Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a controllable deformable material and control apparatus is provided for controlling the state of a controllable deformable material. The control apparatus is configured to generate a signal to cause a control element in proximity to the controllable deformable material to change the characteristic of the controllable deformable material and thereby change the state of the controllable deformable material. The controllable deformable material is controllable to change state from a first state to at least a second state and is controllable to change state from at least the second state to the first state, the controllable deformable material being more deformable per unit force in the second state than in the first state.

Abstract: A vehicle airbag system, comprises: (A) a housing comprising an opening, (B) an airbag, configured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed state in response to a trigger, wherein the airbag: (i) is located inside the housing while in the stowed state, and (ii) extends out of the opening while expanding to the deployed state, and (C) a hinged door, configured to: extend across the opening to close the opening while the airbag is in the stowed state, and pivot away from the opening due to the airbag expanding to the deployed state.

Abstract: A vehicle seat with an embedded occupancy detector system and manufacturing method for same, and an occupant protection system including an occupancy detector system embedded in a vehicle seat as described herein. Examples include a molded vehicle seat with one or more inserts including an occupant detection system with one or more sensor pads. A gap housing one or more sensor pads of an occupant detection system may be provided between a surface of an insert and a recessed surface of the molded vehicle seat.

Abstract: A vehicle seat with an embedded occupancy detector system and manufacturing method for same, and an occupant protection system including an occupancy detector system embedded in a vehicle seat as described herein. Examples include a molded vehicle seat with one or more inserts including an occupant detection system with one or more sensor pads. A gap housing one or more sensor pads of an occupant detection system may be provided between a surface of an insert and a recessed surface of the molded vehicle seat.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a controllable deformable material and control apparatus is provided for controlling the state of a controllable deformable material. The control apparatus is configured to generate a signal to cause a control element in proximity to the controllable deformable material to change the characteristic of the controllable deformable material and thereby change the state of the controllable deformable material. The controllable deformable material is controllable to change state from a first state to at least a second state and is controllable to change state from at least the second state to the first state, the controllable deformable material being more deformable per unit force in the second state than in the first state.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a controllable deformable material and control apparatus is provided for controlling the state of a controllable deformable material. The control apparatus is configured to generate a signal to cause a control element in proximity to the controllable deformable material to change the characteristic of the controllable deformable material and thereby change the state of the controllable deformable material. The controllable deformable material is controllable to change state from a first state to at least a second state and is controllable to change state from at least the second state to the first state, the controllable deformable material being more deformable per unit force in the second state than in the first state.