Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring an electrical signal from a patient's body includes a disposable electrode patch having a thin flexible housing with an adhesive exterior, a power source, a printed circuit board, a plurality of electrodes, a converter for converting a detected electrical signal from the patient's body to a digital signal, a processor for processing the digital signal, and a transmitter connected for transmitting the processed digital signal as a wireless signal. A monitoring unit communicating with the electrode patch includes a power source, a transceiver, a global positioning receiver, a processor, at least one communication port for external communications, and a display. A system of the invention includes a plurality of patients having medical monitors wirelessly communicating biometric information to a central processor for archiving and accessing.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor for a vehicle safety restraint has a spool rotatably mounted in a frame. A ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted to rotate with the spool. A control member is mounted in the frame. A locking pawl is pivotally mounted in the frame to pivot into engagement with the ratchet wheel. A sensor is responsive to the spool. Upon activation of the sensor, a cam surface and a cam follower couple the locking pawl to the control member. The cam surface has a discontinuity arranged so that the cam follower loses contact with the cam at high speeds but stays in contact with the cam surface at low speeds. Preferably, the discontinuity is a raised portion providing a first ramp in one direction in one portion on one side of the discontinuity of the cam surface and a second ramp in a different direction in a second portion of the cam surface on the other side of the discontinuity.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a lock cup mounted for pivotal or rotational movement in relation to a bush mechanism over a predetermined arc of a circle. The arc subtends an active working section of less than 360°. A wedge extends into the gap between the lock cup and the bush mechanism to reduce the gap when the retractor is at rest. Preferably a wedge extends from both the lock cup and the bush mechanism. Such an arrangement reduces the slack between the lock cup and bush mechanism without jamming the mechanism.

Abstract: A pretensioner clutch housing for a vehicle seat belt arrangement has a housing made of a first housing part arranged to mount a clutch, and a second housing part arranged to mount a pre-tensioning device. The first and second housing parts have cooperating members for connecting the parts together. The cooperating members preferably are a flange on one part and a slot on the other. The clutch housing part is thus universal and only the pretensioner housing part needs to be changed to alter the angle of extension of a tube containing a pretensioner's piston to facilitate different models of cars.

Abstract: An airbag assembly comprises a mounting member for attachment to part of the vehicle, an airbag secured to the mounting member and a cover for the airbag. The cover is connected to the mounting member at least partly by snap fit fastening. In another aspect, the cover is attached to the member by connecting a bent over flange on the cover to the mounting member. The method of assembly comprises assembling the cover, airbag and mounting member together into an airbag mounting sub-assembly and then attaching an airbag inflator to the sub-assembly.

Abstract: A device for protecting against a side impact in a motor vehicle has a gas cushion which in the undeployed state is arranged in the trim of a vehicle door and in the inflated state extends beyond the lower edge of the window of the door, whereby the gas cushion is supported by at least two inflatable supports on the vehicle door which extend beyond the lower edge of the window of the door.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint device control system for use in a vehicle to selectively control the operation of safety devices such as one or more airbags includes a seat position sensor device which detects the position of a seat relative to a selected component of the vehicle, and a controller which receives signals from the seat position sensor device. A controller device processes the signals from the seat position sensor device and determines whether to activate, deactivate or modify the deployment of one or more vehicle occupant restraint devices, such as airbags or seat belt pretensioners, depending upon the position of the vehicle seat relative to a selected component of the vehicle structure, such as the steering wheel or instrument panel.

Abstract: A side safety barrier device to protect occupants of a vehicle includes a crash sensor to generate at least one actuator signal when a crash having predetermined properties is sensed. A safety barrier is normally stored in the headliner of the vehicle in a first or stored position and selectively deployable to a second or deployed position by the safety barrier deployment assembly when signaled by the crash sensor to separate or isolate the side of the vehicle on which the side safety device is disposed from the interior of the vehicle.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a method of manufacturing low aspect radial tires. The radial tires are mounted upon a bladder assembly during the time from the assembly of the tread reinforcing structure with the carcass until the vulcanization of the tire in a mold. Restrictor band material is wrapped around the tire to prevent circumferential growth of the tire beyond a predetermined diameter, so that the tire will not become too large to fit into the mold.