Abstract: Ammonium perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions which, upon combustion, produce or result in an improved effluent and related methods for generating an inflation gas for use in an inflatable restraint system are provided. Such ammonium perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions include ammonium perchlorate present with a mean particle size in excess of 100 microns. Such ammonium perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions also include or contain a chlorine scavenger present in an amount effective to result in a gaseous effluent that is substantially free of hydrogen chloride when the gas generant is combusted, wherein at least about 98 weight percent of the chlorine scavenger is a copper-containing compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pelvic airbag. The pelvic airbag has a front panel and a rear panel that is attached to the front panel. The airbag is made of metal, plastic, or combinations of metal and plastic and is configured such that it may be retained in a vehicle door between the inner skin and the trim panel. The airbag is further constructed such that when it is in the uninflated configuration, the thickness of the airbag is between about 2 to about 25 millimeters. An attachment mechanism may also be attached to the airbag. The attachment mechanism is designed to attach the airbag to the vehicle door. Additionally, an inflator housing may be attached to the rear panel. The inflator housing houses an inflator that is designed to inflate the airbag in the event of an accident or crash.

Abstract: A vibration gasket that is capable of dampening vibrations or movements of a vehicle steering wheel is disclosed. The vibration gasket has a first surface that may be attached to an airbag inflator and a second surface that may be attached to an airbag mounting plate. At least one foil strip is also added to the vibration gasket. The foil strip has an inflator interface area and a mounting plate interface area. The foil strip is constructed such that the inflator interface area may be positioned between the first surface and the inflator. Similarly, the foil strip is also constructed such that the mounting plate interface area may be positioned between the second surface and the mounting plate. Additionally, the vibration gasket may also be used to electrically ground the airbag inflator.

Abstract: An electric retractor extracts and retracts a seat belt in response to tension in the seat belt. The electric retractor may include a spool rotatably attached to a retractor frame. A seat belt is wound on the spool. The spool is rotated by a motor via a worm gear system that permits limited axial motion of the worm, but generally prevents the motor from being back-driven by tension in the seat belt to prevent forced seat belt extraction. The gear system may also cut off power to the motor in the event of excessive seat belt tension to prevent further payout of the seat belt. A senses tension in the seat belt and activates the motor to retract or extract the seat belt from the retractor. An emergency control system may override the web guide control in response to abnormal vehicle dynamics to provide reversible pre-crash pretensioning and/or crash pretensioning.

Abstract: A safety-belt arrangement for use in a motor vehicle has a safety-belt (5), one end of which is connected to a retractor (8), a sensor (11) generates a signal representative of the amount of safety-belt paid-out from the retractor. A force limiter (10) is associated with the retractor to permit safety-belt to be paid-out with a variable force limiting effect.

Abstract: A seat mounting structure is disclosed for reducing injury to vehicle occupants in side impact collisions. The seat mounting structure may include an inflation module, a linkage system, a sensor system, and a side airbag. The inflation module may include an inflatable structure and inflator or a piston device. The linkage system attaches the seat mounting structure to a seat and may help guide the movement of the seat. The sensor system may include a radar sensor and an optical sensor to help the sensor system anticipate an impending side impact. The seat mounting structure mitigates injury to the occupant by moving the occupant vertically up and laterally toward a centerline of the vehicle, thus increasing the space between the sidewall of the vehicle and the occupant. Additionally, the inflation module may comprise an inflatable structure that stiffens a floor structure of the vehicle upon inflation.

Abstract: An inflatable airbag curtain assembly that includes an inflatable curtain and a stiffening member is provided. The stiffening member is a bar-shaped plastic, metal, or similar component with a stiffness greater than the inflatable curtain. The stiffening member extends along a length of the inflatable curtain adjacent the inlet port and the closest mounting location to the roof rail of the vehicle. The stiffening member can be disposed within a channel formed near the top edge of the curtain. The inlet port of the inflatable curtain can receive a gas guide that extends from an inflator. The stiffening member has an attaching portion that connects to a defined location on the gas guide. The stiffening member thereby resists twisting of the inflatable curtain between the gas guide junction and the closest mounting location.

Abstract: The cushion retention system includes a cushion, at least one tab attached to the cushion, and a supporting member having an intermediary region and at least one aperture. The cushion is positioned in a folded condition. The supporting member is disposed along an outer periphery of the cushion. The tab, which includes a head and a narrow neck, interlocks with the aperture on the supporting member to retain the supporting member along an outer periphery of the folded cushion. In this interlocked condition, the supporting members apply an inward compressive force to retain the cushion in a folded condition.

Abstract: An airbag retention collar for attaching an inflatable airbag cushion in an airbag module assembly including a module canister and a side discharge inflator device. The retention collar includes a bent plate adapted to overlie the side discharge inflator device. A first mounting flange is disposed at a first end of the bent plate and a second mounting flange is disposed at a second end of the bent plate opposite the first end. The first and second mounting flanges each extend at an angle from the bent plate. The retention collar also includes a diffuser flange extending from the bent plate and a plate opening in the bent plate. The plate opening is disposed between the diffuser flange and the first mounting flange and is adapted to receive an inflator diffuser of the inflator device, such that the inflator diffuser extends through the plate opening to be disposed between the diffuser flange and the first mounting flange.

Abstract: An airbag module for installation in a motor vehicle is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the airbag module includes an airbag cushion. A diffuser is positioned inside the airbag cushion. The diffuser includes a diffuser panel that has a plurality of venting apertures disposed throughout. An inflator is provided for inflating the airbag cushion. The inflator includes an inflation gas dissemination portion that releases inflation gases upon activation of the inflator. The inflator is attached to the diffuser in such a way that the inflation gas dissemination portion of the inflator is located inside the airbag cushion.

Abstract: The application provides a bracket for regulating the deployment characteristics of a deploying airbag cushion. The brackets of the invention provide at least local control over the deployment path of an airbag cushion by rotating at least a portion of the cushion along its length either away from a vehicle occupant, or more generally, away from a structure, person, or object possibly positioned in the path of a deploying airbag cushion. Such brackets may be structured to rotate a deploying cushion in part by providing an additional reaction surface and by partially surrounding the cushion.

Abstract: An Impact sensor assembly provides a modular housing for vehicle impact sensors. The assembly comprises an impact sensor, an upper housing member, a lower housing member and a connector for establishing an electrical connection between the assembly and an appropriate vehicle system. The assembly may further include electronics for processing signals received from the sensor. The lower housing member receives and retains the sensor, and closeably interacts with the upper housing member to encase the sensor. The assembly defines structural features that ensures its proper installation into a vehicle. The preferred embodiment assures proper functioning of deformation impact sensors. A method of installing the assembly provides a process for rapid and proper installation of the assembly into a vehicle.

Abstract: An enhanced fastening assembly may be used, for example, to attach an emblem to an airbag cover. The fastening assembly may include the emblem and a backing member. The emblem may have a panel with a decorative surface and one or more protrusions extending from the opposite side of the panel. Each protrusion has a proximal end adjacent to the panel and a larger distal end. The protrusions extend through openings in the cover. The backing member has open-ended slots that receive the proximal ends to interfere with withdrawal of the distal ends through the openings. Tabs adjacent to the slots snap into position to abut the distal ends to restrict removal of the backing plate from the emblem. In one alternative embodiment, the emblem also has hooks that pass through additional holes in the cover and engage supplemental slots of the backing member to provide for more secure attachment.

Abstract: A range discriminating optical sensor for use in a vehicle safety system is provided. The range discriminating sensor is designed to create a small depth of field such that objects at a range outside of the depth of field are eliminated from the image. Generally, the optical sensor uses a large aperture to limit the depth of field. An electronic imaging element is used to detect the image projected by the lens. The electronic imaging element may have a small pixel size which further reduces the depth of field. A signal processor can be used to determine the distance from the image sensor with objects with the selected depth of field appearing in focus and those outside of the depth of field appearing out of focus.

Abstract: An airbag module may include an inflator, a cushion, and a retention apparatus that keeps the cushion in a stowed configuration until deployment. The retention apparatus may include a flexible member wrapped around the cushion and a hook-and-loop fastening strip attached to the flexible member via a sewn seam. The hook-and-loop fastening strip has hooks fastened to the flexible member to secure the flexible member around the cushion. The sewn seam is weak enough to permit the hook-and-loop fastening strip to break away from the flexible member. When the cushion begins to inflate, the sewn seam breaks to allow the hook-and-loop fastening strip to separate from one side of the flexible member while remaining attached to the opposite side. The cushion is able to inflate through the corresponding opening formed in the retention apparatus. In alternative embodiments, the flexible member, fastener, and attachment mechanism may be reconfigured or omitted.

Abstract: The inflatable cushion of the present invention includes at least two panels and one or more heat shield strips. Each panel has an inflatable region, an attachment region, and a peripheral edge. The attachment region is positioned between the peripheral edge and the inflatable region of each panel. An inward fold is disposed between the inflatable region and the attachment region of each panel. The attachment regions of each panel are disposed proximate each other. A heat shield strip is disposed on a portion of the attachment region and the inflatable region of the same panel. A secure fastener secures the attachment regions of each adjacent panel together and secures the heat shield strip to the attachment region on which it is disposed. A frangible fastener secures the heat shield strip to the adjacent inflatable region on which it is positioned.

Abstract: An airbag module has an inflator activated via an electrical connector. The inflator includes an initiation assembly having an initiator and a receptacle that retains the connector. The initiator may have a single, center pin. The initiator may be encased by a body and cover, which may be attached together by molding, vibratory welding, electromagnetic welding, or snap fitting. The connector may have projections that extend from a main body to facilitate retention of the connector by a collar, washer, a retainer attached to the body, or by the inflator housing. The body may be seated in a collar having an annular ridge that presses into the body to form a seal. The connector may have a rib designed to mesh with splines of the receptacle to enable engagement of the connector with the receptacle in multiple orientations, while preventing relative rotation between the connector and the initiator after assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a steering wheel assembly. The steering wheel assembly has a center portion and an outer rim. The outer rim encircles the center portion. A cover and an upper housing are also added to the center portion. The cover goes over the top of the center portion whereas the upper housing is positioned below the cover. The upper housing is constructed such that it is capable of being depressed from a normal position to a compressed position. An intermediate portion is also added to the steering wheel. The intermediate portion is positioned between the outer rim and the center portion and forms an interface with the cover. The steering wheel is constructed such that when the upper housing is in the normal position, there is no gap at the interface between the cover and the intermediate portion. This may be accomplished by constructing the intermediate portion to include an overhanging portion that overlaps and fits together with the cover.

Abstract: An airbag module is disclosed which, in one configuration, inflates from a vehicle seat to protect a vehicle occupant against lateral impact. The airbag module has a cushion with a pelvic chamber and a thoracic chamber. The airbag module also has an inflation assembly including an inflator within a housing inside the cushion. The housing has an aperture disposed within each of the chambers such that, when the inflator deploys, the pelvic chamber is inflated to a relatively higher pressure. The inflator may be moved axially within the housing to control the pressure ratio between the chambers. The housing is attached to the vehicle seat via attachment features that may be located at a variety of positions with respect to the remainder of the housing to facilitate adaptation of the inflation assembly to multiple cushion and vehicle configurations.

Abstract: An assembly including a support housing and an actuator device. The actuator device includes an extendable initiator cup including at least one non-random fold and at least in part defining a storage chamber containing a reactive charge reactable to produce reaction products. The extendable initiator cup longitudinally extends from a first length to a second, greater length upon reaction initiation of the reactive charge. The extendable initiator cup is at least partially disposed within a longitudinally extending bore of the support housing. The support housing is effective to limit lateral expansion of the extendable initiator cup upon reaction initiation of the reactive charge. The assembly can include an electrical conductive member or an electrical switch. The extendable initiator cup can extend to sever the electrical conductive member or disengage the electrical switch, thereby interrupting the conduction of electricity through an electrical system.