With Means To Diffuse Inflation Fluid Patents (Class 280/740)
  • Patent number: 11865990
    Abstract: A ramp bracket for a curtain airbag of a vehicle includes a back wall, at least a first trim pushing portion, and a ramp portion. The back wall extends along a length of the ramp bracket and attaches to the vehicle. The first trim pushing portion longitudinally extends along a first length portion of the length of the ramp bracket, depends from the back wall and has a downwardly or side opening shape. The ramp portion extends along a second length portion of the length of the ramp bracket, also depends from the back wall, and has an upwardly opening shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: John Witt, Jason Ibarra, Matthew Reschke
  • Patent number: 11753102
    Abstract: A saddle-ride type vehicle includes a retainer that is provided behind a head pipe; an inflator; and an airbag that is housed in the retainer, inflates by gas discharged by the inflator, and is deployed in front of an occupant. The airbag is housed in the retainer in a state of being folded bilaterally asymmetrically with respect to a horizontally central portion of the airbag in a cross section in a vehicle top view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Takahashi, Takashi Sato, Yutaka Aikyo
  • Patent number: 11724660
    Abstract: An airbag module includes an airbag, an inflator, and a mounting retainer. The airbag includes an inflation chamber, an inflation port for the inflation chamber, and a neck that opens into the inflation chamber around the inflation port. The airbag further includes a pocket. The pocket is located on the neck and opens away from the neck and the inflation port. The inflator is configured to be inserted into the neck and inflate the inflation chamber through the inflation port. The mounting retainer is configured to be installed to the neck in the pocket, receive and support the inflator, and mount the airbag to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: David O Walker, Benny Dale Cantrell, Jr., Ryosuke Jinnai
  • Patent number: 11667261
    Abstract: A gas generator includes a housing constructed by combining and joining a plurality of shell members. One of the plurality of shell members includes a cylindrical portion and a flange portion. The cylindrical portion is provided with a plurality of gas discharge openings including gas discharge openings different in opening area from one another. The flange portion is shaped such that a distance from an axial line of the cylindrical portion to an outer edge of the flange portion is non-uniform. When a perpendicular line is drawn to the axial line from a maximum outer geometry position in the outer edge of the flange portion most distant from the axial line, a gas discharge opening arranged closest to the perpendicular line is a gas discharge opening other than a gas discharge opening largest in opening area among the plurality of gas discharge openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON KAYAKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Ueda, Satoshi Ohsugi, Hiroaki Koyama, Haruki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 11623599
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat includes an airbag defining an inflatable volume for receiving inflation fluid from an inflator having first and second ends. The airbag has a first sleeve configured to receive the first end of the inflator and a second end configured to receive the second end of the inflator. The first and second sleeves extend from the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventor: Manuel Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11505097
    Abstract: An occupant protection device, for a vehicle which protects an occupant seated on a seating surface of a seat, includes: a first push-up mechanism which pushes up a waist portion of the occupant by raising a rear portion of the seating surface; a second push-up mechanism which pushes up a thigh portion of the occupant by raising a front portion of the seating surface; and a control unit which controls operations of the first push-up mechanism and the second push-up mechanism. The control unit operates the first push-up mechanism and then operates the second push-up mechanism when an impact applied to the vehicle from the front of the seat is detected or predicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koki Tanaka, Takashi Iida, Shigeyuki Suzuki, Tadashi Yamada, Shigemi Mase
  • Patent number: 11370383
    Abstract: A vehicle curtain airbag apparatus includes an inflator and an airbag. The airbag includes an airbag body, an inner tube, and a pocket portion. The inner tube includes a tube body and an insertion portion. The pocket portion is provided in a front end portion of the tube body in an insertion direction of the inner tube. A front end portion of the pocket portion in the insertion direction is joined to the tube body at a first joint portion, which extends in an intersecting direction. The intersecting direction intersects the insertion direction. At least one of the opposite end portions of the pocket portion in the intersecting direction is joined to the tube body at a second joint portion that extends in the insertion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Jinnai, Eric Bush
  • Patent number: 11299120
    Abstract: A side airbag assembly is attachable to a frame of a seat of a vehicle. The side airbag assembly may include an inflatable airbag cushion in a packaged configuration. The inflatable airbag cushion may be inflated by an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable airbag cushion to supply inflation gas to inflate the inflatable airbag cushion. The inflator may include an attachment stud to mount the airbag assembly to the side of a seat. The side airbag assembly may further include a wrapper configured to wrap around the inflator and the inflatable airbag cushion in the packaged configuration and a cap that is coupled to the wrapper. The cap is configured to enclose a first end of the inflatable airbag cushion in the packaged configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventor: Naoki Morita
  • Patent number: 11260823
    Abstract: An airbag for a passenger seat is folded and stored in a storage so as to be deployed towards the passenger seat in such a manner as to enlarge towards the left and right when exiting the storage. The airbag includes a bag body that includes a mount-side portion to be mounted on the storage, and a cover panel that is made of a flexible sheet-shaped material and covers an outer circumference of the mount-side portion of the bag body. The cover panel is configured to cover an edge of a peripheral member of the storage at least in left and right sides of the storage at airbag deployment. The cover panel is joined to the bag body in such a manner that its edge portion is capable of slipping relative to the bag body at least in the left and right portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Hiraiwa, Shinichi Ishida, Keita Suzuki, Motoyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11186248
    Abstract: An occupant protection device includes an airbag which is deployed and inflated with an amount of protrusion from a storage position to a rear side in an inflation completed state in a large protrusion amount mode and a small protrusion amount mode, and the airbag includes a bag body and a tether. The tether is connected to a length adjustment unit. The bag body has a tubular inflation portion curved in a substantially U shape from the storage position toward the tether connection portion. A shape of the bag body in the large protrusion amount mode is defined such that the tether connection portion is further moved rearward with respect to the inlet port on the inner peripheral surface side, as compared with the case of the small protrusion amount mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoyuki Tanaka, Hajime Kitte, Kenichi Fukurono, Yuji Sato
  • Patent number: 11135994
    Abstract: A pyrotechnical gas generator includes at least one pyrotechnical charge, at least one ignitor, and a cylindrical casing enclosing the at least one charge and the at least one ignitor, the cylindrical casing having an axial direction and a radial direction and including an annular wall extending along the axial direction of the casing, and gas ejection holes arranged on the annular wall. Each gas ejection hole extends in a output plane forming a non-zero angle with a tangential plane which is tangent to the annular wall at the gas ejection hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: ARIANEGROUP SAS
    Inventors: Frédéric Marlin, Clément Benillan
  • Patent number: 10723308
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generator, including: in a cylindrical housing, a cup-shaped member separating the combustion chamber in a cylindrical housing main body portion from the diffuser portion, the cup-shaped member being disposed such that a bottom surface thereof is positioned on the side of a first end of the cylindrical housing main body portion, an opening thereof is positioned on the side of a second end of the cylindrical housing main body portion, and a first gap which allows the combustion chamber to communicate with the diffuser portion, is formed between the the cup-shaped member and an inner wall surface of the cylindrical housing main body portion; and a filter disposed in a space surrounded by the cup-shaped member and the diffuser portion, the filter being a cup-shaped filter having a base, a circumferential wall and an opening, and the filter being provided such that, the base of the filter abuts on a closed end surface of the diffuser portion, an end surface of the opening
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Fukumoto, Tomoharu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10449923
    Abstract: A roof airbag for a vehicle may include an inflator at a first end portion of a front and a rear end portions of a sunroof frame configured to discharge deployment gas when activated; a reinforcement member connecting a first and a second side of the sunroof frame at a position between the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame; and an airbag cushion at the first end portion of the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame in a folded state, and configured with a first chamber configured to cover from the first end portion of the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame to a position before reaching the reinforcement member and a second chamber configured to cover from the reinforcement member to the second end portion of the front and the rear end portions of the sunroof frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp., Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Ji Son, Seok Min Lee, Byung Ho Min, Hea Kwon Park, Kyu Sang Lee
  • Patent number: 10399534
    Abstract: An airbag module comprising an airbag (50) having a passive adaptive vent on a rear panel of the airbag, the vent having a movable vane which when moved causes the vent (200) to change state from open to closed or from closed to open, the airbag further including a main tether (100) secured to a face panel (54) of the airbag, the main tether moving with the face panel, the main tether having an opening (130) into which is threaded a portion of a control tether (80), the control tether is connected to the vane (210) and to the face panel, wherein movement of the end of the control tether in a first direction generally that of the inflating air bag causes the other end of the control tether secured to the vane to be moved in a direction different than the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A Kalandek, John Musiol, Mutaz Shkoukani, Marina Elias, Rasoul Moradi
  • Patent number: 10308204
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide a knee air bag apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a knee air bag apparatus, including an air bag to be inflated by gas introduced thereinto, an air bag housing accommodating the air bag therein, and an inflator for generating the gas, the inflator having a first portion received in the air bag, and a remaining portion disposed outside the air bag within the air bag housing for connection of signal wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: I Seul Kang
  • Patent number: 10207671
    Abstract: An inflator (10) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The inflator (10) includes a volume of stored gas and a propellant (52) that is ignitable to undergo a reaction that produces reaction products. The reaction products include heat and gas that mix with the stored gas to produce a mixture of inflation fluid. The inflator (10) is configured to discharge the inflation fluid to inflate the protection device. The propellant (52) comprises an open cell foam fuel propellant (140). The reaction includes a combustion reaction in which the foam fuel propellant (140) reacts with a gas oxidizer comprising oxygen to produce heat and gas reaction products that mix with the stored gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GmbH
    Inventors: Detlef Last, Ruckdeschel Rolf
  • Patent number: 10043612
    Abstract: Methods of and systems for directing flux from a transmit coil to a receive coil within an inductive power transfer system are disclosed. For example, a transmit coil can be shielded with a contoured shield made from a ferromagnetic material. The contoured shield contours to several surfaces of the transmit coil so as to define a single plane through which magnetic flux is directed to a receive coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol, Makiko K. Brzezinski
  • Patent number: 9789839
    Abstract: An airbag module having an airbag casing and at least one installation opening (1) formed in the airbag casing for guiding in at least one part of a gas generator. The airbag casing has at least two layers (2) regionally lying one another, in which differently-oriented incisions are provided that together form the installation opening (1). The layers (2) lying over one another forming the installation opening (1) are connected to one another by at least one seam (5). The region (4) of the airbag casing forming the installation openings (1) is separated from the rest of the airbag casing by the seam. The incisions in each layer (2) each form a longitudinal recess (3) forming a combined shape with an outer circumferential line in their projection viewed over all layers (2) and the seam duplicates the circumferential line of the combined shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Lukasz Przybysz, Laurent Hellot, Jakub Czeczot, Laurent Broggini
  • Patent number: 9718439
    Abstract: When disassembling after a gas being supplied into a tube member, the gas in the tube member is discharged before the tube member and a moving member become separable. In a webbing take-up device, a cover plate cannot be removed from a frame and thereafter a cylinder and a piston inside the cylinder cannot be separated before covering of a fixing screw with a covering section of a plate being released by removing a screw from an exhaust port of the cylinder and by removing the plate from the cylinder. Thus, after a high-pressure gas being supplied into the cylinder, the high-pressure gas inside the cylinder can surely be discharged by removing the plate from the cylinder and the exhaust port is opened by the screw before the cylinder and the piston being separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Tomonori Nagata, Hiroaki Yamazoe, Shinichi Okubo, Keiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 9669792
    Abstract: An air bag case includes: a bottom wall portion including a bottom wall configuring portion; a side wall portion including a side wall configuring portion, wherein: the side wall configuring portion is bent so as to rise from an outer circumferential edge of the bottom wall configuring portion of the single metallic sheet material; a plurality of joining piece portions, provided on the side wall configuring portion, are superposed on corresponding joined portions to be crimped together to thereby maintain a rising shape of the side wall portion from the bottom wall portion; and the joining piece portions are disposed substantially parallel to the bottom wall portion together with the joined portions and are superposed on the joined portions so that the joining pieces portions and the joined portions are partially crimped together in a direction which is substantially at right angles to the bottom wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Miura, Ryuji Masudome
  • Patent number: 9604592
    Abstract: An air curtain unit of a vehicle includes an inflator assembly and an air curtain that is in fluid communication with the inflator assembly. A clip includes a hook that extends at least partially around the air curtain. The clip includes a mounting portion that is fixed to the hook and is engaged with the inflator. The mounting portion of the clip supports the air curtain relative to the inflator assembly, and the hook of the clip supports the air curtain in a desired location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Manoj Desai, Brian Robert Spahn, Jeffrey Charles Paddock
  • Patent number: 9352719
    Abstract: An airbag device including an inflator, an airbag and a silicone rubber sheet. The silicone rubber sheet is used for a flow passage to feed gas from an inflator to an airbag and is produced by stacking 0.5 mm or more of silicone composition comprising: 100 parts by weight of organopolysiloxane which is represented by the following average composition formula R1SiO(4-n)/2, where in the formula, R1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group and n represents a positive number of 1.95 to 2.05, and which exhibits an average degree of polymerization of 1,000 or more; 20 to 80 parts by weight of reinforcing silica powder having a specific surface area of 50 m2/g or more; and a curing agent on at least an inner surface of a fiber fabric constituting the flow passage and performing heat curing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignees: TAKATA CORPORATION, SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Nakamura, Shuichiro Miyata, Masakatsu Hotta, Tsutomu Yoneyama, Masaki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9061652
    Abstract: In a diffusor (14) for an inflator (10) of an airbag module including an outer wall (16) that encloses the inflator (10) at least in a discharge area (12) in the circumferential direction, wherein the outer wall (16) has a gap edge (18) extending substantially in the longitudinal direction (L) and is bent open along said gap edge (18) upon activation of the inflator (10) and a discharge direction for the gas is defined, it is provided that gas deflecting elements (24, 26) which influence the discharge direction of the gas discharged from the inflator (10) in the bent-open state of the diffusor (14) are provided at the outer wall (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Gerd Zischka, Stojan Bogdanovic, Andreas Loos, Jurgen Scherr
  • Patent number: 9033363
    Abstract: Heat shields are used to shield an airbag from hot gasses issuing from an inflator. The heat shields can have a low thermal conductivity and may be capable of melting during a deployment event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: John F. Witt, Jr., David W. Schneider, Michael Kutchey, Jamie R. Fritz
  • Patent number: 9022424
    Abstract: An airbag device that can limit the movement of a strap outside an airbag even when the other end of the strap is released is provided. An airbag device includes an airbag 2 that is folded in a normal state and deployed in case of emergency, an inflator 3 that supplies gas to the airbag 2, a retainer 4 that secures the airbag 2 and the inflator, and a strap-retaining device 6 that retains a strap 5, which is connected to a portion of the airbag 2 at one end 51 thereof, at the other end 52 of the strap 5 in a releasable manner. The airbag device further includes a strap-restraining tether 7, which is connected to the strap 5 at one end 71 thereof and to the airbag 2 at the other end 72 thereof. The strap-restraining tether 7 limits the movement of the free end of the strap 5 that has been released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nakamura, Atsushi Noguchi, Yasuhito Miyata, Kazuhiro Shingu
  • Publication number: 20150115583
    Abstract: A chamber required to be inflated and deployed at an early stage in an airbag is inflated and deployed in advance so as to protect an occupant at an early stage. An airbag device (1A) is provided with an airbag (10A) which protects an occupant (90) in a vehicle by inflation and deployment by gas, and an inflator (3) which supplies the gas to the airbag (10A). The airbag (10A) has a first chamber (20), a gas distribution port (14) provided in the first chamber (20), and a second chamber (30). The first chamber (20) stores an inflator (3) and is inflated by the gas supplied from the inflator (3). The second chamber (30) surrounds a part of the first chamber (20) including the distribution port (14) and is inflated by the gas supplied from the distribution port (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: ASHIMORI INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Azuma, Katsunori Imai, Miwa Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 9016720
    Abstract: An airbag for a motor vehicle, having a housing and at least one restraining element, which has at least one receptacle space for a gaseous medium, in particular air, and which can be moved, in the case of an accident-induced application of force to the motor vehicle, into a restraining position by the flowing of medium into the receptacle space from a storage position within the housing. At least one wall of the housing has at least one inflow opening for the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Ralf Bogenrieder, Christian Burczyk, Andreas Hirth, Lutz Quarg, Friedrich Reiter
  • Patent number: 8979118
    Abstract: A subassembly (10) includes an inflator (12) for a vehicle safety system having a cylindrical outer wall (14), at least one bolt (16) fastened to the outer wall (14) in a substance-to-substance or form-fit manner, for mounting the inflator (12) on a component and a saddle element (18) attached to the bolt. The saddle element (18) includes a supporting portion (24) that bears on the outer wall (14) of the inflator (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Bibo, Michael Beyer, Karl Englbrecht, Anton Greissl, Christian Grundl, Thomas Kapfelsperger
  • Patent number: 8979117
    Abstract: The restraining function of support structure airbags in particular and mechanical airbags should be able to be specifically guaranteed in a simple manner. To this end, an air cushion for an airbag of a motor vehicle is provided, having a sleeve with at least one opening and a closure element arranged on the at least one opening in order to at least partially prevent air from flowing from a first direction, Furthermore, the closure element is flexible and has a channel-shaped design at least upon the flow of air from a second direction opposite the first direction. The closure element thus has the effect of a check valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Christian Burczyk, Andreas Hirth, Lutz Quarg, Friedrich Reiter, Clark Ruedebusch
  • Patent number: 8967664
    Abstract: A gas generator for a protective airbag includes at least one pressurized gas chamber, a first actuator arranged so as to open the pressurized gas chamber, and a diffusion chamber including at least one diffusion hole defining a communication surface. Outside the diffusion chamber, the gas generator includes an obturator having a second actuator. The obturator is arranged in a first position in which it defines a first diffusion surface. The second actuator is arranged so as to allow it to go into a second position in which it defines a second diffusion surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Mats Johanson, Tobias Aderum
  • Patent number: 8949153
    Abstract: One variation includes a product including actuator system including an actuator connected to a shield; a control module for selectively actuating or deploying the actuator wherein the actuator may be moved from a first position to a second position in which the shield is extended a distance away from the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Alan G. Holmes
  • Patent number: 8910364
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing a heat sink/filter positioned between a pressure vessel and a diffuser in an air bag inflator. The pressure vessel is constructed so that upon activation of the inflator of the area of gas exiting the pressure vessel is smaller than the area of gas exiting the diffuser to create pressures in the pressure vessel that are higher than the pressures in the diffuser. This results in deformation of the pressure vessel that is equal to or greater than the deformation of the diffuser to maintain compression of the heat sink/filter between the pressure vessel and the diffuser during activation of the inflator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Arc Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Earl Overton, James Michael Rose
  • Publication number: 20140353952
    Abstract: A passenger airbag and a passenger airbag device in which when the passenger airbag starts to inflate with an interfering object close to the IP, gas in the airbag is caused to quickly flow out through vent holes to reduce the impact on the interfering object, and a vehicle equipped with this passenger airbag device. In case of front collision of the vehicle, an inflator is activated to generate gas, and the gas flows through a diffuser into an airbag main body. The diffuser inflates, and the diffuser and the airbag main body thereby start to deploy above the IP. In this early stage of deployment, the diffuser is quickly almost fully inflated, and gas discharge openings are located above the IP. The diffuser is provided with a depression, and the depression faces the interfering object M.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Yasuhito Miyata, Masatoshi Nasui
  • Patent number: 8894096
    Abstract: Air bag cushion inflators can include a body including a base member coupled to a diffuser member, the diffuser member including a sidewall with exit ports and a ceiling. A combustion chamber may be positioned within the body and includes a cap with an opening formed therein. A filter element may be positioned in fluid communication with the opening in the combustion chamber cap, and located between the combustion chamber cap and the diffuser member ceiling. The filter element includes at least one barrier and a plurality of apertures positioned to cause inflation gas from the combustion chamber to travel from the opening in the combustion chamber cap to the exit port along a tortuous path including at least one debris pocket and at least one impact region. Methods of forming a filter, and disposing the filter in an inflator body. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Fischer
  • Patent number: 8876158
    Abstract: An air bag apparatus includes: a base plate, two gas generators, a cover member covering the two gas generators so as to form a gap, an air bag accommodated in contact with the base plate, a hollow formed in the base plate and provided with a communication hole, the hollow accommodating the two gas generators such that a space is provided between two gas generators and another gap, for communicating with the communication hole, is formed, the air bag accommodated such that a gas inlet thereof enclose the communication hole from the other side of the base plate, the air bag, the base plate and the cover member being integrally fixed, and a sealed gas discharge path formed by the cover member and the base member, and leading from the gas discharge port of the two gas generators to the gas inlet of the air bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Daicel Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Yamazaki, Masayuki Ueda
  • Patent number: 8851509
    Abstract: A center airbag apparatus for a vehicle may include an inflator ejecting gas in an event of a vehicle collision, an airbag housing provided on a roof panel between a front seat and a rear seat, and an airbag cushion coupled at an upper end thereof to the airbag housing and fluid-connected to the inflator, wherein the airbag cushion may be folded in a vertical direction and then folded at both sides thereof towards a middle portion, thus allowing the both sides to be first unfolded and then the airbag cushion to be deployed downwards, when the gas may be ejected from the inflator into the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jun Yeol Choi
  • Patent number: 8840139
    Abstract: An airbag can include a base panel and a cushioning panel that cooperate to define an inflatable chamber. A deflector can be positioned between the base panel and the cushioning panel. The deflector can be attached to the base panel so as to define a lower inflation aperture that directs inflation gas toward a bottom end of the base panel. In some arrangements, the airbag can include a tether that extends through the lower inflation aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Joseph Borton, Changsoo Choi
  • Publication number: 20140265262
    Abstract: Heat shields are used to shield an airbag from hot gasses issuing from an inflator. The heat shields can have a low thermal conductivity and may be capable of melting during a deployment event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: John F. Witt, JR., David W. Schneider, Michael Kutchey, Jamie R. Fritz
  • Patent number: 8820784
    Abstract: A gas generating system is presented that contains a gas deflector positioned about an associated gas generator. The deflector may be attached to an outer wall of a perforate housing of the gas generator, or, alternatively, the deflector may be attached to a support structure positioned about the perforate housing, whereby gases exiting the gas generator upon actuation thereof, impinge upon the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Brian A. Mayville, Dale E. Tauchen
  • Patent number: 8801029
    Abstract: An airbag includes a high pressure expansion chamber, a low pressure expansion chamber, and a communication passage, which connects the high pressure expansion chamber and the low pressure expansion chamber to each other. A gas supply port, which supplies inflation gas into the airbag, is located inside the low pressure expansion chamber to discharge the inflation gas toward the inside of the communication passage. The communication passage extends from the edge of a communication port, which connects the high pressure expansion chamber and the low pressure expansion chamber, toward the inside of the high pressure expansion chamber. At deployment and inflation of the airbag, the communication passage is located between a seam formed at the outer periphery of the base fabric sheet of the airbag and the gas supply port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Hotta, Yuji Sato, Kensaku Honda, Yoshiaki Goto, Takashi Iida, Akira Yamashita, Masaaki Okuhara
  • Patent number: 8777260
    Abstract: An airbag unit with an airbag (10) encloses a gas compartment, an inflator, and a housing (20) containing the folded airbag. A holding device (40) having a first and a second section (42, 44) is provided, the first section (42) is connected to the housing (20), and the second section (44) can be detached from, the first section (42) upon an electrical signal. The holding device detachably fastens a tensioning element, whose first end is connected to the airbag, and its second end is connected to the housing (20) via the holding device (40) when the first and second sections (42 or 44) are connected. The holding device second section (44) is arranged inside the gas compartment, and a hole (13) is provided in the airbag (10), through which an ignition cable plug socket, an ignition lead (50) or the holding device first section (42) protrudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Armin Kränzle, Stephan Schellbronn
  • Patent number: 8757660
    Abstract: In one form, a passenger airbag device is provided including an airbag; a retainer having an opening on a passenger side; a bag ring provided to an inside of the retainer; and the gas generating device; wherein: the retainer further includes a base wall that forms a substantially rectangular outer edge shape; two first peripheral wall portions; and two second peripheral wall portions; and the bag ring comprises: a bottom wall portion configured to hold a peripheral edge portion of the opening of the airbag; a first upright wall having a predetermined first height dimension, that is arranged so as to face the first peripheral wall portion of the retainer; and a second upright wall having a predetermined second height dimension larger than the first height dimension, that is arranged so as to face the second peripheral wall portion of the retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Matsui
  • Publication number: 20140151988
    Abstract: A gas generator for a protective airbag includes at least one pressurized gas chamber, a first actuator arranged so as to open the pressurized gas chamber, and a diffusion chamber including at least one diffusion hole defining a communication surface. Outside the diffusion chamber, the gas generator includes an obturator having a second actuator. The obturator is arranged in a first position in which it defines a first diffusion surface. The second actuator is arranged so as to allow it to go into a second position in which it defines a second diffusion surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Mats JOHANSON, Tobias ADERUM
  • Publication number: 20140125041
    Abstract: An improved airbag assembly (20) has an inflator (40), an airbag (20) and a diffuser (70). The diffuser (70) is formed from two folded inner and outer pocket panel layers of fabric and sewn to the airbag (20). The folded inner pocket layer (71) is configured to fit inside the outer pocket layer (73) forming a two-layer structure. The fold (75) in the inner layer (71) is oriented in a first direction relative to the weave of the fabric and the fold of the outer layer (73) is oriented at a second direction relative to the weave of the fabric wherein the second direction is different from the first direction. The first direction and second direction of folds (75, 77) are inclined relative to the other so upon assembly the inner pocket layer (71) fabric weave is directionally inclined on a bias relative to the outer pocket layer (73) fabric weave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Bruce Andrew Kalandek
  • Patent number: 8714585
    Abstract: An airbag in which no choking occurs and which can be rapidly deployed. A cushion section of the airbag internally accommodates a cylinder-type inflator that includes an insertion hole for inserting the inflator from an outside to an inside, and a diffuser into which the inflator is inserted, and a diffuser having a tubular portion obtained by folding back a section of cloth to form symmetrical portions with an upper base formed by the folded back part and a lower base formed by adjacent ends of the symmetrical portions. The cushion section is folded back at both lateral sides of the along first folding lines that are substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Masakazu Okamoto, Akifumi Hanawa, Takashi Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20140117652
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combustion chamber screen, especially for an inflator, that includes plural flow orifices and bent segments. In accordance with the invention, the bent segments are arranged around a center (M) of the combustion chamber screen so that in the circumferential direction of the combustion chamber screen (10) a waveform having plural wave peaks (12) and wave troughs (13) is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Ramp
  • Patent number: 8708365
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a side curtain airbag assembly for protecting an occupant of a vehicle is provided. The side curtain airbag assembly comprises an inflatable cushion configured to be installed between a roof rail and an upper vehicle trim of the vehicle. The inflatable cushion is deployable from an uninflated state to an inflated state by gas from a gas generator. The inflatable cushion includes a side protection panel having an upper perimeter portion and one or more sub chambers. The sub chambers inflate downward from the upper perimeter portion. An upward deploying chamber is in fluid communication with the side protection panel and inflates upward between the roof rail and the upper vehicle trim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Fulmer, Alex S. Damman, Rebecca Ann DeAguiar
  • Patent number: 8702125
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment can be an inflator module assembly. The inflator module assembly can include a module housing having a plurality of gas discharge openings; an inflator housed within the housing, the inflator, upon actuation, emitting gas from one lateral side or end thereof, and a gas treatment assembly mounted within the housing external the side or end of the inflator from which gas is emitted. The gas treatment assembly can include a first strainer element nestled within a second strainer element. The first and second strainer elements each have a side wall including a plurality of gas passage apertures, with at least either 1) the gas passage apertures of the first strainer element offset relative to the gas passage apertures of the second strainer element or 2) the gas passage apertures of the second strainer element offset relative to the module housing gas discharge openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley W. Smith, David W. Parkinson
  • Publication number: 20140103625
    Abstract: One variation may include a product including an airbag diffuser that may be elongated and may be constructed and arranged to provide a gas catcher constructed and arranged to maintain the diffuser in an extended position when hot gases from an inflator impinge on the gas catcher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicants: TK Holdings Inc., GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: SCOTT D. THOMAS, RICHARD WIIK, NICOLE WIGGINS
  • Patent number: 8684408
    Abstract: A side impact airbag cushion for mounting on a seat in a motor vehicle includes an occupant facing panel and a panel opposite the occupant facing panel, and a mounting portion mounted on the seat back. A cushion upper half portion is positioned near the occupant head, and a cushion lower half lower portion is positioned adjacent the occupant torso and has a central unfilled region surrounded by a tubular inflated ring that extends toward the occupant from the central unfilled region. The cushion upper half portion has a tubular inflated pillow region that extends toward the occupant further than the tubular inflated ring surrounding the central unfilled region, to thereby provide an enlarged pillow surface for supporting the occupant head. An upper tether attached to the cushion is shorter in length than the cushion so that the tether rotates the cushion upper half portion toward the occupant head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, Richard Wiik