Abstract: A rupture feature releases pressurized gas into a diffuser through an egress opening in an inflator wall responsive to a pressure impulse in the inflator. A sturdy rupture fragment is positioned opposite the egress opening. A thin rupture membrane continuously circumscribes and sealingly interconnects the rupture fragment to the inflator about the egress opening. Rupture membrane thickness is less than rupture fragment thickness or inflator wall thickness at the egress opening. The rupture membrane is upstanding from the inflator wall about the egress opening to a constant height. The rupture fragment and the rupture membrane are integrally-formed with each other and with the inflator wall at the egress opening. The pressure impulse impacts the rupture fragment, urges the rupture fragment away from the inflator, detaches the rupture fragment from the inflator by fully transversely fracturing the rupture membrane, and drives the rupture fragment into containment within the diffuser.

Abstract: Lateral and longitudinal internal tethers can be used to restrict an inflatable airbag to a predetermined shape when inflated. A longitudinal tether extends from a rear portion or throat portion of the airbag to a front face. The portion of the front face that cushions an occupant can have a concave or planar shape, depending on the lengths of the lateral and/or longitudinal tethers.

Abstract: In an airbag system, an airbag obtained by closing each of opposite end portions of a folded metal tube with an end cap is attached to an attachment surface of a front pillar, and the airbag is deployed along the front pillar with a gas produced by an inflator. Therefore, a pedestrian who collides with the front pillar can be protected by the airbag. Since the portion of the airbag, which is away from the end cap toward an intermediate part of the airbag in a longitudinal direction of the airbag by a predetermined distance, is connected to the attachment surface, which is located outside the end cap in the longitudinal direction of the airbag, with a stay being interposed in between, the difficulty in an inflation in a part of the airbag in the vicinity of each end cap, due to the end cap being pressed against the attachment surface when the airbag is inflating, is prevented.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an inflator device for a passive restraint device, like an airbag. In certain aspects, a fuel-rich gas generant grain is located in actuating proximity to an initiator device. The grain has at least one flow channel through which a shock wave generated by the initiator device passes. The shock wave opens a burst disc between the inflator housing and downstream airbag to permit gases to flow into the airbag. A chamber storing pressurized gas (having at least one oxidant, e.g., O2) is also disposed within the inflator. Upon initiator actuation, the oxidant can react with combustion products of the initiator and the fuel-rich gas generant and flow into the airbag for rapid inflation. Methods of inflating airbags and improving airbag deployment reliability are provided. Such inflators are particularly suitable for large volume (greater than 60 liter) airbags.

Abstract: A gas generating pyrotechnic composition that in addition to a primary fuel component and a primary oxidizer component includes critical relative amounts of elemental carbon and cupric oxide. Also provided are associated methods for producing an inflation gas for an occupant restraint system of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A side impact airbag arrangement mounted in a vehicle door (20) has an air cavity (46) inside the body (22) of the vehicle door (20) an initial volume in an intact state and a reduced volume smaller than the initial volume after a side impact has deformed the door body (22). An airbag cushion (10) is arranged in an airbag compartment (44) adjacent to the air cavity (46). The airbag cushion (10) has an interior configured to be filled with a gaseous medium to inflate the airbag cushion (10). Flapper valves (14) inserted between the air cavity (46) and the interior of the airbag cushion (10) allow a flow of air from the air cavity (46) into the interior of the airbag cushion (10) to inflate the airbag cushion (10) when a side impact deforms the air cavity (46) from the initial volume to the reduced volume.

Abstract: An inflatable knee airbag is typically stored in a packaged state within an airbag housing. The housing typically has a cover, which can be either a cosmetic cover or an unfinished cover, if the cover will not be readily visible to an occupant. The cover can be extruded rather than molded and may have features for coupling the cover to the housing. The cover may also have other features such as a tear seam.

Abstract: A depth to which an inflatable airbag can deploy may be varied by internal tethers. If the tethers are coupled to a release assembly, then in an unreleased state, the tethers can limit the depth of airbag deployment; however, if the tethers are released, the airbag can deploy of a full depth.

Abstract: Inflatable curtain airbags can be used to mitigate the likelihood of an occupant being ejected from a vehicle through a side window. Inflatable curtain airbags are typically tethered to a vehicle structure on a car-forward side, but may not be tethered to a vehicle structure on their car-rearward side. Increased friction between the car-rearward side of the airbag and an adjacent vehicle structure can be used to help the airbag say in place, and thereby decrease the likelihood of an occupant passing the airbag and being ejected from the vehicle.

Abstract: Remote sensor units for a vehicle are described. A remote sensor unit may comprise an electronic assembly. The electronic assembly may comprise an electronic component. The electronic assembly may comprise one or more signal terminals coupled to the electronic component. The electronic assembly may comprise a protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate the electronic component. The protective enclosure is arranged to isolate the electronic component from thermal energy, pressure or residual material stress associated with one or more satellite housings. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention a method for making an electronic assembly is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate having a plurality of segmented portions. A first segmented portion has a first plurality of conductive traces terminating to form a first plurality of conductive pads. A second segmented portion has a second plurality of conductive traces terminating to form a second plurality of conductive pads. A flex circuit is placed onto the conductive pads. The flex circuit includes a third plurality of conductive traces terminating at a first end to form a first plurality of connecting pads and terminating at a second end to form a second plurality of connecting pads. Electronic components are electrically coupled to the first and second plurality of conductive traces to form a primary PCB and a daughter PCB. The connecting pads are electrically coupled to the conductive pads for electrically coupling the daughter PCB to the primary PCB.

Abstract: An airbag inflator in which a pressure vessel constituted by a base and a diffuser accommodates an igniter, a gas generating agent, a filter, and an inner cover that covers the gas generating agent and includes a bent portion that contacts an inner wall of the filter. The filter has a layered structure constituted by an inner filter and a wire mesh outer filter. The inner filter is of a cylindrical shape, in which upper and lower end portions are formed in a tapered shape that decreases in height toward an outer peripheral side. The wire mesh outer filter is fitted over an outer peripheral surface of the inner filter, excluding at least the respective end portions formed in the tapered shape, and has a slightly larger outer diameter than an inner diameter of the base. The filter is press-fitted into the base. Thus, the filter can be incorporated into the base easily. Further, close contact with the inner cover can be maintained when the diffuser and the base are integrated by welding.

Abstract: A steering wheel is provided and may include an armature having a rim and a coating at least partially surrounding the rim. A pair of electrodes may be respectively disposed within a pair of grooves formed in the coating. A polymer paint may be disposed on the coating and may include a plurality of carbon filaments that receive voltage from at least one of the pair of electrodes to selectively generate heat.

Abstract: A locking tongue seat belt assembly includes a tongue plate with a pair of side portions, an end flange that extends along the rear of the tongue plate, a pair of spaced apart side flanges that extend from the tongue plate along respective side portions of the tongue plate, and a lock bar that extends between the two side flanges. The ends of the lock bar are guided in respective slots of the side flanges such that the lock bar is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock bar and the end flange are configured to receive seat belt webbing between the lock bar and the end flange. The seat belt webbing is cinched between the lock bar and the end flange when the lock bar is in the locked position.

Abstract: Inflatable side airbags are employed to cushion an occupant in the event of a side impact. An occupant's outboard arm may become trapped between a deploying side airbag and the occupant's torso. This situation may cause injury to the occupant's ribs. Side airbags can be engineered such that the occupant's arm is moved out of the way by the airbag during deployment.

Abstract: The airbag cushion has a passive venting system that remains open or transitions to a closed position depending on the impact of the airbag with an occupant and the position of the occupant. The venting system self closes upon deployment when an occupant is not out of position but remains open when an occupant is out of position. The venting system self closes due to cushion membrane tension.

Abstract: Inflatable airbag cushions can be formed with one or more inflatable chambers, each having different inflated widths and volumes. For example, an inflatable knee airbag can have a first chamber that is adjacent to the periphery of the airbag and a second chamber that is nested within the first chamber. The two chambers can be fluidly coupled and the second chamber may have a vent formed in it that can release inflation gas out of the airbag. The airbag may have more than one nested chamber. The nested chambers can be defined by one or more internal tethers that can be formed from one or more pieces of material. The airbag can be configured such that it and any internal tethers are produced from a single panel of material.

Abstract: An inflatable knee airbag is typically stored in a packaged state within an airbag housing. The housing often has a cover, which can be either a cosmetic cover or an unfinished cover, if the cover will not be readily visible to an occupant. During inflatable airbag deployment, the housing may contribute to determining the airbag's trajectory. A car-forward portion of an airbag housing that is horizontally oriented may rotate in a car-downward direction to allow a deployment trajectory of the deploying airbag to be more vertically oriented.

Abstract: A pyrotechnic inflator assembly including a shell member and an end cap joinable with the shell member to form a subassembly. The subassembly containing a quantity of pyrotechnic material and at least in part defining a combustion chamber wherein at least a portion of the quantity of pyrotechnic material is reactable to form product gas for inflation of an associated airbag cushion and to generate pressure within the combustion chamber. The inflator assembly further including an overwrap about at least a portion of the subassembly to form a pyrotechnic inflator assembly that withstands the pressure generated within the combustion chamber upon reaction of the pyrotechnic material.

Abstract: An initiator assembly can include an outer body can have a first end, a second end, and an internal passage between the first and second ends. An initiator canister can be joined to the outer body at the first end and can define a charge chamber that includes a pair of pins extending therefrom. An insulative material can be molded within the passage to form an insulative structural member that joins the canister and pins to the outer body and insulates the pins and a portion of the canister from electrical contact with the outer body. An electrostatic discharge dissipater can be formed from an electrically conductive material and can be molded to the canister and the outer body at the first end. The dissipater can electrically connect the canister to the outer body to provide a controlled dissipation path for electrostatic discharge energy carried by the initiator assembly.