Abstract: A hybrid airbag inflator (100, 200) has a disk-shaped pressure vessel having a central axis with a domed upper housing portion (20) with a sealed exhaust port (22) for releasing inflation gases and a domed lower body portion (10) welded to the domed upper housing portion (20). The domed lower body portion (10) has one or more protrusions (12) extending from an outer or exterior surface positioned offset from the center axis. At least one of the protrusions (12) houses an igniter assembly (60) with accessible electrical connections (61, 63). The disk-shaped pressure vessel inflator (100, 200) contains gas generant pellets (2) and a quantity of pressurized inert gas (1) for inflating an airbag. The combination of the protrusions (12) and domed lower body portion (10) has a unique profile of a petaloid shape. Optionally, the domed upper housing portion (20) can also have the petaloid shape.

Abstract: A pyrotechnic activated body panel lift actuator assembly for a vehicle having a unique deployment profile and energy absorbing feature is disclosed. The assembly has a pyrotechnic actuator, a thin-walled tube and a piston. The tapered portion of the piston forms a recess between the piston and the tube. One or more balls sized to fit in the recess are provided. Upon activation, the piston is thrust proximally outwardly to lift a portion of a body panel to absorb an impact of a person hit by the vehicle and thereafter the piston retracts under controlled substantially constant force generated by balls moving up the tapered portion of the shaft thereby locally plastically deforming the thin-walled tube.

Abstract: A visual display unit configured to mount on a steering wheel assembly has a screen display, preferably a touch screen display. The screen display is mounted over an airbag module of the steering wheel assembly. A hinged structure holds the screen display to the steering wheel assembly. The hinged structure is configured to be pivotally attached to a center portion of the steering wheel assembly and non-obstructively movable upon deployment of an airbag. The visual display unit can be a computer or video monitor for occupant viewing while traveling in an autonomous vehicle. The visual display unit includes driver alerts activated by the autonomous vehicle. The visual display unit preferably includes vehicle instrumentation gauges, satellite navigation system, speed, temperature and other data displays.

Abstract: A side curtain airbag module comprises an airbag having a plurality of fastening flaps that are configured to be fastened to the body of a vehicle; a ramp to guide deployment of the airbag, the ramp has at least one fastener configured to be fastened to a vehicle body; means for securing the ramp to the airbag by relative movement of airbag and ramp, whereby in a mounting condition of the airbag module the ramp fasteners are at least in part housed by the airbag flaps.

Abstract: An igniter 40 activated blocking device 10 blocks a fluid line 4 adapted to carry fluid. The blocking device 10 has a housing 30 disposed about the fluid line, a piston 20 housed in the housing, and an igniter 40 that when activated propels the piston 20 to block the fluid line 4. The igniter 40 generates a shock wave to move the piston 20 to block the line. The piston 20 crushes or squeezes a portion of the line 4 to close the line.

Abstract: An airbag module assembly has an airbag cushion with at least one vent, a housing structure for receiving the airbag cushion, a housing cover for attachment to the housing structure, a vent connector connected to the vent, a pin puller mechanism with a retractable pin, and a flexible conduit extending from the airbag cushion adjacent the vent to the pin puller mechanism. The vent connector extends inside the conduit to a looped end for attachment to the retractable pin. The vent connector can be a rope or wire. The vent is initially in a closed position during deployment of the airbag. The airbag cushion is folded about the conduit during assembly and the vent connector is configured to pass through the flexible conduit when the airbag cushion is folded.

Abstract: An electric fuse box or junction box assembly has a high voltage electric line cutter assembly inside an electric fuse box or junction box. The assembly has a box housing for connecting a plurality of electrical lines or connections to a power source. The housing has a pair of mounting stanchions for affixing the high voltage electric line cutter assembly with an electric current carrying busbar having a pair of stub ends. Each stub end of the busbar for carrying electric current from the power source to the plurality of electrical lines is secured to one of the mounting stanchions. Each mounting stanchion has an attachment platform for attaching and supporting the stub end of the busbar and an underlying chamber below the attachment platform for receiving exhaust gases generated when the high voltage electric line cutter assembly is activated.

Abstract: A pyrotechnic activated body panel lift actuator assembly for a vehicle having a unique deployment profile and energy absorbing feature is disclosed. The assembly has a pyrotechnic actuator, a thin-walled tube and a piston. The tapered portion of the piston forms a recess between the piston and the tube. One or more balls sized to fit in the recess are provided. Upon activation, the piston is thrust proximally outwardly to lift a portion of a body panel to absorb an impact of a person hit by the vehicle and thereafter the piston retracts under controlled substantially constant force generated by balls moving up the tapered portion of the shaft thereby locally plastically deforming the thin-walled tube.

Abstract: A seat having a seat frame with a seat back designed to prevent injuries to a rear occupant seated behind the seat as the rear occupant moves forward into the seat back during a frontal crash of a vehicle, the seat including a seat back frame part designed to support the back of any occupant but which can rotate during a crash as a rear occupant moves forward into the seat back, the invention including at least one energy absorbing assembly to control the rotary motion of the rotating seat frame part, the rotating frame part maintained in a non-rotating state by an articulating or breakable pin which when moved or broken permits the frame part to rotate as the rear occupant engages the seat frame in response to a frontal vehicular crash.

Abstract: A steering wheel assembly (10) contains a dampening system for mitigating vibrations transferred from a vehicle to the steering wheel assembly (10). A plurality of damper spring elements or grommets or damper spring elements (22) are each retained within a corresponding steering wheel support member (330). An air bag module (14) is fixed to a steering wheel (18) while resting upon the damper spring elements (22) for eliminating and/or reducing lateral displacement/vibrations normally attendant to vehicle operation. A horn switch (16) containing a plurality of annular support members (76, 176) may be positioned over the damper spring elements (22), wherein each annular support member (76, 176) is coaxially aligned and positioned over a corresponding grommet (22) to also manage vertical displacement; the air bag module (14) is then fixed over the horn switch 16 and to the steering wheel (18). Movement of the airbag module can actuate the horn switch.

Abstract: An electric fuse box or junction box assembly has a high voltage electric line cutter assembly inside an electric fuse box or junction box. The assembly has a box housing for connecting a plurality of electrical lines or connections to a power source. The housing has a pair of mounting stanchions for affixing the high voltage electric line cutter assembly with an electric current carrying busbar having a pair of stub ends. Each stub end of the busbar for carrying electric current from the power source to the plurality of electrical lines is secured to one of the mounting stanchions. Each mounting stanchion has an attachment platform for attaching and supporting the stub end of the busbar and an underlying chamber below the attachment platform for receiving exhaust gases generated when the high voltage electric line cutter assembly is activated.

Abstract: An electric line cutter device for high voltage busbars has a two-part housing, a piston, an igniter and a busbar. The upper housing includes a cylinder, cuboid or prism chamber. The lower housing also includes a cylinder, cuboid or prism chamber. The piston is contained inside one of either the upper housing chamber or the lower housing chamber. Upon igniting the igniter, the piston breaks a portion of the busbar moving the piston and the portion of the busbar into the opposite chamber thereby stopping the electric current flow. The piston is at least partially formed as an insulator to prevent electric discharge. The piston design together with chamber design includes integrated “squeeze areas” and “blow channels” for the appearing arc. A channel system outside or from inside the piston allow the pyro gases to push the arc plasma into a filter system to cool down the gases.

Abstract: An assembly of a driver airbag module and a steering wheel comprises connecting elements for connection of the airbag module with the steering wheel, said elements comprising a hinge or other connection means that allow the airbag module to swivel or rotate with respect to the steering wheel.

Abstract: A child seat (56) detecting means employing a magnet and sensor (141) for detecting whether a child seat (56) is mounted on the passenger seat (14, 15). A controller (40) in response to a signal from the sensor (141) will prevent activation of a pretensioner or belt tightener (65) from tensioning the seat belt or webbing (55) which is often positioned about or through the child seat (56) and/or for preventing an inflator (34) from expanding an airbag (26) when a child seat (56) is detected on either the front or rear passenger seat (14, 15).

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (10) having a frame with sides (14, 16) and a cover associated with at least one side, an inertial sensor (30) positioned between the at least one side of the frame and the cover, a seal located between the cover and the frame side to prevent contaminants from entering a space about the inertial sensor, the inertia sensor including a movable mass (34) and a magnet (36) spaced from the mass (34) to create a magnetic force upon the mass (34) preventing the magnet from moving excessively if the retractor is subject to predetermined levels of vibration.

Abstract: A system 300 for controlling vibratory motion in a vehicle steering wheel 20 prone to oscillate in a given direction due to extraneous inputs at one or more frequencies. The system 300 has a steering wheel 20 of the type exhibiting a vibratory motion along a defined axis at one or more frequencies, at least one sensor for sensing the acceleration of the steering wheel 20 along the defined axis and an active control mechanism responsive to the output of the at least one sensor. The sensor is an accelerometer having a movable first mass 70 and a solenoid coil 56 which when activated moves the mass 70 in a direction opposite to the motion of the steering wheel 20 and at the frequency of motion of the steering wheel 20.

Abstract: A steering wheel (102) having a hub portion (118), a rim (112) and at least one spoke (114) connected to the hub portion (118) and to the rim (112), the rim (112) having a groove and a surface of the steering wheel (102); a number of actuatable light sources located in or under the groove; light diffuser or lens (140) positioned in the groove above the light sources.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle (10, 50) has a first end (56) configured for fixing the seat belt buckle (10, 50) to a component of a vehicle and a second end (58) opposite the first end provided with a seat belt buckle tongue ejection button (28, 60) and a slot (26) for receiving a seat belt buckle tongue (10a), the seat belt buckle includes at least one clear polycarbonate light diffuser (34, 64, 66) and a light source (39, 40, 41) for providing light to be transmitted through the light pipe.

Abstract: An airbag module comprising an airbag (50) having a passive adaptive vent on a rear panel of the airbag, the vent having a movable vane which when moved causes the vent (200) to change state from open to closed or from closed to open, the airbag further including a main tether (100) secured to a face panel (54) of the airbag, the main tether moving with the face panel, the main tether having an opening (130) into which is threaded a portion of a control tether (80), the control tether is connected to the vane (210) and to the face panel, wherein movement of the end of the control tether in a first direction generally that of the inflating air bag causes the other end of the control tether secured to the vane to be moved in a direction different than the first direction.

Abstract: A method of forming an airbag cushion (10, 10A) has the steps of providing placing the cushion in a vacuum bag (20) and evacuating the air shrinking the airbag cushion (10, 10A) to a compacted size; conforming the airbag cushion to a predetermined shape; placing the airbag cushion (10, 10A) in a high temperature environment between +50° C. to +140° for a predetermined time to thermally set the fabric material (120) to maintain the compacted airbag cushion (10, 10A) to the predetermined shape; and releasing the vacuum and removing the thermally set airbag cushion (10, 10A) from the vacuum bag (20).