Patents Represented by Law Firm Tarolli, Sundheim, Covel, Tummino & Szato
  • Vehicle safety apparatus with selective energy management
    Patent number: 5700034
    Abstract: A vehicle safety apparatus (10) has a seat belt system (16) with webbing (24) for restraining a vehicle occupant (88). A sensor (116) detects the occurrence of a condition indicative of a vehicle collision. A payout device (36) enables pay out of the webbing (24) in response to force applied to the webbing by the vehicle occupant (88). The payout device (36) is enabled to function in response to the signal. During payout of the webbing (24), energy is absorbed. In one embodiment, energy is absorbed by deforming a deformable material (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell C. Lane, Jr.