Abstract: A curtain airbag for a motor vehicle includes an inflatable cushion and a protective sheet having an attachment edge attached to the airbag and a free-length extending from the attachment edge. The cushion formed into a folded condition from which it is deployable in a deployment direction, and the free-length of the sheet is positioned adjacent to the deployment direction of the cushion. The airbag is installed in the vehicle to deploy adjacent to a daylight opening of the vehicle. Deployment of the cushion during inflation causes the protective sheet to be drawn along with the cushion in the deployment direction so that the sheet overlays the outboard-facing side of the cushion (between the cushion and the daylight opening) and thereby provides a degree of protection against damage to the cushion that may be caused by, for example, broken window glass.

Abstract: An airbag module is provided. The airbag module may include an inflator, an inflatable airbag, a housing and a cover. The cover may include a retainer hook and a snap-lock configured to engage the housing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle recorder system that is configured with a video camera, a light weight memory system, and a radio communications facility suitable for use in conjunction with an moving vehicle. An automobile equipped with such video recorder system that is used throughout a day of service provides a video record of unusual events which may occur from time-to-time. For example, events such as accidents, near-misses, and excessive speed, among others, trigger a system to preserve video images collected before and after the moment of the event. Replaying these images provides information regarding the cause and true nature of the event. These systems are particularly suitable for vehicle fleets, or other groups of vehicles that can communicate with a common system.

Abstract: A vehicular subframe structure comprises a light alloy member including a left side section and a right side section each extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle and a cross section extending in a width direction of the vehicle, and a steel plate member including a left thinned plate section and a right thinned plate section each extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. When the light alloy member is stacked on the steel plate member they are joined together by friction stir welding from a side of the light alloy member, thereby forming a closed section.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus includes an airbag that deploys and inflates while being unfolded from an accommodating portion, when inflating gas flows into the airbag; and a regulating member that is able to regulate the deployment and inflation of an airbag. The regulating member is flexible, and includes a temporary holding portion that releasably and temporarily holds a folded portion that is a part of the airbag; an attachment portion that is attached to the accommodating portion; and a connecting piece portion that connects the attachment portion and the temporary holding portion. The temporary holding portion includes a base portion that is continuous with the connecting piece portion, and a cover portion that forms a holding concave portion for temporarily holding the folded portion, and is connected to the base portion. An opening for releasing the folded portion is provided at an inner circumference of a non-connected release edge.

Abstract: A spindle drive for the height adjustment of an electrically adjustable steering column and the steering includes an adjustment spindle rotatably mounted in two bearings. The adjustment spindle includes two clamping elements, which have a centering cone on their sides facing one another, and the adjustment spindle is arranged in a tensioned manner on the two bearings by means of the clamping element, in that the clamping elements abut on the outer sides of the centering cones facing away from one other. The outer sides of the bearings are formed having a counter contour to the respectively abutting centering cone.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension having a frame attachment portion attached to a saddle, first and second bolster springs mounted to spring mounts on an outboard side of the saddle and mounted on walls of a spring mount on an outboard side of an equalizing beam, and third and fourth bolster springs mounted to walls of a spring mount on an inboard side of the saddle and mounted to spring mounts on an inboard side of the equalizing beam, wherein upwardly extending flanges on the bottom of the first and second bolster sprints are mounted to each other using a common fastener, and wherein upwardly extending flanges on the bottom of the third and fourth bolster springs are mounted to each other with a common fastener.

Abstract: A 5-link independent suspension system for a motor vehicle may include a steering knuckle and a trailing link extending along a single axis. The trailing link may be connected to the steering knuckle and be configured to attach to a frame rail of the vehicle. The suspension system may further include an integral link connected to the steering knuckle and configured to attach to the trailing link.

Abstract: An air bag module, including: an air bag cushion including a front panel and side panels; at least two pockets disposed on the side panels and protruding toward the outside of each of the side panels, when the air bag cushion is unfolded; and an internal horizontal tether crossing an interior of the air bag cushion and having both ends connected to the pockets.

Abstract: Adjusting device for a front lid with an actuator for raising the rear edge of the front lid, wherein the adjusting device has a front-lid-mounted leg with a guide and a vehicle-body-mounted retaining element with a section guided the guide, wherein the guide of the front-lid-mounted leg is movable relative to the section of the retaining element by the actuator for raising the rear edge of the front lid.

Abstract: A curtain airbag for a vehicle includes a main chamber shaped in such a way that, in the position being mounted on the vehicle, in the inflated state the main chamber covers an inner side structure of the vehicle. The curtain airbag further includes an additional chamber which, in the mounting position, is located on the in driving direction of the vehicle front portion of the main chamber, and deploys in the direction of the interior of the vehicle when the curtain airbag is inflated. An extended section connects the additional chamber and the main chamber at a rim section at the same side and limits movement of the additional chamber during the inflation process.

Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: an outer column and an inner pipe retained by the outer column for movement in a front-rear direction of a vehicle, an inner-pipe retaining section with opposed leg sections interconnected via a fastening mechanism. The apparatus further includes an impact energy absorbing member provided on the inner pipe and having a generally U sectional shape along the axis line of the inner pipe. The absorbing member includes: a base section mounted to the inner pipe; an abuttable section bent from the rear end of the base section such that it is abuttable against the fastening mechanism; and an energy absorbing section bent forward from one end of the abuttable section such that, when an impact is input to the inner pipe, the absorbing section absorbs energy of the impact while deforming by abutting against the fastening mechanism.

Abstract: A powered vehicle has a rear frame assembly and a front frame assembly that are pivotally attached to one another, and can be pivoted from a normal fully-extended operating position to a folded position in which the frame assemblies are positioned substantially adjacent to one another, effectively reducing overall vehicle length to about half. One or more latch members lock the front and rear frame assemblies in the fully-extended, normal operating position, and they may be used to lock the frame assemblies in the folded position. The seat support structure may be integrated with the front and rear frame assemblies such that pivoting the frame assemblies toward the folded position collapses the seat support. The steering tiller may also be collapsible toward the front frame assembly. The rear wheels may be mounted on a transaxle that is pivotally mounted on the rear frame assembly. An extendable handle may be provided to assist in the folding operation and to tow the collapsed vehicle on its anti-tip rollers.

Abstract: A curtain airbag device comprising: a main deploying portion that, at a time when at least one of a small overlap impact or an oblique impact arises, receives a supply of gas and expands, and is deployed in a shape of a curtain along a side window glass; an auxiliary deploying portion that is provided at a front side with respect to the main deploying portion, and that, at a time of at least one of a small overlap impact or an oblique impact, receives a supply of gas and is expanded and deployed; and a tension structure that connects a front end side portion of a front pillar and a rear end side portion of the front pillar, and that is deployed while receiving tension such that an intermediate portion of the tension structure passes by a vehicle width direction outer side of the auxiliary deploying portion.

Abstract: An axle lift system for a trailer may include: a moving block coupled to an axle of the trailer; a fixed block coupled to a frame of the trailer; a winch; and a cable, the cable communicating with the moving block, the fixed block, and the winch, the axle lift system configured to move the axle upon operation of the winch. In the event of a flat (or excessively low-pressure) tire, the operator can quickly and easily activate the axle lift system to raise an axle associated with the flat tire off the ground.

Abstract: A rear castor wheel for a tractor includes a beam carried on a fork which connects to a castor mounting assembly attached to a rear pivotal beam of the tractor. A suspension system connects the fork to the mounting assembly to provide suspension movement and includes a first transverse plate assembly attached to the mounting assembly intersected by a second plate assembly attached across the two sides of the fork. The plates are connected by a single elastomeric block located on a first side of the axis remote from the beam and two elastomeric blocks located between the first and second plate assemblies on a side of the axis closer to the beam so that upward movement of the beam causes compression of the first and second elastomeric blocks which are shaped such that the internal strain of the block as the beam moves upwardly is substantially uniform through the block.

Abstract: An integrated airbag and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly includes an airbag module and an HVAC unit. The airbag module includes an airbag housing and an inflatable bladder at least partially disposed in the airbag housing. The inflatable bladder is movable relative to the airbag housing between a stowed position and a deployed position. The HVAC unit includes an HVAC housing. The HVAC housing supports the airbag housing.

Abstract: A sub-frame assembly for supporting a pair of wheels on a vehicle. The base may be an extrusion having a matrix of panels extending in a vertical direction. The sub-frame assembly has control arm brackets disposed on opposing ends of the base and attachment towers extending above the brackets providing attachment points to connect portions of an independent suspension to the vehicle and support a pair of wheels. The base, control brackets and attachment towers may be individual modular pieces. Left and right hand control brackets and attachment towers may be provided by respective unitary support pieces attached to opposing ends of the base. The unitary support pieces may be extrusions having panels extending in a transverse direction, nonaxial to the base. The base, control arm brackets and attachment towers, alternatively, may be provided by a single unitary extrusion having a matrix of panels extending in a transverse direction.

Abstract: To obtain a vehicular seat with which the expansion and deployment of expanding portions can be completed in a short amount of time. A vehicular seat has: a seat cushion; a first expanding portion that is provided in the seat cushion on one side thereof with respect to a seat width direction center and which, upon receiving a supply of gas, is expanded and deployed; a second expanding portion that is provided in the seat cushion on the other side thereof with respect to the seat width direction center and which, upon receiving a supply of gas, is expanded and deployed in such a way as to oppose the first expanding portion across a central space portion in the seat width direction; and gas supplying device which, when actuated at the time of a frontal impact of the vehicle, supplies gas to the first expanding portion and second expanding portion.

Abstract: A method for shifting tandem axle loads on a vehicle including an air suspension circuit having a three way valve, a first air spring connected between a drive axle of a tandem and a vehicle frame and a second air spring connected between a tag axle of the tandem and the vehicle frame. A diameter of the first air spring is larger than a diameter of the second air spring. The system also has an air supply, a first fluid line connected between a port one of the three way valve and the first air spring and a second fluid line connected between a port three of the three way valve and the second air spring.