Patents Examined by Barry Gooden, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11548466
    Abstract: In an assembly (20) of an elongate inflator (10) which has an outer housing (14) with outflow openings (18) spread along the circumference (U) and defining an outflow area (16) and an outflow direction, and of a clamp-type diffusor (22) enclosing the outflow area (16), the diffusor (22) includes a central receiving opening (24) into which the outer housing (14) protrudes so that the diffusor (22) circumferentially encloses an axial portion of the outer housing (14) which comprises the outflow area (16). At the inner side of the diffusor (22) delimiting the receiving opening (24) at least one bearing surface (34) and at least one gas guiding surface (30) are provided, wherein the bearing surface (34) bears directly against the outer housing (14) of the inflator (10) and the gas guiding surface (30) is radially spaced apart from the outer housing (14) while forming at least one collecting chamber (30) into which gas flowing out of the outflow area (16) is flowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Robert Disam, Anton Fischer
  • Patent number: 11535188
    Abstract: An airbag assembly for a vehicle is provided that includes a housing coupled to the support structure of a vehicle. An airbag module is coupled to and supported by the housing. The airbag module includes an airbag deployable from an undeployed condition to a deployed condition, and an inflator configured to inflate the airbag from the undeployed condition to the deployed condition. An air duct that is configured to transmit an airflow is at least partially integrally coupled to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stacey H. Raines, Russell Joseph Mihm, Fernando Ovando, Alan Perelli
  • Patent number: 11511698
    Abstract: Airbag covers and related airbag modules designed with weakened portions configured to specifically accommodate emblems. In some embodiments, an airbag cover may comprise an emblem and a tear seam or another weakened portion extending through and/or adjacent to the emblem to create an asymmetrical split such that, following deployment and rupturing of the tear seam, the airbag cover is configured to form first and second airbag cover pieces, wherein a greater number and/or weight of the emblem is on the first airbag cover piece than the second airbag cover piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Mark Ibarra, Mark S. Hatfield, Quin Soderquist, Ken Pijaszek, Jennifer Marie Johnson
  • Patent number: 11498509
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag configured to inflate and deploy away from a vehicle roof toward a vehicle seat. The airbag includes a base portion configured to be connected to the vehicle roof and a cushion portion in fluid communication with the base portion. The cushion portion extends from the base portion toward the vehicle seat to an inflated and deployed condition in which the cushion portion is configured to receive and cushion an occupant seated on the vehicle seat. The apparatus also includes a deployment pocket for initially restricting the deployment of the cushion portion without restricting the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Kurt Fischer, Gabriela Diaz, Douglas Gould
  • Patent number: 11498514
    Abstract: The invention relates to an overigniting protection device (40) for a multi-stage gas generator (10), comprising a combustion chamber limiting element (34) for limiting a combustion chamber (30) of a second ignition stage (14) of the gas generator (10) as well as an overigniting protection element (38) which is arranged on a side of the combustion chamber limiting element (34) remote from the combustion chamber (30), wherein the overigniting protection element (38) covers the side of the combustion chamber limiting element (34) remote from the combustion chamber (30), wherein the overigniting protection element (38) is tightly connected to the combustion chamber limiting element (34) via a mounting portion (42) and wherein the overigniting protection element (38) is substantially plate-shaped or completely covers the side of the combustion chamber limiting element (34) remote from the combustion chamber (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Ebner, Hans-Peter Neumayer
  • Patent number: 11492033
    Abstract: A multiple-drive vehicle comprises a first driving position (3) for a first driver provided with first driving means (4), a second driving position (5) for a second driver provided with second driving means (6), a first pair of wheels (9) mechanically connected to the first driving means (4) and a second pair of wheels (10) mechanically connected to the second driving means (6). The first driving means (5) and the second driving means (6) are independent of each other for moving the respective pairs of wheels (9, 10) in an independent manner from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: Francesco Granata
  • Patent number: 11491950
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a body. The body includes a front pillar and a front-end structure spaced from the front pillar. The front-end structure includes a grille. The body includes a hood extending from the front pillar to the front-end structure. An airbag is mounted to the front-end structure adjacent to the grille and is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag includes an upper portion inflatable along the front-end structure and the hood to the inflated position. A pyrotechnic actuator is disposed at the front pillar. The pyrotechnic actuator is positioned to pull the upper portion across the hood towards the front pillar during inflation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 11485310
    Abstract: An airbag system for a vehicle includes: (i) an airbag chute module which forms a guide to direct an airbag deployment provided with a through-opening, (ii) a deployment panel being movable between a through-opening closing position in which the deployment panel covers at least partially the through-opening and an airbag deployment position in which the deployment panel enables the airbag deployment through the through-opening, and (iii) at least a flexible retention net having a first plane-portion disposed within the airbag chute module, a second plane-portion disposed within the deployment panel and a third portion which extends from the first and second plane-portions. The third portion of the flexible retention net includes an overmolded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Faurecia Interieur Industrie
    Inventor: David Onorato Estevez
  • Patent number: 11485314
    Abstract: An airbag device for pedestrian protection includes means for shrinking and tying an airbag after deployment toward the storage. The airbag device includes a protecting sheet that is folded together with the airbag and stored in the storage, and a wrapping sheet that wraps the airbag as folded. The protecting sheet includes a main body and a plurality of straps disposed in a periphery of the main body. The wrapping sheet includes a rupturable portion that is configured to rupture and split the wrapping sheet into a front portion and a rear portion at airbag deployment, and a plurality of through holes each for receiving the straps in a vicinity of the rupturable portion in the front portion. The deployed airbag is shrank and tied toward the storage by passing the straps through the through holes and tying them so the straps do not come off of the through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Ozeki, Akira Yasuda, Taizo Suemitsu
  • Patent number: 11479205
    Abstract: A dual stage inflator a dual stage inflator for an inflatable vehicle safety device includes a housing defining a first chamber containing a first gas generant material. An ignitor cup is disposed in the first chamber and defines an interior containing an ignitor material. A first ignitor device extends into the interior of the ignitor cup. A combustion cup and a lid are disposed in the first chamber and cooperate to define a second chamber containing a second gas generant material. The combustion cup includes a cup sidewall extending between a first axial end and a second axial end. The first axial end is an open end. The lid is normally in a closed position relative to the combustion cup to close the open end of the combustion cup and is moveable away from the combustion cup in response to an increase of pressure within the combustion cup for venting combustion gas out of the combustion cup. A second ignitor device extends into the combustion cup and closes the second axial end of the combustion cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventor: Romain Danielou
  • Patent number: 11472367
    Abstract: A seat belt device includes a webbing, a locking tongue, and a guide. The webbing includes a lap belt and a shoulder belt. The locking tongue is configured to undergo a change from a free state, in which the webbing is capable of passing between a side of the lap belt and a side of the shoulder belt, to a lock state, in which the webbing is not capable of passing between the side of the lap belt and the side of the shoulder belt, in accordance with a collision or a warning of the collision of a vehicle. The guide is configured to, in accordance with the collision or the warning of the collision of the vehicle, displace a location on the shoulder belt that is adjacent to the locking tongue in a direction away from the occupant before the change to the lock state is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11473358
    Abstract: A hinge assembly for an engine hood of a motor vehicle, having a hinge substructure, which can be attached to a body component of the motor vehicle, and having a hinge upper part, which can be attached to the engine hood. The hinge upper part is retained on the hinge substructure so as to pivot about a pivoting axis. The hinge assembly includes at least one support element, which enables deformation of the hinge substructure in a first direction, in which the hinge substructure can be moved away from a limit stop area of the at least one support element. The at least one support element limits deformation of the hinge substructure in a second direction opposite the first direction by means of the limit stop area. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle having at least one such hinge assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Richard Schabenberger, Norman Dix, Bernhard Hüttinger
  • Patent number: 11465577
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spring element (10) for fastening an airbag module (12) to a vehicle steering wheel (14), having a first spring section (16) which extends from a tool access point (P) via a first bearing point (18) as far as a first free spring end (20), and a second spring section (22) which extends from the tool access point (P) via a second bearing point (24) as far as a second free spring end (26), wherein the tool access point (P) is spaced apart from a connecting section (28) between the two free spring ends (20, 26), wherein the tool access point (P) is spaced apart from a connecting section (28) between the two free spring ends (20, 26) and is displaceable in an actuating direction (x) toward the connecting section (28), and wherein the spring sections (16, 22) are shaped such that the free spring ends (20, 26) move toward each other or away from each other during a displacement of the tool access point (P) in the actuating direction (x) if the first bearing point (18) and the second bearin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY GERMANY GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Bachmann
  • Patent number: 11453358
    Abstract: A driver airbag apparatus for vehicle with an illumination emblem, capable of preventing the deployment pressure of an airbag cushion 10 from being directly transmitted to a cover hinge part 43 of an airbag cover 40, thereby preventing the cover hinge part 43 from being broken due to the deployment pressure of the airbag cushion 10 and the departure of the illumination emblem 50 from a driver airbag module, by using a guide support 60 installed to cover the cover hinge part 43 of the airbag cover 40 at an inner position of the illumination emblem 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hae Kwon Park, Seok Hoon Ko, Do Hyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 11447089
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an airbag cushion. A reaction surface is configured to move between a retracted position and a deployed position upon deployment of the airbag cushion, such that the reaction surfaces will direct the airbag cushion toward an occupant area upon deployment of the airbag cushion. Multiple embodiments of reaction surfaces are disclosed, including deployable instrument panel sections, flexible straps, and hoods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventors: Roy P. Deutschmann, Alexandra Marie Lazaros, Roland Dominic Furtado, Srinivas Krishnan
  • Patent number: 11427147
    Abstract: Disclosed is a driver airbag apparatus for a vehicle configured to be deployed from the region behind a steering wheel, having at the center portion thereof an obstacle, toward the region in front of the steering wheel while avoiding the obstacle. The driver airbag apparatus includes an airbag housing disposed behind the steering wheel, an airbag cushion accommodated in the airbag housing and configured to be deployed by gas injected thereinto toward the region in front of the steering wheel through a space between the obstacle and the steering wheel, and a housing cover coupled to the airbag housing so as to cover an opening in the airbag housing and configured to be ruptured by the deployment pressure of the airbag cushion so as to open the airbag housing to a limited angle toward the region in front of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min June Song, Seok Hoon Ko, Do Hyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 11420579
    Abstract: A vehicle, system and a computer-implemented method for setting a height of a seat belt in a vehicle. The system includes a computer vision module, a motor and a controller. The computer vision module determines a seatbelt-neck distance (SND) and a seatbelt-shoulder distance (SSD) for an occupant of the vehicle. The motor adjusts the height of the seat belt. The controller control the motor to set the height of the seat belt based on the SND and the SSD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Baltaxe, Ruben Mergui, Gila Kamhi
  • Patent number: 11420584
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cover cap (10) for an airbag module (12), especially for a driver airbag module, comprising a front panel (14) including an outer face (16) as well as an opposed inner face (18) which in the assembled state of the airbag module (12) faces a folded airbag (20), and an emblem (22) including two separate emblem elements (24, 26) fastened to the front panel (14), wherein the front panel (14) has a tear line (32) along which the cover cap (10) tears upon activation of the assembled airbag module (12), and wherein the tear line (32) extends between the two separate emblem elements (24, 26). Furthermore, the invention also includes an airbag module (12) comprising said cover cap (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: DALPHI METAL ESPANA S.A.
    Inventors: Andreas Joachim Maria Jonietz, Luis Barandela Iglesias, Victor José Zalez Horta, Pedro Pereiro Coto
  • Patent number: 11414045
    Abstract: An anchor position adjustment device includes a guide rail having a plurality of engagement recess portions formed to be arranged, a moving member attached to the guide rail, a lock pin-provided in the moving member, a first biasing member biasing the lock pin in an inserting direction of the lock pin with respect to the engagement recess portions, a release pin extending from the lock pin, and an operation member attached to the moving member in a slidable manner. The operation member has a release inclination surface guiding the release pin in a pulling direction of the lock pin with respect to the engagement recess portions in accordance with sliding of the operation member, and a release inhibition surface inhibiting the lock pin from being pulled out from the engagement recess portion in a pre-slide state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Sanoh Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huy Hung Ha, Masayuki Hoshi
  • Patent number: 11407372
    Abstract: The invention relates to an airbag flap covering the mouth of an airbag receptacle, wherein an airbag outer cover overlies the airbag flap and the airbag flap is connected via a hinge element to a flap support wall in a molded manner, which is in turn secured to the airbag outer covering and/or to a wall of the receptacle, wherein the airbag flap and the flap support wall consist of the same flat plastic, in particular a composite material, wherein a direction-fin-guiding structure, in the form of numerous slits and/or openings, is provided in the flat plastic, in particular in the composite material, in the region of the hinge element and/or to one or both sides of the hinge element, in the flat plastic, in particular in the composite material, and thereby creates at least one stretch region in the material in the direction in which the airbag flap moves outward through the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: K.L. KASCHIER -UND LAMINIER GMBH
    Inventors: Rembert Schulze Wehninck, Albert Roring