Patents by Inventor Rasik N. Patel

Rasik N. Patel 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: 6517104
    Abstract: An inflatable occupant restraint for protecting occupants seated in the third row of an automotive vehicle and includes a plurality of inflatable restraint devices mounted approximately vertically adjacent the window between the C pillar and the D pillar and horizontally tethered but movable from a stowed position to an inflated position in response to conditions indicative of the need for inflation of the restraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Rasik N. Patel
  • Patent number: 6328333
    Abstract: A pillar trim is provided for an inflatable restraint mounted to a pillar of a motor vehicle. The pillar trim includes a body fixedly mounted to the pillar and a plurality of energy absorbing ribs spaced relative to one another along the body and disposed adjacent to the pillar when the pillar trim is mounted thereto. The energy absorbing ribs are spaced from the pillar to form a packaging space for the inflatable restraint to be stowed therein. The pillar trim also includes a notch extending through the energy absorbing ribs and into the body to deflect and bend to form a desired exit opening in the body when the inflatable restraint is inflated to allow the inflatable restraint to deploy therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rasik N. Patel, Glen Paul Ursaki
  • Patent number: 6152482
    Abstract: An inflatable restraint module for an automotive vehicle has a module housing longitudinally mounted adjacent a roof rail with an inflatable restraint mounted therein for movement from a stowed position to an inflated position along an interior of the vehicle body side. The module housing has a flap member, deployable by inflation of the inflatable restraint, to operatively force a headliner assembly over a pillar trim piece and to route the inflatable restraint past the pillar trim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rasik N. Patel, Glen Paul Ursaki, Jeffrey Alan Chickola, Jay Blackson
  • Patent number: 5845458
    Abstract: An automobile roof headliner includes a relatively stiff molded backing sheet and a relatively deformable foam panel adhesively secured to the undersurface of the backing sheet. Marginal edge areas of the foam panel in contact with hard side rails on the roof are provided with resilent deformable foam inserts that prevent the hard side rails from interfering with the energy-absorption action of the foam panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Rasik N. Patel
  • Patent number: 5782491
    Abstract: An adjustable mounting mechanism is provided for an automotive seat belt assembly which employs an energy absorbing cushion locally overlying the mounting bolt joining the seat belt assembly to a vehicle body pillar. The cushion is carried in a moveable trim portion which operates to move the mounting bolt vertically while maintaining juxtaposed relationship between the cushion and the mounting bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Rasik N. Patel
  • Patent number: 5725271
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle body structure includes a structural member which forms a load-bearing portion of the vehicle and a trim component mounted to the structural member. A plurality of energy absorbing elements are mounted to the trim component and spaced relative to one another along the longitudinal length of the trim component. Each of the energy absorbing elements have a serpentine shape and extend from the trim component toward the structural member such that the distal ends of the energy absorbing elements are spaced from, but adjacent to, the structural member in non-contacting relationship therewith. The energy absorbing elements are deformable in response to a force which causes the distal end of the elements to contact the structural member to absorb and dissipate the energy generated by the force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rasik N. Patel, Guy Allen Breckenridge, Saeed David Barbat
  • Patent number: 5722715
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle body structure includes a structural member which forms a load-bearing structure on the vehicle. The structural member presents an edge extending generally toward the interior of the vehicle. A trim component is mounted to the structural member and covers the edge. A high density elastic sleeve is mounted to the edge and spaced from, but adjacent to, the trim component. The edge and the high density elastic sleeve are deformable in response to a force acting thereon to absorb and dissipate the energy generated by the forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rasik N. Patel, Guy Allen Breckenridge, Saeed David Barbat
  • Patent number: 5641195
    Abstract: A trim component for mounting to a structural member of an automotive vehicle including a body fixedly mounted to a structural member, the body including a plurality of energy absorbing ribs spaced relative to one another along the body and disposed adjacent to the structural member when the trim component is mounted thereto. The energy absorbing ribs include a series of fingers extending from the body and spaced relative to one another. The fingers deflect upon contact with the structural member in response to a force acting on the body to absorb and dissipate the energy generated by the force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Rasik N. Patel, Randy Craig Linn
  • Patent number: 5580116
    Abstract: A trim component for mounting to a structural member of an automotive vehicle presenting an edge including a body adapted to be fixedly mounted to the structural member and extending substantially along the length thereof. The body presents a primary surface facing the interior of the vehicle and a contoured mounting surface disposed opposite the primary surface and corresponding to the shape of the structural member. The contoured mounting surface includes a plate disposed adjacent the edge presented by the structural member when the trim component is mounted thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Rasik N. Patel, Praful J. Patel, Syed A. Shahab