrom to conceal the airbag assembly. The vertical depending wall has mounting elements extending therefrom into engagement with the vertical wall of the seat bottom frame for mounting the airbag cover on the vertical depending wall of the seat bottom frame. The housing has fastener elements mounting the housing on the airbag cover. And the airbag cover has fastener elements thereon for mounting the airbag cover on the seat bottom frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Scott D. Thomas, Christopher J. Kehrig
  • Publication number: 20120175453
    Abstract: A system for electronically controlling seat belt load levels during an event includes a first and second compression member, and a seat belt webbing disposed between the first and second compression members. The first and second compression members may cooperate in a manner such that they may apply a selectively variable compression force to the seat belt webbing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Florian F. Dutke
  • Patent number: 7996513
    Abstract: Provided are methods, apparatus and computer programs for monitoring operational data relating to a sequence of data processing operations in a network of data processing units. In response to specified boundaries for data gathering, operational data is selectively gathered into discrete data partitions for a desired time period, a desired set of processing nodes, and/or a desired set of process executions. A set of event listeners invoke operations of a data gatherer in response to events within a processing sequence and the data gatherer allocates operational data to different ones of a set of discrete logical data containers in response to notifications from the event listeners. The data collection is responsive to system events such as a collection interval expiry to end data collection for a first partition and start data collection for a second partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Gorman, Michael J. A. Johnson, Martin R. Naish, Anthony J. O'Dowd, Steven Powell, Stephen B. Toledo-Brown
  • Patent number: 7810837
    Abstract: An inflatable restraint system for selectively restraining an occupant of a motorized vehicle is presented herein. The inflatable restraint system includes a bladder having forward and rearward panel portions. The bladder is attached to the vehicle instrument panel, and configured to transition from a non-expanded state, in which the rearward panel portion is substantially flush with respect to the instrument panel, to an expanded state, in which the rearward panel portion is extended into the passenger compartment distal from the instrument panel. An inflation device is operatively coupled to the bladder, and configured to selectively transition the bladder from the non-expanded state to the expanded state. One or more trajectory control arms are attached at one end to the bladder, and a second end to the vehicle. The trajectory control arms are configured to redirect the bladder along an upward, arcuate path when transitioning to the expanded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, David J. Gorman, Steven E. Morris
  • Publication number: 20100194081
    Abstract: An inflatable restraint system for selectively restraining an occupant of a motorized vehicle is presented herein. The inflatable restraint system includes a bladder having forward and rearward panel portions. The bladder is attached to the vehicle instrument panel, and configured to transition from a non-expanded state, in which the rearward panel portion is substantially flush with respect to the instrument panel, to an expanded state, in which the rearward panel portion is extended into the passenger compartment distal from the instrument panel. An inflation device is operatively coupled to the bladder, and configured to selectively transition the bladder from the non-expanded state to the expanded state. One or more trajectory control arms are attached at one end to the bladder, and a second end to the vehicle. The trajectory control arms are configured to redirect the bladder along an upward, arcuate path when transitioning to the expanded state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, David J. Gorman, Steven E. Morris
  • Patent number: 7669889
    Abstract: An air bag chute directs the deployment of an air bag from an air bag housing mounted on a seat frame through a separable seam sewn between inboard and outboard seat cover panels. An air bag housing is box shaped with a base wall mounted on the seat frame and rear, front, and end walls extending from the base wall and a cover wall. An inboard chute panel and an outboard chute panel each have inner ends attached to the air bag housing and outer ends attached to the inboard and outboard seat cover panels adjacent to the separable seam. The attachment of the inner ends of the inboard and outboard chutes to the air bag housing is provided on the walls of the housing with the inner ends spaced from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: David J Gorman, Scott D. Thomas, Nancy C. Evans