Abstract: A method for regulating the speed of a motor vehicle includes the steps of sensing an open door, verifying the authorization of a driver, and preventing the flow of fuel to the engine until an authorized driver has securely closed the vehicle doors. The method also includes the steps of sensing that the driver's seat belt is securely fastened and limiting the flow of fuel to thereby provide a relatively slow speed until the seat belt is fastened and thereafter limiting the flow of fuel to provide a second pre-selected speed. Further, the method includes the steps of overriding the second pre-selected speed and activating a vehicle's flashers when the second pre-selected speed is exceeded. Apparatus for accomplishing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A combustible gas inflator and a method for filling and sealing the inflator are provided. The inflator includes an enclosure configured to receive and store the combustible gas under pressure. The enclosure has an outer wall comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a fill aperture extending therethrough. The fill aperture has a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion. The first aperture portion is proximate the exterior surface and the second aperture portion is proximate the interior surface, wherein the first aperture portion is larger than the second aperture portion. The inflator further includes a sealing member configured to seal the fill aperture. The sealing member has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to sealingly engage a portion of the second aperture portion and the second portion is configured to sealingly engage a portion of the first aperture portion.

Abstract: An airbag is inflated with gas ejected from an inflator disposed at a base-end thereof in a direction that a front end of the airbag moves away from the base-end of the airbag. The airbag includes a left half airbag to be inflated on a front left side of an occupant and a right half airbag to be inflated on a front right side of the occupant. The airbag is formed of an inner panel extending from a front end of the right half airbag to a front end of the left half airbag; a right outer panel forming an outer surface of the right half airbag; a left outer panel forming an outer surface of the left half airbag; and a base-end panel forming a base-end chamber. The gas from the inflator is supplied into the left and right half airbags through the base-end chamber.

Abstract: A readily transportable and rapidly deployed vehicle immobilization device is provided. The exhaust of an internal combustion engine is obstructed, resulting in choking off and stopping of the engine. In an aspect, a plug is provided having an extension fixed to the plug for human grasping, and facilitating insertion into an end of a vehicle exhaust pipe. In an aspect the plug expands upon being heated and is adhesive to the exhaust pipe for at least partially sealing the exhaust pipe. In another aspect, a length of adhesive material is attached to the front of a pursuing vehicle and engages an end of an exhaust pipe of a fleeing vehicle.

Abstract: A guiding pillar trim (14) for a side-curtain airbag system (12) of a vehicle (10) is provided. The guiding pillar trim (14) includes a panel (44) for covering a vehicle body structure (10). This panel (44) has a guide member (54) coupled thereto that is movable between a trim configuration and a ramp configuration. In the ramp configuration, the guide member (54) directs the deployment of a side-curtain airbag (34) in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: An airbag canister vent is attached to or resides within an airbag module of an automobile. The module has a housing, within which resides a gas generator, an airbag, a tether cord, and a housing vent valve configured to close in accordance with the tether length that connects the airbag and the housing vent valve. The tension or any slack in the tether is governed by the discharge distance of the airbag from the canister. The canister vent may be a rotating disk that gradually closes as the airbag moves toward a seat occupant or a movable ball valve with a tether pin that remains open until the bag is discharged far enough from the canister to pull a tether pin from the ball causing the pressurized gas in the canister to forcibly lodge the ball against the vent hole wall thereby forming a seal and closing the valve.

Abstract: The positioning of an airbag plate with respect to an inflator is achieved so as to prevent the generation of a rattle that may otherwise be caused by vibrations during vehicle travel. The bottom side of a column-shaped inflator that injects pressurized fluid is supported by a retainer. An opening edge of an airbag body is clamped between an airbag plate and the retainer when the airbag plate, which is located on the upper side of the inflator, is engaged with the retainer. The edge of the bottom opening of the airbag body is clamped between the airbag plate and the inflator. In one embodiment, shoulders, which are provided on the airbag plate, abut both ends of the inflator. In another embodiment, tongue strips, which are provided on the airbag plate, abut both ends of the inflator.

Abstract: A seat belt device includes a seat belt for restraining and protecting an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat; a lap anchor fixed to an end of the seat; seat weight sensor installed below the vehicle seat for measuring a seat load; and a hitch member including two ends and a slide bar therebetween. The seat weight sensor and the vehicle seat are fixed to a vehicle body floor. One end of the hitch member is attached to one of the vehicle body, the vehicle seat fixed to the vehicle body, or the seat weight sensor fixed to the vehicle body. A second end of the hitch member is fixed to the vehicle body. The lap anchor is slidably attached to the slide bar.

Abstract: A vehicle body includes a front frame, a rear frame, a control unit, a fixing screw, a battery, and a locking unit. Thus, the rear frame is combined with and detached from the front frame easily and rapidly, thereby facilitating a user assembling and disassembling the vehicle body. In addition, the fixing hooks of the front frame are snapped onto the fixing stubs of the rear frame, and the locking hook of the control unit on the support post of the rear frame is locked in the locking hole of the front frame, thereby forming a three-point support structure by the fixing hooks, the fixing stubs and the locking hook, so that the rear frame is combined with the front frame rigidly and stably.

Abstract: In a frame structure of a vehicle that includes a flywheel housing, an intermediate housing and a transmission case that are connected to each other along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle to constitute a vehicle frame, the intermediate housing has a hollow shape with a first end and a second end located along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the first end having an abutting surface against which the second end of the flywheel housing abuts, a support surface located radially inwardly of the abutting surface so as to support the forward/rearward movement switching unit, and an opening surrounded by the support surface, the opening serving as a first-end opening of the intermediate housing along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The abutting surface and the support surface along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle are located so that at least a portion of the forward/rearward movement switching unit is accommodated within the flywheel housing.

Abstract: A concrete pumping truck having a forward end and a rear end with a hopper attached at the rear end of the concrete pumping truck comprises an auxiliary axle system pivotally attached to the rear end of the truck adjacent the hopper, the auxiliary axle system comprising a pair of pivotable wheels movable between a first position in contact with a ground surface and a second position elevated above the ground surface.

Abstract: A protecting device is provided for pedestrians that accounts for various conditions of the collision (physical constitution of the pedestrian, the position of collision, the speed of the motor vehicle at the time of collision, etc.). In one form, a first airbag unit for inflating a first airbag to cover a portion of the cowl top upon collision with the pedestrian is provided at the rear part of the bonnet/hood, or in the cowl top. Second airbag units having second airbags for covering A-pillars are provided within the respective A-pillars. When collision with a pedestrian is detected, the first airbag is inflated so as to cover the portion in the vicinity of the cowl top. The second airbags inflate 5 to 30 mSec behind the ignition of a gas generator of the first airbag unit, and cover the A-pillars substantially entirely.

Abstract: A deflection fitting for the safety belt of a motor vehicle comprising a belt guide (17, 18) which encircles the safety belt (7) and a pivot bearing (13) about which the belt guide is pivoted about a pivot pin (14) and parallel to the direction in which the belt passes through. The pivot bearing is adapted to be fixed to the vehicle. The belt guide includes at least two chain links (17, 18) which can pivot independently of each other in the pivot bearing (13), respectively, and which are located some distance apart from each other in the direction in which the belt (7) passes through. This configuration enables easy adjustment of the belt guide, even when the angles of the strands (8, 9) of the belt (7) deviate considerably from the standard.

Abstract: A method of folding together a vehicle side curtain airbag is provided that includes bending a base section of an extended air bag toward the outboard side of the vehicle and fully over onto a middle section of the air bag located directly above the base section. The adjacent base and middle sections are then rolled, as a group, by first moving a crease line between the base and middle sections toward the outboard side of the vehicle, then curling the crease line back toward the unrolled portion of the base and middle sections and then rolling the remainder of the unrolled portion of the base and middle sections. A top section of the airbag is collapsed in a pleated manner.

Abstract: An assembly structure of an airbag case includes a steering wheel core mounted to a hub of a steering wheel, the hub having an open top part and a retainer attached to the steering wheel core that retains an airbag and an inflator supplying a high-pressure gas to the airbag. An airbag cover is disposed on the hub of the steering wheel so that the airbag cover covers the open top part of the hub of the steering wheel and has a tear line formed thereat, the airbag cover being severed along the tear line when the airbag is expanded, and a plurality of hooks are formed at the edge of the airbag cover.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint system provides the seat occupant with options for three-point, four-point and five-point seat belt configurations. In one embodiment, the restraint system includes two three-point seat belt systems arranged as mirror images and a two position buckle located along the center line of the seat cushion.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention recite a motor assembly comprising a lower motor mount and an upper motor mount. The lower motor mount is mechanically coupled with a steering column of a mobile machine. The upper motor mount is coupled with the lower motor mount and with a drive motor. The upper motor mount maintains pressure when in a first position such that a drive wheel coupled with the drive motor stays in contact with a steering wheel of a vehicle of a mobile machine. When the upper motor mount is locked in a second position, the drive wheel is kept away from the steering wheel of the mobile machine.

Abstract: In a vehicle for uneven ground operation front wheels can be steered with a handle via a steering shaft mounted rotatably on the body frame with an upper cross beam being placed in spanning relationship between left and right front upper pipes composing the body frame and said steering shaft is supported by the upper cross beam. The left and right pipes can be coupled firmly to each other with the upper cross beam for enhancing the rigidity of the body frame. In addition, the number of components can be reduced as compared to providing a distinct steering shaft support member so that a reduction in the weight of the vehicle is achieved. If the upper cross beam is bend molded, the rigidity of the upper cross beam can be enhanced so that the rigidity of the body frame is further enhanced, while a weight increase is suppressed.

Abstract: A steering column bracket for a motor vehicle includes a body defining a bore adapted to receive a lower mounting bracket. A pair of wings extend out from the body on opposite sides thereof. A bracing is formed on at least a portion of a surface of the body and a at least a portion of a surface of the wings. The bracing includes of a plurality of ribs defining pockets. The bracing provides stiffness to the steering column bracket.

Abstract: A floor sensor (14) is disposed at a center portion of a vehicle body (10) and front sensors (16, 18) are disposed at front portions of the vehicle body (10). An airbag apparatus (30) always activates when a value determined by the relationship between a floor deceleration (GF) detected by the floor sensor (14) and a change in floor velocity (Vn) exceeds a High Map toward the high side of the floor velocity. The airbag apparatus (30) also activates on the condition that the value determined by the relationship between the front deceleration (Gs*) detected by the front sensors (16, 18) and the change in floor velocity (Vn) exceeds a Front Map toward the high side of the floor deceleration (GF) when the value determined by the relationship between the floor deceleration (GF) detected by the floor sensor (14) and the change in floor velocity (Vn) exceeds the Low Map but does not exceed the High Map toward the high side of the floor velocity.