Abstract: There is provided a bracket for securing a side airbag for an automotive vehicle. The bracket fixes a path such that a connection strap connecting the side airbag to the bracket is secured to an A-pillar and removes any interference when the side airbag is assembled, to make it easy to assemble the side airbag in a manufacturing site. The bracket has a through aperture through which a bolt is fastened, and a mounting plate secures the side airbag to the vehicle. Protrusions are each formed on each of both side ends of the bracket, and a bracket clip is installed on the external surface of the bracket. The bracket clip comprises: a bending part formed in the middle of the bracket clip; a plurality of support plates formed at either side of the bending part; and through apertures formed on the support plates, corresponding to the through aperture of the bracket.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for enabling a vehicle having adaptive cruise control to reduce its speed in a turn according to the vehicle's position within the turn as well as ignoring objects detected during the turn that are not in the vehicle's path. The method of the present invention includes the steps of operating the vehicle in an adaptive cruise control mode such that the vehicle is traveling at a set speed; determining whether the vehicle is in a turn in the vehicle's path by detecting change in the vehicle's lateral acceleration; and when the vehicle is determined to be in the turn, reducing the vehicle's speed according to the vehicle's position in the turn, monitoring for objects and maintaining the vehicle's speed if an object is positioned out of the path of the vehicle.

Abstract: A lane change assist system and method are provided for assisting the driver of the vehicle in maneuvering a lane change. The system includes a range sensor mounted on a vehicle for sensing range to an object in a side detection zone adjacent to one side of the vehicle. The system also includes a controller for determining when the side detection zone is clear for the vehicle to change lanes based on the sensed range signal. The controller determines whether there is sufficient space to initial a lane change maneuver based on the sensed range signal and generates an output signal indicative thereof. An output is provided to warning lights indicative of the determined state for initiating the lane change maneuver.

Abstract: An inflation device for an airbag module, the inflation device comprising: a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber having a first volume of inflation gas and the second chamber having a second volume of inflation gas; a first inflation opening for allowing the first volume of inflation gas to pass therethrough and a first sealing member, the first sealing member sealing the first inflation opening; a second inflation opening for allowing the second volume of inflation gas to pass therethrough and a second sealing member, the second sealing member sealing the second inflation opening, the second inflation opening being substantially smaller than the first inflation opening; a conduit member for providing fluid communication with the first inflation opening and the second inflation opening; an initiator for removing a portion of the first sealing member from the first inflation opening; and a puncture device disposed within the conduit member, the puncture device being configured to remove a por

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for pyromechanical separation comprising a housing (4) and a conducting rail (2) which is arranged therein and embodied in such a way that it is separable at a separation point (13) by a separating tool (6) which is actuated by a propulsion pyrotechnical charge (12). In order to protect said conducting rail against manipulations and ensure an unequivocal positioning, the conducting rail (2), the propulsion charge (12) and the separating tool (6) are fixed in the housing (4) in an irremovable manner by a latch (5) which is inserted into the housing (4) and are nondetachably fixed thereto. Said latch (5) is also used as a support for the separating tool (6), i.e. it comprises a cutting edge (7) along which said separating tool (7) cuts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting a vehicle rollover or dangerous situations that may precede a rollover of a vehicle.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a steering wheel arrangement for motor vehicles having a steering wheel, an airbag module held at the steering wheel and movable in the direction of the axis of the steering wheel, and an electrical contact system arranged between the steering wheel and the airbag module for the actuation of an electrical functional unit, in particular of a vehicle horn by a relative movement between the steering wheel and the air-bag module taking place in the direction of the steering wheel axis, where-in the contact system includes elongate extended electrical conductors which are attached to mutually confronting sides of the steering wheel and of the airbag module or only to the steering wheel or to the airbag module and extend in such a way that conductors spaced apart in the direction of the steering wheel axis cross at least one contact position.

Abstract: A child restraint system and a method for monitoring installation of the child restraint system are provided. The child restraint system includes a child seat configured to receive a child occupant. The child restraint system further includes a first sensor coupled to the child seat. The first sensor is configured to output a first signal indicative of positional angle of the child seat relative to a first axis. The child restraint system further includes a controller coupled to the child seat configured to receive the first signal and to calculate a first angle value based on the first signal. The controller is further configured to induce a first device disposed on the child seat to indicate when the first angle value is not within a predetermined angular range from the first axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a side airbag device for use in a vehicle, comprising: an inflatable cushion for deployment from an unexpanded state to an expanded state. The inflatable cushion is positioned behind a headliner of the vehicle in an un-inflated state and the inflatable cushion is configured to traverse a side of the vehicle when it is inflated. The inflatable cushion also comprising a deploying edge that defines a portion of a periphery of the inflated cushion, wherein the inflatable cushion is folded in a manner that causes the deploying edge to deploy as a first leading edge as said inflatable cushion is inflated to an expanded state by an inflator wherein the deploying edge is the first portion of the inflatable cushion to expand around the headliner.

Abstract: The factory-calibrated target discrimination threshold of a radar-based motor vehicle back-up aid is adaptively lowered under specified vehicle operating conditions to provide enhanced target detection sensitivity without causing false target detection. The threshold is initialized to the calibrated value on transition to the reverse range, and is thereafter subject to adaptive adjustment so long as a target is not detected and a high-clutter condition is not in effect. The adaptive adjustment is carried out by low-pass filtering the resultant data of the radar sensor, starting with a factory-calibrated noise baseline, to determine the current noise level, and then calculating the threshold from the noise level. The adaptive adjustment is suspended for an interval after target detection, and the threshold is increased when a high clutter condition is detected based on rate of change in vehicle speed.

Abstract: A rollover warning and detection method for a transport vehicle is adaptively adjustable to take into account the CG height of the vehicle. Measures of the vehicle speed, lateral acceleration and yaw rate are sampled during normal driving conditions and used to estimate the CG height of the vehicle. The centrifugal acceleration acting on the vehicle is calculated as the product of vehicle speed and yaw rate, and the CG height is estimated based on the relationship between the calculated centrifugal acceleration and the measured lateral acceleration. The estimated CG height of the vehicle is used to adjust various calibrated rollover detection thresholds so that algorithm outputs such as rollover warnings automatically take into consideration vehicle loading effects.

Abstract: An inflatable cushion and method of making an inflatable cushion for deployment along an interior side of a vehicle, comprising: a first inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of the first inflatable portion; a second inflatable portion having an opening providing fluid communication into a low permeable inflation chamber of the second inflatable portion; a fluid dispersing conduit being in fluid communication with the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion, the fluid dispersing conduit comprising an inlet opening configured to receive an inflation force for inflating the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion, wherein the fluid dispersing conduit traverses a gap between the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion; and a non-inflatable member disposed in the gap between the first inflatable portion and the second inflatable portion, wherein the non-inflatable member reduces the require

Abstract: A method of classifying vehicle occupants utilizes a neural network engine having a state machine for determining if an occupant has changed preferably between an adult and adult, an adult and child, and a child and child from a pair of images. If no change has occurred, the method utilizes the prior occupant type and then decides if the occupant has changed in position. If no, the occupant is deemed static and the prior type is valid as a classification or output to preferably a vehicle restraint system. If the occupant has changed in position, a dynamic classification process is initiated by either an adult or a child dynamic classifier as dictated by the state machine. Valid dynamic classifier outputs or classifications can be sent to the restraint system and invalid dynamic classifier outputs are sent to a static classifier for update of the occupant type.

Abstract: A cargo sensing apparatus for a cargo container such as a semi-trailer includes a laser line scanning unit. In a preferred embodiment, first and second laser line generators are mechanically scanned in synchronism with a solid-state imager to identify and map the contents of the cargo container. The map is analyzed to detect cargo items stored in the container, and the cargo status is reported to a remote location.

Abstract: A child restraint system with a child seat monitoring system and a method for monitoring a child seat are provided. The child restraint system is adapted to be mounted within a vehicle. The child restraint system includes a child seat having a carrier portion and a handle coupled to the carrier portion. The child restraint system further includes a temperature sensor disposed on the handle for generating a first signal indicative of a temperature in a predetermined region of the child seat.

Abstract: A combustible gas inflator and a method for filling and sealing the inflator are provided. The inflator includes an enclosure configured to receive and store the combustible gas under pressure. The enclosure has an outer wall comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a fill aperture extending therethrough. The fill aperture has a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion. The first aperture portion is proximate the exterior surface and the second aperture portion is proximate the interior surface, wherein the first aperture portion is larger than the second aperture portion. The inflator further includes a sealing member configured to seal the fill aperture. The sealing member has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to sealingly engage a portion of the second aperture portion and the second portion is configured to sealingly engage a portion of the first aperture portion.

Abstract: A technique for providing better detection of close range truck trailers for a motor vehicle with Stop and Go Adaptive Cruise Control determines if a range parameter to a target requires modification if such target is a truck trailer, for example. Truck trailer geometry is such that a standard adaptive cruise control system may have difficulty accurately determining the range to the rearmost position of the truck. The technique determines an initial range from the motor vehicle to a target. Then, the technique determines whether the range rate of the target is above a predetermined rate. When the range rate of the target is not above the predetermined rate, the technique determines whether the initial range to the target is less than a current range to the target. If so, the technique provides an adjusted range, which is then utilized in the control operation of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: Impacts with a vehicle body panel are detected by sensing airflow inboard of the vehicle body panel. The airflow can be measured by heated element sensor, a Pitot tube sensor, a venturi sensor or other airflow-responsive sensor. For side impact detection, the sensor is located in a door or pillar on the side of the vehicle; for frontal impact detection, the sensor may be located behind the front bumper. Multiple sensors mounted in distributed locations can be used to determine the location and extent of an impact.

Abstract: A child restraint system includes an electronic control unit having an event data recorder for storing data relating to proper adjustment or installation of the child restraint system. The control unit receives an electrical signal from one or more sensors mounted on the child seat and determines conditions of the child seat based upon the value of the property indicated by the signal. The event data recorder is configured to store the resulting data and to allow the stored data to be retrieved in response to an inquiry. Thus, in the event of a vehicle accident or other incident, the electronic control unit may be connected to an external diagnostic unit, and the relevant data may be downloaded to the diagnostic unit for evaluation.

Abstract: A detecting device for a vehicle and method thereof is provided. The device includes a first infrared detector, a second infared detector, and a controller. The first infrared detector is configured to repeatedly measure a temperature of a first target area by receiving infrared radiation of the first target area over a sampling period. The second infrared detector is configured to repeatedly measure a temperature of a second target area by receiving infrared radiation of the second target area over the sampling period. The controller is configured to receive and store the plurality of first and second signals, wherein the controller repeatedly compares a plurality of correlation values to a predetermined tolerance range above a minimum threshold value, wherein the correlation values are determined by repeatedly comparing a plurality of time delayed signals of the second plurality of signals to a real time signal of the plurality of first signals.