Abstract: A restraint system is provided for helping to protect first and second occupants of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with first and second seats for receiving the first and second occupants. The restraint system includes first and second airbags mounted to the vehicle roof. Each of the first and second airbags has a stored condition and is inflatable to a deployed condition aligned with the respective first and second occupants. The deployed first and second airbags are spaced from one another in an inboard-outboard direction. A tether is connected to the first and second airbags for limiting relative inboard-outboard movement between the airbags in response to occupant penetration.

Abstract: An assembly includes a housing (12) and a cover (20) that define a cavity (15). An air bag (22) is positioned in the cavity (15), and the cover (20) has hooks (46) that engage with the housing (12) to secure the cover (20) to the housing (12). The air bag (22) expands to absorb kinetic energy of a driver. The hooks (46) are energized into engagement with the housing (12) directly or indirectly by the air bag (22) as it expands.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a folded airbag comprising the steps of: providing an airbag cushion; heating the airbag material, folding the heated airbag material; compressing the folded airbag material obtained in step c) and optionally cooling the compressed airbag.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises (a) a rotatable spool on which seat belt webbing is wound and (b) a load-limiting system to limit a load applied to a vehicle occupant by the webbing. The load-limiting system includes a flow control orifice through which fluid is forced when a load in excess of a predetermined load is applied to the rotatable spool by the webbing. The cross-sectional flow area of the flow control orifice is adjustable in response to unwinding of webbing from the rotatable spool prior to a vehicle crash event and ceases to be adjustable after the crash event is in progress. The load-limiting system also includes a piston in a cylinder. The piston and cylinder are operatively coupled to the spool such that rotation of the spool causes the piston to move relative to the cylinder, which movement causes fluid to be forced through the flow control orifice.

Abstract: A seatbelt arrangement for restraining an occupant of a vehicle in a seat. The seatbelt arrangement has a latch plate and a buckle to which the latch plate can be locked. The buckle includes a housing having a plurality of sidewalls, a biasing member anchor provided on one of the plurality of sidewalls, and a mounting anchor. A mounting member is connected to the mounting anchor. The mounting member secures the buckle to the vehicle. A biasing member is attached to the biasing member anchor. The biasing member biases the buckle to a stowed position when the seatbelt arrangement is unfastened.

Abstract: A cover for an airbag cushion has a fabric for enclosing a folded airbag cushion forming the cover and a frangible tear seam extending across the length of the cover. The tear seam has a plurality of slits. Each slit includes a linear main slit portion arranged in a straight line, an inclined leading end slit portion and an inclined trailing end slit portion. A space between each adjacent slit forms a single fabric tear portion defined by a trailing end slit portion of one slit overlapping an inclined oppositely leading end slit portion of an adjacent slit. Each fabric tear portion is formed as short cut woven yarns cut axially and perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis, the plurality of fabric tear portions forms the frangible tear seam.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle comprises an airbag inflatable from a stored condition to a deployed condition in which the airbag is positioned between a reaction surface of the vehicle and the occupant. The airbag comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. Each of the upper and lower portions is at least one of rolled and folded. The upper and lower portions are positioned overlying each other when in the stored condition. A deployment flap comprises a sheet of material having a first end portion and an oppositely disposed second end portion. The first end portion is secured to the vehicle. A portion of the deployment flap is positioned between the upper and lower portions. The deployment flap has a notch with opposite side edges converging in a direction toward the first end portion of the deployment flap and terminating at a vertex.

Abstract: An airbag (10) comprises a plurality of interconnected adjacent inflatable cells, wherein a cell is attached to an adjacent cell by at least two seam lines (31, 32), said lines being spaced from each other to define a cell area, which is comprising a gas passage portion (1c, 2c, 3c, 4c) between said adjacent cells.

Abstract: A module for a vehicle including a roof and a cabin includes a housing defining a chamber and having an opening in fluid communication with the chamber. The housing is configured for placement in the roof. An airbag is provided in the chamber and is inflatable to a deployed condition extending through the opening into the cabin. A door pivotably connected to the housing closes the opening. The door is pivotable away from the roof in response to deployment of the airbag to provide a reaction surface for the deploying airbag. The door has a first length while closing the opening and a second length greater than the first length when pivoted away from the roof.

Abstract: A climate-controlled hand grip assembly that uses one or more air jets or air channels directed at a tangent to an outer surface of the hand grip assembly. The outer surface may be curved and the air flow path may bend with the curve to provide a film of conditioned air along the outer surface that spreads beyond the point of origin of the air flow path. An exemplary embodiment of a steering wheel device with a rim and spokes is disclosed wherein the outer surface of the rim, spokes or both can be enveloped with conditioned air using a Coanda Effect.

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 information processing and display system comprising steering wheel (10) having a rim (12) and at least one spoke (14), and a plurality of sensors (102, 106, 108) placed about one or both of the rim and the spoke, each sensor selectively actuable due to the proximity of a finger, fingers, a hand or hands of a driver; and a processor, logic device or computer (120) in communication with each sensor and capable of detecting specific hand or finger movements corresponding to specific desirable functions.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag, an inflator, a first deployment flap, and fasteners. The airbag includes an upper portion and a lower portion. In a stored condition of the airbag, the lower portion is rolled and/or folded and positioned at least partially overlying the inflator, the upper portion is rolled and/or folded separately from the lower portion and positioned at least partially overlying the lower portion, and the first deployment flap extends from the fasteners and has a portion positioned between the upper and lower portions of the airbag. The first deployment flap is at least one of formed from and coated with a material that provides a frictional engagement between the first deployment flap and the lower portion sufficient to at least partially restrict and delay the initial deployment of the lower portion.

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, the elements comprising a hinge or other connection means that allow the airbag module to swivel or rotate with respect to the steering wheel.

Abstract: An airbag cushion assembly (10, 100) has an airbag cushion (12) and an inflator (20, 120). The airbag cushion has a plurality of inflatable chambers including a primary chamber (11, 111) configured to receive inflation gas and one or more additional chambers (14, 16, 114, 115, 116) for receiving inflation gas from the primary chamber (11, 111). The inflator (20, 120) is in communication with, or open to, the gas inlet of the primary chamber (11, 111). One or more of the additional chambers has one or more one-way gas flow check valves (30, 130) for receiving inflation gases into the chamber and preventing the received gases from back flowing to maintain the one or more additional chambers at full inflation when the airbag cushion is inflated and loaded.

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 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: An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device includes a curtain airbag having an upper edge portion for securing to an interior of a vehicle for deployment between a side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. Indicia extends along the length of the curtain airbag for indicating twisting of the curtain airbag when the curtain airbag is rolled up along its length. The indicia includes a bar code printed on the airbag.

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.