Patents Assigned to Autoliv Developments AB
  • Publication number: 20080298725
    Abstract: By forming a resin sheet or a metal sheet, an angular-box-shaped bag main body having gore portions on surrounding side faces to ensure its height is formed. A folded line to be folded, in a manner to form a valley line, toward an inside of the box-shaped bag main body is formed in an intermediate portion of each of the gore portions in a height direction. A triangular overlaid and folded portion is formed in an end of each of the gore portions on each of the surrounding side faces with each corner portion of the angular-box-shaped bag main body being sandwiched between one surrounding side face and another surrounding side face adjacent to the one surrounding side face in which the gore portion is folded in an overlaid manner in the overlaid and folded portion at a same time when another gore portion on another surrounding side face is folded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Koji Korechika
  • Patent number: 7458136
    Abstract: A seatbelt buckle for receiving and locking an insert tongue, said seatbelt buckle comprising a housing, a bolt which locks the insert tongue, and a slide button which acts upon the bolt, wherein an inertial mass is provided for shockproofing of the seatbelt buckle. The inertial mass is mounted and guided on a guide disposed on the slide button and/or the housing. The slide button including a catch which is located apart from guide and opposite the bearing axis of the coupling lever. The bearing axis being fixed to the housing, wherein two arms of the coupling lever directly engage the inertial mass and the catch of the slide button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Regis Duteil
  • Patent number: 7458534
    Abstract: A pretensioner coupling for a seat belt retractor for a motor vehicle of a type having a belt shaft and a pretensioner drive for winding the belt shaft. The pretensioner coupling having a coupling latch movably arranged between a release position and an engagement position. The coupling latch produces a load-transmitting rotational connection between the belt shaft and the pretensioner drive when in the engagement position and movable out of the engagement position and into the release position to permit relative rotation between the belt shaft and the pretensioner drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Michael Pech, Stefan Höfs
  • Patent number: 7458606
    Abstract: An air-bag is formed from two super-imposed layers of fabric which define between them at least one inflatable region. A gas supply duct extends into the air-bag. Apertures are formed in the gas supply duct. The gas supply duct is of elongate form, and is formed from a fabric having intersecting warp and weft yarns, the warp and weft yarns being inclined at an angle of between 30° and 60° and preferably 45° to the axis of the gas supply duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Frederic Charpentier
  • Patent number: 7455319
    Abstract: A tilting arrangement for a vehicle steering wheel unit is disclosed. The tilting arrangement incorporates a mount (2) to mount the tilting arrangement on the vehicle. A support element (11) is provided, and the steering wheel unit is pivotally connected (13) to the support element (11) to effect tilting pivotal movement about a pivot axis (13). The support element (11) is moveable relative to the mount (2) so as to move the pivotal axis (13) with a movement which has a substantial upward component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Lennart Haglund, Kalle Ekdahl, Hans Erlandsson
  • Patent number: 7455316
    Abstract: An air-bag arrangement is disclosed which comprises an air-bag (21), an aperture (22) communicating with the interior of the air-bag (21), and a gas generator (23) to generate gas to inflate the air-bag (21). The gas generator (23) is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis extending across the aperture (22) so that the gas generator (23) is pivotally moveable between a closed position in which at least part of the gas generator (23) extends across the aperture (22), to close the aperture (22), and an open position in which said aperture (22) is opened to permit the flow of gas from the air-bag (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Stefan Andersson, Jan Svanberg
  • Patent number: 7438311
    Abstract: A reliable hose for introduction and distribution of inflator gas improves the storing properties of an air bag device for side collision, reduces storing space, is advantageous in terms of cost, and has enough strength. A hose made of woven fabric for introduction and distribution of inflator gas is arranged in an air bag device for side collision and has one or more distributing hole(s) for introduction and distribution of gas from an inflator to the inner area of an air bag upon actuation of the air bag. On the side containing said distributing hole, there is a non-tubular portion which projects from a hose tubular portion to the outside of an opposite side to the tubular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignees: Toyo Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Tatsuo Konishi
  • Patent number: 7431330
    Abstract: By forming a resin sheet or a metal sheet, an angular-box-shaped bag main body (51) having gore portions (54) on surrounding side faces to ensure its height is formed. A folded line (55) to be folded, in a manner to form a valley line, toward an inside of the box-shaped bag main body (51) is formed in an intermediate portion of each of the gore portions (54) in a height direction. A triangular overlaid and folded portion (56) is formed in an end of each of the gore portions (54a) on each of the surrounding side faces with each corner portion of the angular-box-shaped bag main body (51) being sandwiched between one surrounding side face and another surrounding side face adjacent to the one surrounding side face in which the gore portion (54b) is folded in an overlaid manner in the overlaid and folded portion (56) at a same time when another gore portion on another surrounding side face is folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Koji Korechika
  • Patent number: 7431340
    Abstract: A main controlling section of a controlling unit (13), when judging a collision risk, drives a motor (12) in a direction of retracting a seat belt (3) and raises tension of the seat belt (3). The main controlling section, when tension of the seat belt (3) reaches a predetermined value, judges that a locking signal is input and has the motor (12) continue retracting driving of the seat belt (3) for a predetermined time and, when a locking signal is not input, decreases a driving power of the motor (12) and lowers tension of the seat belt (3). Even when a collision risk signal is erroneously output from a collision risk judging section (11) and, so long as a locking signal is not output from the locking signal producing section (18), since control is immediately exerted so that tension of the seat belt (3) is lowered, it is possible to avoid an unpleasant feeling to a vehicle occupant (A) caused by comparative long-duration and useless restraining using the seat belt (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Yukinori Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 7429012
    Abstract: A self stopping seat belt retractor is provided with a belt shaft for winding a seat belt thereonto and unwinding a wound seat belt therefrom and a housing rotatably supporting the belt shaft and having a locking device that includes a locking means for the belt shaft that can be controlled in a vehicle sensitive and/or belt sensitive manner into engagement with a toothed gearing system on that side of the housing. A tightening device operating on the belt shaft includes a drive wheel, which is, prior to the release of the tightening device, secured in a force-transmitting manner on the housing, is connectable upon release of the tightening device with the belt shaft, whereby the drive wheel of the tightening device is connectable via the locking device with the belt shaft for the transmission of force to the belt shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Kay Löffler, Michael Pech, Martin Schmidt, Thomas Schmidt, Thomas Schneider, Stefan Suhr, Stefan Bösch
  • Publication number: 20080224457
    Abstract: A tubular gas guide element for a side curtain airbag for guiding gas coming from a gas generator comprising at least two layers of fabric. With the use of such a gas guide, thrust of the gas inflowing into an airbag can be balanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Matthew Brough, Douglas McGregor, Hakan Janconelli, Alan Bradburn
  • Patent number: 7425019
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an airbag and a process for manufacturing an airbag. The airbag includes a distribution element for the gas of a gas generator, to which at least one multi-layer chamber is fluidly connected through outflow openings of the distribution element. The distribution element includes an acceptance device for the gas generator and is cut out of an airbag material and is sewn to form a hollow body At least two connecting seams are provided to connect the layers of the chambers separately with one layer each of the distribution element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Ian Taylor, Yves Puccetti, Marc Phillips
  • Patent number: 7424984
    Abstract: Disclosed is a self-locking safety belt retractor comprising a blocking element which can be triggered in a belt band-sensitive and/or vehicle-sensitive manner and blocks the rotation of the belt shaft in the unwinding direction of the belt, and a tensioning drive which acts upon the belt shaft and rotates said belt shaft in the winding direction of the safety belt when being triggered. The inventive safety belt retractor is characterized by the fact that the tensioning drive which is provided with two parts (14, 15; 26, 32) that move relative to each other when said tensioning drive is triggered, is disposed on the belt shaft without being connected to the housing (10) of the belt retractor and rotates along with the belt shaft before being triggered. Furthermore, one part of the tensioning drive is fixed by means of the blocking element (17) as an abutment for the tensioning movement of the second part of the tensioning drive when the tensioning drive is triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Ronald Jabusch
  • Patent number: 7422231
    Abstract: An air-bag comprising an inflatable element having an inflatable region and a gas inlet throat extending from the inflatable region, a gusset of excess fabric being present in the region proximate to the junction between the gas inlet throat and the inflatable region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Altay Kismir, Simon Valkenburg
  • Patent number: 7422235
    Abstract: An air-bag (1) having an inflatable region forming two chambers (3,4) divided by a seam (5). The seam extends towards a back part (6) of the air-bag. A gas generator unit (14,15) is located between the end of the seam (5) and the back part (6) of the air-bag. A strap (21) passes through an aperture (8) formed in a terminal part of the seam (5) to draw the terminal part of the seam to the gas generator unit (14,15) thus effectively sealing the two chambers (3,4). The chambers (3,4) may be inflated to different pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Séverine Wollin, Emma Svenbrant
  • Patent number: 7422233
    Abstract: An air-bag (10) is disclosed which defines at least one inflatable region (14). The air-bag (10) is provided with a gas supply duct (22) which extends into the air-bag (10). The gas supply duct (22) is formed of fabric and is provided with at least one outlet aperture (24) therein through which gas may flow into the said at least one inflatable region (14) of the air-bag (10). The outlet aperture (24) is provided with a reinforcement to reinforce the periphery of the aperture (24) in order to prevent undesirable fraying of the fabric around the periphery of the aperture (24), or undesirable deformation characteristics of the fabric around the periphery of the aperture (24), as the air-bag (10) is inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Alan Bradbum
  • Patent number: 7422234
    Abstract: An airbag for use in motor vehicles having two or more chambers, which is simple to manufacture, low-cost and not susceptible to disturbances. The airbag is configured such that the chambers can have different internal pressures in case of airbag activation since a dividing seam between the chambers of the airbag is configured to act as a gas stream divider and direct differing quantities of gas into the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Joachim Huber, Ernst Wittmann
  • Patent number: 7419026
    Abstract: A seat belt for constraining an occupant to a seat is provided with both a tension varying means 16 allowing for providing a tension to the seat belt to vary, and a tension detecting means for detecting an actual tension on the seat belt. There is provided failure detecting means, which detects failures of at least one of the tension varying means and the tension detecting means by comparing the tension provided by the tension varying means to the actual tension detected by the tension detecting means the difference in tensions thereof exceeding a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Yukinori Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 7416217
    Abstract: A guide loop for a safety belt on motor vehicles, including a guide element provided with a guide slit for the safety belt, which is fixed to a vehicle by means of a fixing screw, and an adapter with a displacement body for limiting the slit width of the guide slit. The adapter is coupled to the inside of the fixing hole of the guide element and includes an opening penetrated by the fixing screw inserted through the fixing hole. The fixing hole of is formed by a boring, with a cross-section slightly larger than the external diameter of the screw in order to maximize the overlap between a bearing surface of the guide element and a head of the fixing screw. In addition, a number of grooves are distributed around the boring's circumference. When the adapter is mounted, the grooves accept fixing arms of the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Hans-Jörg Cord, Knut Janzen
  • Patent number: 7416043
    Abstract: A safety arrangement for use in a motor vehicle comprises at least one plastically-deformable element, defining an interior chamber, which will deform only when subjected to at least a first predetermined force. A source of gas is connected to inject gas into the chamber and a signal generator is provided to generate a signal representative of crash severity which is to be applied to the element during a crash situation or in an anticipated crash situation. The signal generator is connected to a control unit so as to provide the control unit with the signal. The control unit is connected to the source of gas in order to control the source of gas and to inject gas into the interior chamber of the deformable element so as to increase the gas pressure in the chamber when the crash severity signal is substantially in excess of a predetermined threshold. The arrangement provides a structure whose energy absorption characteristics can be varied according to the severity of a crash situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Developments AB
    Inventors: Bengt Pipkorn, Yngve Haland