Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat pan operably coupled to a seatback. The vehicle seating assembly further includes a restraint bar coupled to the seatback and operable between a first position and a second position. The restraint bar is equipped with at least one deployable occupant restraint and the restraint bar is generally U-shaped.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a seat and a seat airbag supported by the seat and inflatable to an inflated position. The restraint system includes an instrument panel and a forward airbag supported by the instrument panel and inflatable to an inflated position. When the seat airbag is in the inflated position and the forward airbag is in the inflated position, the seat airbag extends from the seat to the forward airbag.

Abstract: An energy absorber is disclosed that includes a container that receives a plurality of tubular segments and at least one spacer. The container includes one side that is adapted to receive an impact from a first direction. The tubular segments are assembled into the container in a parallel array with a cylindrical axis-C of the segments oriented perpendicular to the first direction. The spacer is placed in the container with the tubular segments being arranged to be displaced within the container so that they compress the spacer when the impact force is received on the one side. The method of making the energy absorber comprises assembling the plurality of tubular segments having in a container and assembling at least one spacer inside the container to hold the tubular segments in place.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a housing, a spool rotatably coupled to the housing, a pinion fixed to the spool, a rack engaged with the pinion, and a piston attached to the rack and the housing. The piston is filled with a resilient material. The resilient material may be a heterogeneous mixture of a liquid and hydrophobic, nanoporous particles.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder, a sleeve and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. A smaller initialization piston extends from the piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a first chamber. The sleeve is within the cylinder and receives the initialization piston. The sleeve and the initialization piston define an initialization chamber. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is disposed in the chamber.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder, a transfer plate, and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a chamber. The piston portion is movable from a first position to a second position. The transfer plate is translateably disposed in the first chamber. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is in the chamber.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a first chamber. The piston portion is movable from a first position yielding a first chamber volume to a second position yielding a second chamber volume. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is disposed in the chamber.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a housing and a rotor engaged with the housing. The housing and the rotor define a cavity therebetween. A resilient material is disposed in the cavity. A helical interface is between the housing and the rotor. The rotor is moveable relative to the housing along the helical interface. A seat belt buckle is connected to and moveable relative to one of the housing and the rotor. During a vehicle impact, the seat belt buckle may cause the rotor to move along the helical interface towards the housing. In this situation, the resilient material may be compressed between the rotor and the housing.

Abstract: A seat including a seat bottom, a seatback, and a device. The device supports the seatback on the seat bottom. The device includes a housing supported on the seat bottom and a rotor supported on the housing. The device includes a helical interface between the housing and the rotor. The rotor is moveable relative to the housing along the helical interface. The housing and the rotor define a cavity therebetween, and a resilient material is disposed in the cavity. During a vehicle impact, the rotor may move relative to the housing and compress the resilient material in the cavity. In this situation, the resilient material may absorb energy from the vehicle impact.

Abstract: A vehicle component may include a crossbeam, a cylinder, a piston, a panel, and a heterogeneous mixture. The cylinder has a chamber and is fixed relative to the crossbeam. The piston is linearly movable in the chamber. The panel is fixed relative to the piston. The heterogeneous mixture is enclosed by the piston in the chamber. The heterogeneous mixture includes hydrophobic nanoporous particles and a liquid.

Abstract: An energy absorbing device includes a tube. A plurality of first pellets are disposed in the tube and a plurality of second pellets are disposed in the tube. The first pellets are deformable relative to the second pellets.

Abstract: An automotive armrest includes an elastic core defining a patterned array of channels extending therethrough such that the elastic core exhibits a predetermined target vertical stiffness and a predetermined target lateral stiffness different than the predetermined target vertical stiffness. The automotive armrest also includes a skin arranged with the elastic core.

Abstract: An energy absorber including a cover defining a cavity and a lattice core. The lattice core includes rod-shaped links having first and second ends connected at spaced nodes to form a three-dimensional structure disposed inside the cavity. The lattice core includes a first portion and a second portion that has a higher density than the first portion. The second portion is arranged behind the first portion relative to an expected direction of an impact with an object that initially contacts the cover in front of the first portion. A third portion may be arranged behind the second portion relative to the expected direction of an impact that has a higher density than the second portion. The first core may be a three-dimensional body having a negative Poisson's Ratio. The lattice core may be formed by an additive printing process.

Abstract: An energy absorber is disclosed that includes a container that receives a plurality of tubular segments and at least one spacer. The container includes one side that is adapted to receive an impact from a first direction. The tubular segments are assembled into the container in a parallel array with a cylindrical axis-C of the segments oriented perpendicular to the first direction. The spacer is placed in the container with the tubular segments being arranged to be displaced within the container so that they compress the spacer when the impact force is received on the one side. The method of making the energy absorber comprises assembling the plurality of tubular segments having in a container and assembling at least one spacer inside the container to hold the tubular segments in place.

Abstract: A passive energy absorber to be supported by a bumper of a vehicle is disclosed. The passive energy absorber may include a base extending laterally, multiple fins, and multiple stoppers. Each fin may extend longitudinally from the base and be spaced laterally from adjacent fins to form lateral gaps therebetween. Each stopper may form, with a corresponding portion of the base, a triangular prism in a different lateral gap. The base, multiple fins, and multiple stoppers may be formed of polymeric material.

Abstract: A restraint system for a vehicle includes a floor, a platform, and a deployable device. A hinge couples the platform to the floor. The deployable device is inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. A material forming the platform is stiffer than a material forming the deployable device.

Abstract: An automotive armrest includes an elastic core defining a patterned array of channels extending therethrough such that the elastic core exhibits a predetermined target vertical stiffness and a predetermined target lateral stiffness different than the predetermined target vertical stiffness. The automotive armrest also includes a skin arranged with the elastic core.

Abstract: An airbag module for a vehicle includes an inflator disposed behind an instrument panel and an airbag arrangement. The airbag arrangement includes a cushion section configured to receive an occupant during impact and a balloon section disposed proximate a base of the cushion section and adjacent the instrument panel such that, upon inflation, the balloon section contacts and pushes against the instrument panel. This forms a swell on the cushion section adjacent to the balloon section configured to hinder movement of the occupant toward the balloon section.

Abstract: An airbag system includes an inflator and an airbag in communication with the inflator. The airbag system includes a tether actuator and tethers extending from the tether actuator to the airbag. A controller is programmed to receive signals from an impact sensing system and a steering wheel angle sensor. The controller is programmed to instruct the tether actuator to release at least one of the tethers based at least on the signals from the steering wheel angle sensor and the impact sensing system.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a base, an airbag supported by the base and defining an inflation chamber, an external tether, and an internal tether. The airbag includes a panel and an extension extending transverse to the panel. The panel includes an internal surface facing the inflation chamber and an external surface facing away from the inflation chamber. The external tether extends from the extension to the external surface of the panel. The internal tether extends from the base to the internal surface of the panel. During a vehicle impact, the momentum of the occupant may move the occupant towards the extension. The extension may absorb energy from the occupant and reduce or prevent the head of the occupant from sliding across the panel and/or rotating.