Deflated Confinement Located Within Or On Steering Column Patents (Class 280/731)
  • Publication number: 20140145420
    Abstract: Provided are a mounting structure of driver airbag unit and a steering wheel of a simple structure, but which allow the driver airbag unit to be easily mounted on the steering wheel so as to slightly move. A driver airbag unit 20 is mounted on the steering wheel 1 so as to move toward and away from the driver, and biased toward the driver by coil springs 60. The driver airbag unit 20 is mounted on the steering wheel 1 by connection of leg members 40, projecting from a retainer 30 in a direction away from the driver, to the steering wheel 1. The leg members 40 are allowed to slightly move with respect to the retainer 30 at least away from and toward the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: TAKATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ichiro Amamori
  • Patent number: 8733203
    Abstract: A steering wheel in which a load exerted on an elastic member constituting a dynamic damper can be reduced, the life of the dynamic damper can be extended, and the assembly operation is readily performed. The steering wheel has a first horn plate (11), a second horn plate (21), guide pins (12), stoppers (13), bushes (14), elastic members (15), and coil springs (16); the bushes (14) are divided into first bushes (141) which have first flanges (14a), openings (14b), columnar parts (14c); and recessed parts (14d), and second bushes (142) which have second flanges (14e), openings (140, and casings (14h); and the columnar parts (14c) are configured so as to be in contact with the second flanges (14e).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignees: Takata Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Kondo, Masashi Terada, Kunitomo Miyahara, Yukihiro Kunitake, Shogo Sakaguchi, Norihisa Okada, Keisuke Onohara
  • Patent number: 8727372
    Abstract: A device for fastening an airbag module in a vehicle comprises a first part, in particular a steering wheel insert (28), with a latching hook (30), and a second part, in particular a baseplate (10) of the airbag module, with a passage opening (14) for the latching hook (30) and with a holder (16) for a spring element (18). The device furthermore comprises a spring element (18) with a bearing section (22) and an elastically deflectable retaining section (24). The spring element (18) is held in the holder (16) in such a manner that the retaining section (24) is transferable from a starting position into a deflecting position, which permits the latching hook (30) to be guided through the passage opening (14), and into a retaining position, in which the retaining section (24) presses against a retaining surface (40) of the latching hook (30). By contrast, the bearing section (22) is held substantially immovably in the holder (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Dalphi Metal Espana S.A.
    Inventor: Fernando Jose Eireos Garcia
  • Publication number: 20140131984
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, and wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted. It is provided that the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub. It thus becomes possible that in the case of an attachment of the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft, the steering wheel fastening region is accessible in axial direction and is not covered by the mounted gas bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventor: Matthias Zahn
  • Patent number: 8720942
    Abstract: Provided is a steering wheel in which, even in the case where a moving part of a horn switch exists in a space formed between a pad and a main body, harness can be prevented from getting caught in a gap. The steering wheel includes a first horn plate secured to the main body, a second horn plate secured to the pad, guide pins arranged vertically on the second horn plate and inserted through openings of the first horn plate, flange-shaped stoppers formed on the guide pins, an insulators disposed so as to be slidable along the guide pins, and coil springs that urge the insulators toward the stoppers. The insulator covers an outer periphery of the stopper and has a wall surface portion, the height of which is substantially equal to an offset distance between a fixed contact and a moving contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Onohara
  • Patent number: 8690185
    Abstract: An object is to prevent an airbag from bursting out toward an occupant and to inflate and deploy the airbag in a stable manner. An inner bag (30A) inflates with gas supplied from an inflator (3). An outer bag (20) inflates with the gas supplied through a flow port in the inner bag (30A). A restriction member (40A) restricts the movement of a front surface of the outer bag (20) in the occupant direction. An opening (41) in the restriction member (40A) is engaged with the outer circumference of the inflated inner bag (30A) and moves in the occupant direction along the outer circumference of the inner bag (30A) in accordance with the inflation of the outer bag (20). The restriction member (40A) moves the front surface of the outer bag (20) in accordance with the movement of the opening (41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Yamaji
  • Patent number: 8678429
    Abstract: There is provided an occupant protection device. An airbag device includes an airbag that is stored in a center pad of a steering wheel of a vehicle and is expandable toward an occupant side upon a collision of the vehicle. The center pad is disposed to have a non-rotating structure independent from the steering wheel. The airbag includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion which are disposed at opposing edges of the airbag in a width direction of the vehicle and are expandable to extend toward a rear side of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isamu Nagasawa, Noriyoshi Baba, Tetsuya Nakase
  • Patent number: 8672346
    Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag, an inflator and a plurality of contact projections for horn switch which are held by a retainer, such that switching operation can be performed with respect to a steering wheel. When the contact projections for the horn switch are brought into contact with contact receiving portions of the steering wheel in response to a tilt operation according to a press by a driver, the horn are blown. Horn switch contacts are respectively provided in a plurality of contact members so as to be spaced from each other in a predetermined configuration, and each contact member is electrically connected to each other via the inflator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Masakatsu Uehara
  • Patent number: 8661936
    Abstract: A steering wheel assembly includes an armature having spokes over which a spoke ends of a steering wheel are molded. A back cover connects to the armature and the steering wheel. A trim plate snap-fits directly to the spoke ends of the steering wheel and to the back cover, without connecting directly to the armature. Because the trim plates are directly connected to the same two components with which the trim plates must provide proper fit and finish, proper fit and finish is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter L. Vigeant, Michael A. Schorle, Michael J. Olesko
  • Publication number: 20140054880
    Abstract: A safety system for protecting the fingers, hands, wrists, elbows, arms and shoulders of a driver includes a bladder disposed on or in a handgrip of a steering wheel of a vehicle, at least one inflation device in fluid communication with the bladder, and a controller adapted to detect a collision involving the vehicle and cause the inflation device to inflate the bladder with a fluid when the collision is detected
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventor: Peter A. Feinstein
  • Patent number: 8651680
    Abstract: An occupant protection device is provided for a vehicle that includes, but is not limited to at least one airbag module that is arranged in a hub region of a steering wheel. The airbag module includes, but is not limited to a visual surface facing a vehicle driver and the visual surface is entirely or partially formed of a textile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Ulrich Rick
  • Patent number: 8641089
    Abstract: In an airbag module (100) for a vehicle steering wheel comprising an inflator (110) and a device (130) for vibration damping on which the inflator (110) is mounted to be oscillating as vibration damper mass the device (130) for vibration damping is configured at least to damp a first device-specific frequency and a second device-specific frequency, wherein different excitation directions are associated with the first and second device-specific frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Friedrich, Klaus Freudenberger, Michael Deckenhoff, Dirk Zimmermann, Ralf Krause
  • Patent number: 8636302
    Abstract: A steering wheel for a motor vehicle having an airbag module arranged thereon as well as horn contacts arranged on the steering wheel and/or on the airbag module, which can be brought into electric contact with each other in order to activate an acoustic horn signal with the steering wheel installed in a motor vehicle . The horn contacts (13) consist of a conducting sheet (15), which can be mounted by means of an adhesive layer (16) on a substrate formed by the airbag module (10) or the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Raimund Nebel, Jürgen Mackensen, Karl Binknus
  • Publication number: 20140008900
    Abstract: There are provided an airbag device and a steering wheel that can reduce the number of components and weight and allow a retainer to be easily positioned relative to an airbag cover. An airbag cover 4 includes a side wall portion 41 standing on an inner side, a recess 42 formed in an end face at almost the center of the side wall portion 41, and retaining holes 43 and 43 formed in the side wall portion 41 on both sides of the recess 42. A retainer 3 includes a first hook 31 that is fittable in the recess 42 and contactable with a bottom face 42a of the recess 42, and second hooks 32 that are contactable with inner faces 43a of the retaining holes 43. The retainer 3 is centered in a width direction by fitting the first hook 31 in the recess 42, and the side wall portion 41 is clamped in a standing direction by the first hook 31 and the second hooks 32 by contacting the first hook 31 with the recess 42 and contacting the second hooks 32 with the retaining holes 43.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Onohara
  • Patent number: 8622416
    Abstract: An airbag module for use in a vehicle to provide restraint to an occupant of the vehicle. The module includes a cushion pack having an inflatable airbag cushion configured to inflate to restrain the occupant of the vehicle. An inflator is provided to supply inflation gas for inflating the airbag cushion. The module also includes an annular retaining member engaged with the cushion pack to thereby retain a portion of the cushion pack in the airbag module during deployment of the airbag cushion. An annular locking member is connected to the retaining member and to the inflator and is configured to prohibit substantial displacement of the inflator relative to the locking member during deployment of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Jerome Bosch
  • Patent number: 8616577
    Abstract: A steering wheel unit includes a steering wheel body and an airbag module mounted thereto. The airbag module includes positioning means for maintaining the axial positioning of the airbag module relative to the steering wheel and positioning means for maintaining the radial positioning of the airbag module relative to the steering wheel. The steering wheel unit also includes damping elements that are disposed between the insertion elements and receiving elements of the radial positioning means. The radial positioning means can be in the form of a post within a cylindrical receptacle, where the damping element is therebetween. The radial positioning means can be in the form of a plate received within a u-shaped receiving element, where the damping element is within the u-shaped receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Lawrence Matsu, David R. Palm, Jan Pontus Soderstrom
  • Patent number: 8608194
    Abstract: A steering wheel assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel that can be mounted rotatably about a steering axle on a motor vehicle is provided. The steering wheel assembly comprises an airbag module disposed in a pre-determinable use position on the steering wheel, and an adjusting device disposed on the steering wheel assembly. Said adjusting device is adapted and provided for adjusting the spatial position of the airbag module relative to the steering wheel for the purposes of compensating for tolerances perpendicular to the steering axle. In the process, the adjusting device comprises adjusting means for generating an adjusting force that has at least one force component along the adjusting direction of the airbag module and also a guide device for guiding the airbag module along the adjustment direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
    Inventor: Thomas Marotzke
  • Patent number: 8602451
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a frame configured for supporting a vehicle airbag device. Support assemblies are movably connected to the frame. Each support assembly includes an airbag connecting member engaging a spring member. Pressing the airbag connecting member towards the frame compresses the spring member. An electrical switch assembly is connected to the frame. The electrical switch assembly includes at least one push button electrical switch for connecting to an electrical circuit. Pressing at least one support assembly a predetermined distance lowers a portion of the at least one support assembly towards the frame for urging a vehicle airbag device capable of being connected to a connecting end of each airbag connecting member, against at least one switch in the electrical switch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Judco Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen James, Thomas E. Buttner
  • Patent number: 8596676
    Abstract: There is provided a steering device. The steering device has an airbag module that is disposed inside a steering wheel for steering a vehicle and that protects a vehicle occupant during a collision of the vehicle with another object by deploying an airbag body toward the vehicle occupant. The steering device includes a detecting unit that detects the collision of the vehicle with another object in advance; and an adjusting unit that positionally adjusts the steering wheel to a neutral position when the collision of the vehicle with another object is detected by the detecting unit, the neutral position of the steering wheel being a position of the steering wheel when the vehicle is traveling straight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isamu Nagasawa, Noriyoshi Baba, Tetsuya Nakase
  • Patent number: 8585082
    Abstract: A horn switch device installed in a steering wheel includes: an ornament including a biasing projection provided to project on a back surface side thereof; a covering in which a recessed portion and a through hole are formed, the recessed portion being configured such that the ornament is mounted so as to move to be pushed thereinto and return therefrom, the through hole being configured in a bottom of the recessed portion; and a switch mechanism turned on and off in response to press and return movements of the ornament. The biasing projection penetrates the bottom of the recessed portion and projects from a back surface side thereof. The back-surface-side projecting part of the biasing projection is engaged with a biasing member on the back surface side of the covering. The biasing member receives a pressing force of the ornament and biases the ornament in the return direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Yamaji
  • Publication number: 20130285356
    Abstract: An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) includes a front panel (102) and a rear panel (122) that are interconnected to at least partially define an inflatable volume (54) of the protection device. The rear panel (122) has a conical configuration resulting from portions of the rear panel being interconnected with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Kurt F. Fischer, Daniele Aranzulla, Martin Burkhardtsmaier
  • Patent number: 8567818
    Abstract: A vibration damping structure for a steering wheel includes an airbag mounted in the steering wheel, an inflator arranged forward of the airbag, and a support member elastically supporting the inflator at a position forward of the inflator. The inflator includes a peripheral wall portion and gas ports formed in the wall portion. The support member has a hole facing the inflator. A sealing portion is provided to surround the hole. Through contact between the inflator and the support member at the sealing portion, gas leakage via the hole is prevented. The inflator has a pressure receiving portion in the vicinity of the gas ports to change the flow direction of gas, which is discharged outward from the gas ports in the radial direction of the wall portion, to a direction toward a rear side. The pressure receiving portion produces force acting forward by receiving pressure from the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Umemura, Tsutomu Ishii, Kosuke Shigeta
  • Patent number: 8556292
    Abstract: A damping system includes: a fixed member; an airbag device including a back holder and disposed on a rear side of the fixed member; an elastic member mounted in a mounting hole of the back holder; and a horn switch mechanism including a support member supported on the fixed member on a front side of the back holder, and a slider disposed between the support member and the elastic member. The airbag device functions as a damper mass of a dynamic damper, and the elastic member functions as a spring thereof. The horn switch mechanism includes an extended portion extending forwards. An engaged portion is formed at a circumferential edge portion of the mounting hole to extend rearwards. The elastic member includes an engaging portion opened in a front surface thereof. The elastic member is sandwiched by the engaged portion fitted in the engaging portion and the extended portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Umemura, Tsutomu Ishii, Kosuke Shigeta, Osamu Hirose
  • Patent number: 8544877
    Abstract: Airbag cushions are provided that mitigate the potential for injury to an occupant's neck via a sloped face, a particular cushion height, and/or a relatively flat top portion. These airbag cushions can be used with seat belt systems that moderates the seat belt loads acting on the occupant to allow an improved synchronization of the occupant torso and head rebound timing, which in turn limits head and torso differential loading (frontal whiplash) and therefore occupant neck loads and neck, based on the position of the occupant, loads on the seatbelt, or a predetermined time in the crash event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Williams, Patrick Dee Jamison, Akihiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8536260
    Abstract: A resin composition for a seamless air bag cover or a resin composition for a seamless instrument panel having an air bag cover which comprises (A) 50 to 90% by mass of polypropylene, (B) 0 to 20% by mass of a thermoplastic elastomer and (C) 10 to 30% by mass of talc having an average particle diameter of 15 to 25 ?m and a distribution of a particle diameter such that the content of particles having a diameter of 5 ?m or smaller is 10% by mass or smaller and the content of particles having a diameter exceeding 40 ?m is 10% by mass or smaller. The resin composition exhibits sufficient properties when an instrument panel is molded. A seamless instrument panel having an air bag cover can be obtained as an integrally molded product, which can be treated as a single article in recycling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignees: Prime Polymer Co., Ltd., Daikyonishikawa Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Iida, Kazuaki Kihara, Mutsuo Fujii, Mamoru Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20130221641
    Abstract: A steering wheel structure with an airbag module having a horn bracket fixed to a steering wheel, an airbag module having an inflator and serving as a weight, a spring unit installed between the airbag module and the horn bracket and transmitting vibrations of the steering wheel to the airbag module for configuring a dynamic damper. The spring unit including an elastic body that transmits the vibrations and a protector attached to the horn bracket and housing the elastic body therein in an elastically deformable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Takashi Kondo, Yukihiro Kunitake, Kunitomo Miyahara, Yutaka Hirota, Yutaka Tsuchida, Kunio Ohbayashi, Hiroshi Takamori, Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 8509964
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a remote control system for controlling a railway vehicle. The remote control system including a remote control device for transmitting signals to a first controller module. The first controller is mounted to the railway vehicle and controls and monitors the functions of the railway vehicle. The first controller module also relays information to the remote control device. The remote control system can also include a portable safety switch allowing any individual in proximity to the railway vehicle to send a stop signal to the first controller module to stop the railway vehicle if any unsafe conditions exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Hetronic International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Ecton, Torsten Rempe, Max Heckl
  • Patent number: 8505410
    Abstract: A new type of steering wheel cover is designed for use with a steering wheel that has one or more spokes. The cover will include an upper portion and a lower portion. Generally, the lower portion is the region or portion of the steering wheel that is positioned at the junction between the spoke and the steering wheel rim. The upper portion and the lower portion are separated by at least one split line. The split line is designed such that during a crash or accident, the upper portion and the lower portion will collapse into each other and absorb some of the energy of the impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Matsu, Delia Dumitrecu, Mark Ressler, Anthony Gloriosa
  • Patent number: 8496265
    Abstract: An airbag module, especially for a vehicle occupant restraint system, includes an assembly of an inflator (16) having a mounting flange (32) and an inflator supporting member (18) for resilient support of the inflator (16). The inflator supporting member (18) includes a holding member (24) made of metal sheet and at least one mounting foot (26) arranged at the holding member (24) for connection to an inflator base (12). The holding member (24) and the mounting flange (32) are fixed to each other by plastic shaping of at least one of the two members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Staudt
  • Patent number: 8491003
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a frame configured for supporting a vehicle airbag device. Support assemblies are movably connected to the frame. Each support assembly includes an airbag connecting member engaging a spring member. Pressing the airbag connecting member towards the frame compresses the spring member. An electrical switch assembly is connected to the frame. The electrical switch assembly includes at least one push button electrical switch for connecting to an electrical circuit. Pressing at least one support assembly a predetermined distance lowers a portion of the at least one support assembly towards the frame for urging a vehicle airbag device capable of being connected to a connecting end of each airbag connecting member, against at least one switch in the electrical switch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Judco Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen James, Thomas E. Buttner
  • Publication number: 20130181429
    Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a steering wheel, an airbag housing mounted to a hub of the steering wheel, and an airbag stored in the housing. The airbag includes a rim-facing panel, a driver-facing panel, an upper tether extending between the housing and a first location on the driver-facing panel opposite from the hub, and a lower tether extending between the housing and a second location below the first location. The tethers shape the airbag to have a thicker head contact portion adjacent to the upper rim of the steering wheel and a thinner chest contact portion adjacent to the lower rim of the steering wheel. The shape provides more balanced occupant protection in a frontal crash event, because the thicker head contact portion reduces the driver's head acceleration and neck injury.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tzu-Chen Weng, Kirk David Arthurs, John Vincent Fazio, Chunhui Lee, Djamal Eddine Midoun
  • Patent number: 8485552
    Abstract: A connecting arrangement for connection of an airbag module to a steering column of a vehicle. The connecting arrangement having a first connector located on the airbag module and a second connector located on a component connected to the steering column. The first and second connectors having electrical contacts for the airbag module and/or electrical controllers located on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The first and second connectors being mutually formed such that they automatically connect as the airbag module is being connected to the steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Henrik Karlsson, Alexander Dramountanis
  • Patent number: 8480126
    Abstract: An airbag including first and second sheets joined along outer peripheral parts. The second sheet includes a plurality of base cloths. The plurality of base cloths are arrayed around the circumferential direction, and include overlapping parts where adjacent ends are overlapping. At least one of the overlapping parts includes unjoined sections that are not joined together, and the gas inside the airbag can be ejected through the unjoined sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 8483887
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a remote control system for controlling a railway vehicle. The remote control system including a remote control device for transmitting signals to a first controller module. The first controller is mounted to the railway vehicle and controls and monitors the functions of the railway vehicle. The first controller module also relays information to the remote control device. The remote control system can also include a portable safety switch allowing any individual in proximity to the railway vehicle to send a stop signal to the first controller module to stop the railway vehicle if any unsafe conditions exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hetronic International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Ecton, Torsten Rempe, Max Heckl
  • Patent number: 8474860
    Abstract: A display apparatus for a vehicle provided in an interior member of the vehicle that covers an airbag device and has specified movable areas that, when a bag portion is expanded and inflated, swing and open so as to form an area through which the bag portion passes. The display apparatus for a vehicle includes displays that have a flexible sheet-like shape and that are mounted on surfaces of the respective movable areas, display control devices that are disposed at positions away from the movable areas and drive the displays in order to cause the displays to display images, and flexible wiring portions that connect the displays to the display control devices and that has flexibility so as to be able to bend when the movable areas swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Ohoka, Kiyotaka Kokuzawa
  • Patent number: 8474859
    Abstract: An airbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system is provided. The airbag arrangement comprising airbag inflatable for protecting a vehicle occupant, a gas generator for inflating the airbag, a gas generator carrier at which the gas generator is arranged, a housing part which—with regard to the state of the airbag arrangement installed in the vehicle—covers the airbag towards the vehicle interior. The housing part comprises at least one latching element and the gas generator carrier comprises at least one latching opening assigned to the latching element. The housing part can be connected to the gas generator carrier by inserting the latching element into the latching opening along an insertion direction up to a latching position. The latching element reaches behind a blocking element adjacent the latching opening and connected to the gas generator carrier such that pulling the latching element out of the latching opening is counteracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Takata AG
    Inventor: Steffen Weigand
  • Patent number: 8474867
    Abstract: A steering wheel unit with an airbag module and a steering wheel body is connectable to a steering column defining the axial direction. The steering wheel body includes an accommodation for the airbag module in the hub area. The airbag module can be pressed down against the steering wheel body against the force of at least one spring and at least two positioning units act between the airbag module and the steering wheel body. The positioning units are arranged in a center of gravity plane being perpendicular to the axial direction. In order to provide an easy mountability and a high degree of flexibility in respect of the installation space, the positioning units act at least in non-axial direction and the at least one spring is spaced from the positioning units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Raimund Nebel
  • Patent number: 8465048
    Abstract: An airbag cover including a front door located in a front area of the airbag cover so as to be openable forward and an ornament located on a top face of the front door. The front door includes a mounting section for mounting the ornament thereon, and the mounting section partially protrudes rearward from the rear edge of the front door. The front door further includes an auxiliary breakable portion that is located at the front edge of the mounting section so as to be breakable when an obstacle contacts with the ornament, and a pair of second hinges located at left and right ends of the auxiliary breakable portion. The mounting section bends about the second hinges relative to the front door in an opposite direction to an opening direction of the front door at breakage of the auxiliary breakable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikine Hayashi, Hitoshi Iida
  • Patent number: 8448982
    Abstract: Provided is an airbag device mounted to a steering wheel in which a mounting member is provided in a protruding manner. The airbag device includes an airbag, an inflator configured to inflate and deploy the airbag, a cover that covers the airbag, and a mounting plate. A locking body configured to be locked with the mounting member is held on the mounting plate via the holding member. The mounting plate includes a recess that is recessed from a portion for mounting the inflator. The locking body is provided in the recess of the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Yamaji, Nobuhiko Yoshii, Keita Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20130106082
    Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag, an inflator and a plurality of contact projections for horn switch which are held by a retainer, such that switching operation can be performed with respect to a steering wheel. When the contact projections for the horn switch are brought into contact with contact receiving portions of the steering wheel in response to a tilt operation according to a press by a driver, the horn are blown. Horn switch contacts are respectively provided in a plurality of contact members so as to be spaced from each other in a predetermined configuration, and each contact member is electrically connected to each other via the inflator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Masakatsu Uehara
  • Patent number: 8424907
    Abstract: An airbag is provided with a vent hole and a patch closing the vent hole. The airbag has a conically-shaped protrusion with the front narrowed when inflation is finished. The vent hole and patch are at the vehicle body side wall of the protrusion. The airbag has the reaction force-receiving contact portion that is partially recessed toward an occupant by receiving a reaction force substantially opposite to the approach direction of the occupant from the reaction force-applying support portion of the vehicle body structure when the occupant is cushioned, at the vehicle body side wall of the protrusion. The patch is positioned where the vent hole can keep closed when the airbag finishes inflating. The patch is not pressed against the reaction force-applying support portion but is spaced from the circumferential edge portion of the vent hole that moves when the reaction force-receiving contact portion is recessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akitoshi Naganawa, Naohiko Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 8424904
    Abstract: A steering wheel system for a vehicle includes a steering wheel and an airbag module located within the hub portion of the steering wheel. The airbag module includes an airbag and a cover for the airbag. The steering wheel system also includes at least one microphone configured to receive audio input from a vehicle driver in which the at least one microphone is located on the cover of the airbag module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Leonard Cech
  • Patent number: 8419055
    Abstract: An airbag, wherein gas is appropriately discharged from a vent hole by preventing a vent hole cover from being positionally displaced relative to the vent hole. An airbag (30) is provided with a cover guide member (70) which allows a vent hole cover (60) to move at a predetermined bag inner pressure to open a vent hole (34). The cover guide member has an opening (77) formed at a position corresponding to the vent hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Chida, Makoto Nagai, Hiroyuki Nozaki
  • Patent number: 8419054
    Abstract: An airbag that can inflate without using a high-power inflator, and an airbag apparatus provided with such an airbag are disclosed. In one form, the airbag, when inflating, has a normally open vent hole disposed in a rear panel in a region extending toward the center of a steering wheel from the rim of the steering wheel and an openable vent hole disposed in a region extending toward the outside of the steering wheel from the rim. The openable vent hole is covered by a cover. The cover and a strap inside the airbag are connected to each other with a tether. From the commencement of inflation of the airbag, the cover is placed over the openable vent hole to close the openable vent hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Abe
  • Patent number: 8419052
    Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag, an inflator, and a mounting plate. A steering wheel includes a wheel main body and a core member as a central member. A mounting member is provided to any one of the mounting plate side and the core member side, and a locking body is provided to the other thereof. The mounting member includes a column part and a locking protrusion provided in a protruding manner to a distal end portion of the column part. The locking body is locked with an inner corner portion between the column part and the locking protrusion, whereby the airbag device is mounted to the steering wheel. A locking abutment surface of the locking protrusion, which faces a proximal end portion of the column part, includes a slip-off prevention protrusion that holds the locking body on the proximal-end-portion side of the locking protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Yamaji, Nobuhiko Yoshii, Keita Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8414019
    Abstract: The airbag of an airbag apparatus is provided with a slip member that is disposed on the outer surface of an occupant protection area of an airbag main body and can suppress load to an occupant by allowing the airbag main body to slide when the airbag comes in contact with the occupant while being developed and inflated. The slip member is connected to the airbag main body at both left and right edges and a rear-lower edge. In the slip member, a left connecting portion and a right connecting portion for connecting both left and right edges to the airbag main body are connected at a position before and above the center of the occupant protection area, and the rear connecting portion for connecting the rear-lower edge to the airbag main body is connected at a position rear-lower the center of the occupant protection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akitoshi Naganawa, Naohiko Ishiguro
  • Publication number: 20130069350
    Abstract: A vibration damping structure for a steering wheel includes an airbag mounted in the steering wheel, an inflator arranged forward of the airbag, and a support member elastically supporting the inflator at a position forward of the inflator. The inflator includes a peripheral wall portion and gas ports formed in the wall portion. The support member has a hole facing the inflator. A sealing portion is provided to surround the hole. Through contact between the inflator and the support member at the sealing portion, gas leakage via the hole is prevented. The inflator has a pressure receiving portion in the vicinity of the gas ports to change the flow direction of gas, which is discharged outward from the gas ports in the radial direction of the wall portion, to a direction toward a rear side. The pressure receiving portion produces force acting forward by receiving pressure from the gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norio UMEMURA, Tsutomu ISHII, Kosuke SHIGETA
  • Patent number: 8398115
    Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel body, a movable element held movably on the steering wheel body, which element can be pressed down against the force of a restoring element against the steering wheel body, and with a horn contact which is closed by pressing down of the element. An economical design for constructing the horn contact is created in that the horn contact has two cable cores (44a, 44b) which are held in a holding element (32), and that a contact element (36a, 36b) which is likewise held by the holding element (32) extends into each of the cable cores (44a, 44b). The two contact elements (32a, 32b) come into electrical contact with each other here by the pressing down of the movable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Raimund Nebel, Jürgen Mackensen, Oliver Adolph
  • Publication number: 20130062866
    Abstract: Low cost airbag system (1) for a vehicle that deploys to protect a driver and optionally a passenger during a crash involving the vehicle,. The airbag system includes a crash sensor system (2) that detects a crash involving the vehicle, a driver side airbag module (40) mounted to a steering wheel and including a driver side airbag (42) that inflates to protect the driver and a gas generator (108) that generates inflation medium to inflate the driver side airbag (42). A control module (6) is coupled to the crash sensor system (2) and gas generator (108) and initiates generation of inflation medium by the gas generator (108) based on detection of a crash by the crash sensor system (2). A similar system is provided for the passenger side airbag module (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: David S. Breed
  • Patent number: 8388018
    Abstract: An airbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system is provided. The airbag arrangement comprises an airbag package which includes an airbag which can be inflated to protect a vehicle occupant as well as a sleeve in which the airbag is vacuum-packaged. The sleeve comprises a first sleeve part and a second sleeve part. The first sleeve part and the second sleeve part each include at least one flange portion. The two flange portions are connected with each other and initially protrude from the remaining airbag package, after they have been connected with each other. The two flange portions are at least partly folded such that they extend along an outer surface of the remaining airbag package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Takata-AG
    Inventor: Tobias Fechner