Abstract: Driver airbag cushion assemblies comprising dampening means. In some embodiments, the assembly may comprise a driver airbag module, a steering wheel armature, and an intermediate plate positioned between the driver airbag module and the steering wheel armature. The assembly may further comprise one or more horn actuators, such as horn springs coupled to the airbag module, and one or more dampening members. The one or more dampening members may be used to couple two or more of the armature, plate, and airbag module together. In some embodiments, the dampening member(s) may be functionally and/or physically decoupled from the one or more horn actuators.

Abstract: Airbag assemblies are disclosed that include inflatable knee airbags. The knee airbags can include panel(s) forming a main chamber that provides a primary cushioning protection zone to a lower leg of a vehicle occupant. The knee airbags can further include an external chamber panel coupled to a rearward surface of an occupant-facing panel, external to the main inflatable chamber, to form an external chamber facing the occupant. Vent(s) through the occupant-facing panel can communicate inflation gas from the main chamber to the external chamber to fill a space between the vehicle and the lower leg of the occupant, and to control timing of inflation of the external chamber to cause it to inflate on lateral sides of the lower leg of the occupant to thereby limit lateral movement of the lower leg relative to the vehicle.

Abstract: Holding elements for attaching an element of an airbag assembly to a holding unit comprising such a holding element and an inflating element, along with related methods. In some embodiments, the holding element may be configured for attaching an element of an airbag assembly via at least one tear seam, and the holding element may comprise a first side wall made of a flexible material and a second side wall made of a flexible material. A peripheral connection may couple the first side wall and the second side wall and may extend from a first end to a second end such that the first side wall, the second side wall, and the peripheral connection define a space therebetween and an opening. The holding element may further comprise an inlay comprising a hole and having at least one layer being located between the first side wall and the second side wall.

Abstract: Airbag cushion assemblies for aspirating ambient air to enhance inflation. Some embodiments may comprise an inflation module comprising an inflator and a plurality of high-velocity nozzles fluidly coupled with the inflator and configured to deliver inflation gas from the inflator into an airbag cushion. A housing coupled to the airbag cushion, may comprise an aspiration inlet configured to allow for receipt of ambient air into the airbag cushion during inflation of the airbag cushion. The plurality of high-velocity nozzles may be configured to, upon actuation of the inflator, draw ambient air into the airbag cushion along with the inflation gas from the inflator. In some embodiments, a valve assembly may be provided that is configured to open upon actuation of the inflator and to close following inflation of the airbag cushion to prevent air and inflation gas from exiting through the aspiration inlet.

Abstract: A vent for an inflatable chamber, such as an airbag cushion, can include a first flap and a second flap. The first flap and second flap can be opposing and/or overlapping. The first flap and the second flap impede fluid flow through the vent when the vent is in a closed state. Free ends of the first flap and the second flap can be positioned at an exterior of the inflatable chamber when the vent is in the open state.

Abstract: An inflatable airbag system can be configured to be mounted at a frontal region of a vehicle. The inflatable airbag system includes an airbag comprising a center cushion and a pair of side cushions each coupled to the center cushion on opposing sides of the center cushion. The side cushions can each have a triangular shape with an apex extending rearward further than at least a portion of an occupant-facing surface of the center cushion. The side cushions can be oriented with respect to each other at opposing angles relative to the center cushion such that an overall geometrical shape of the airbag is wider at a forward reaction base area of the airbag than at a rearward occupant-receiving area.

Abstract: Methods, devices and/or features which in addition to circumferential thrust neutrality additionally facilitate, permit or provide for thrust vector tuning of the inflation gas discharge from an inflator device. An end diffuser includes a diffuser wall defining a diffuser chamber for initially accepting inflation gas from a gas-providing portion of the inflator device. The diffuser wall includes a cylindrical portion having a plurality of inflation gas discharge openings disposed in a circumferential thrust neutral gas discharge array for discharging inflation gas from the diffuser chamber and an end wall portion forming a closed end to the diffuser. The end wall portion includes a protrusion of selected shape and dimensions extending therefrom into the diffuser chamber to create an inflation gas flow altering annular ring within the diffuser chamber to selectively thrust vector tune the inflator device.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems for repositioning a steering wheel and/or airbag cushion prior to and/or during deployment of the airbag cushion resulting from an impact event. Some embodiments may comprise a steering wheel configured to be positioned between a first, operational configuration and a second, deployed configuration, wherein in the second configuration the steering wheel is positioned laterally relative to the first configuration, and wherein the steering wheel is configured to be repositioned between the first configuration and the second configuration. A steering wheel actuator may be configured to move the steering wheel laterally from the first configuration to the second configuration.

Abstract: A tongue for a motor vehicle seat belt restraint system providing high friction restraining belt webbing transfer through the tongue in an impact condition. The tongue incorporates a deformable element which maintains the webbing away from contact with high friction elements in the normal use of the belt system. In a crash condition in which significant tension loads are applied to the belt webbing, the deformable element yields to provide contact between the belt webbing and a high friction surface which restricts the transfer of the webbing from the shoulder belt portion of the webbing to the let belt portion of the webbing which is normally more highly loaded in an impact condition. Several embodiments of deformable elements are described.

Abstract: Methods for making an airbag mounting bracket for use with an attachment component of an associated airbag cushion are provided. An opening in a mounting bracket precursor formed of a bracket precursor material is extruded. A rounded surface of the bracket precursor material adjacent the extruded opening is formed. The mounting bracket precursor with the rounded surface is subsequently finalized to form the airbag cushion mounting bracket, wherein the extruded opening provides an airbag attachment engagement opening for passage of the attachment component and the rounded surface provides a load bearing surface of increased area for the attachment component. Also provided are corresponding or associated airbag mounting brackets.

Abstract: The systems and methods of the present disclosure utilize an advantageous data transmission protocol, which facilitates determining and compensating for transmission delay between nodes in a communications network in order to correlate timing information across multiple nodes. According to the systems and methods presented herein, data may be transmitted from a first node to a second node, wherein the transmitted data includes each of (i) timing information (as measured by a first timing mechanism associated with the first node) characterizing a first set of data and (ii) a transmission time (as also measured by the first timing mechanism). A receiving time (as measured by a second timing mechanism associated with the second node) for the first set of data, may also be determined. Based on these parameters timing information characterizing the first set of data in the context of the second timing mechanism may then be determined.

Abstract: A radar module for forming an ultra-wide field of view, including vertically oriented and laterally spaced first and second antennas for transmitting radar signals and for receiving the radar signals after the radar signals have been reflected from a reflecting surface of an object in the FOV of the module. At least one transceiver is configured to generate drive signals for the first and second antennas, such that each antenna forms a flat beam, and a signal processor is configured to detect from the received reflected radar signals a location of one or more objects in the FOV of the module.

Abstract: Inflatable curtain airbags and airbag assemblies are provided that can provide for top filling. The inflatable curtain airbag can include a top fill tube and one or more cushion segments. The top fill tube can extend at or adjacent an upper edge of the one or more cushion segments and the top fill tube can direct inflation gas from an inflator to the one or more cushion segments via channels or passages disposed away from one or more occupant receiving areas. The inflatable curtain airbags can also include one or more attachment areas disposed at or adjacent the upper edge of the one or more cushion segments. Mounting tabs may be coupled to the attachment areas and the mounting tabs may be used for installation of the inflatable curtain airbag in a vehicle.

Abstract: A motor vehicle occupant restraint system is provided. The system may include an occupant seat, a vehicle electronic control unit, a seat electrical circuit, and an electrical coupling between the vehicle electronic control unit and the seat electrical circuit. The occupant seat may have a mounting mechanism for enabling the seat to be removably mounted to a structural component of the motor vehicle, the occupant seat may further include at least one occupant restraint mechanism. The vehicle electronic control unit may be affixed to the motor vehicle for controlling the occupant restraint mechanism. The electronic coupling may utilize electrical conductors that are attached to and extend along the webbing of the seatbelt.

Abstract: In a frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar processing system and method, a linear frequency ramp signal is defined. The linear ramp signal is divided into a plurality of time sections. The sections of the linear ramp signal are rearranged in time such that the plurality of sections define a transmit control signal different than the linear ramp signal. A radar transmission signal is generated having a frequency varying with time according to the transmit control signal, and the radar transmission signal is transmitted into the region of interest. An intermediate frequency (IF) signal is generated using the radar transmission signal and radar receive signals received from the region of interest, a frequency of the IF signal being a difference between the frequency of the radar transmission signal and a frequency of the radar receive signals. The IF signal is low-pass filtered. Radar processing is performed on the low-pass-filtered IF signal.

Abstract: A system and method for mitigating interference in a frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar processing system is defined. Random inter-pulse jitter is implemented in a transmitted radar signal to prevent identification of false tracks due to interfering radar signals. Random intra-pulse jitter of time and/or frequency is implanted to create spreading of false targets and provide a method to distinguish false targets from true targets. Adjacent sensors in a multi-sensor radar system are alternatingly configured to transmit either upward ramping or downward ramping frequencies to mitigate interference between adjacent sensors in the same radar system.

Abstract: A system for characterizing a moving object performs a cluster trajectory orientation process associated with clusters of detected points in each of a set of scans to estimate the heading of a non-point target. The cluster trajectory orientation process performs a principal component analysis on a corresponding position data matrix representing coordinates of the clusters of points for each of a set of scans and compares resulting eigenvectors to a heading of the cluster averages to generate a heading estimate. The heading estimate is combined with velocity estimates from a point target based tracking process and a Doppler-azimuth profile process in a weighted combination based on target attributes to improve the accuracy and performance of the system.

Abstract: Described are occupant positioning systems, and methods of use thereof, which combine image capture and radar or ultrasonic sensors, determine the head position and/or velocity of a vehicle occupant's head in three dimensions for use in a driver monitoring application. The driver monitoring applications may include features such as driver drowsiness estimation and indication, driver attention monitoring, driver gaze direction and driver gaze positioning, driver identification, head-up display adjustment and automatic sun blocking. These are features that can improve the operational safety of the vehicle.

Abstract: Airbag cushion assemblies comprising cushion orientation features and related methods. Some embodiments may comprise an airbag cushion comprising a throat region comprising an inflator opening. An inflator comprising an inflator collar may be coupled with the airbag cushion. The inflator collar may comprise a non-circular shape. The assembly may further comprise an inflator coupling member coupled with the airbag cushion at the inflator opening. The inflator coupling member may similarly comprise a non-circular opening configured to be aligned with the inflator opening and to mate with the non-circular shape of the inflator collar so as to prevent the inflator from being coupled with the airbag cushion in a non-desired rotational orientation.

Abstract: A curtain airbag assembly that includes one or more angled stiffening chambers and one or more standoff chambers. An angled stiffening chamber may be configured to support and retain an occupant within a vehicle during or after a vehicle collision. The angled stiffening chamber may include a plurality of extending portions and bent portions such that the angled stiffening chamber, when inflated, has an angled or bent configuration.