Patents by Inventor Blake L. Cheal
Blake L. Cheal has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20150102588Abstract: An airbag assembly may include an inflatable airbag with a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, and a restraint member that keeps the inflatable airbag in the stowed configuration. The restraint member may have a frangible portion designed to tear at a pre-established threshold level of tension to permit deployment of the inflatable airbag. The frangible portion may have material that has been pre-stressed such that it has a lower strength than surrounding material. In one example, pre-stressing may be carried out by forming a crease in the frangible portion and, optionally, subjecting the frangible portion to compressive stress. When the airbag deploys, the frangible portion may predictably tear to release the airbag. The airbag assembly may be an inflatable curtain airbag, and the restraint member may one of a plurality of wrappers distributed along the length of the inflatable curtain airbag to encircle it in the stowed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2013Publication date: April 16, 2015Applicant: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventor: Blake L. Cheal
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Patent number: 8240701Abstract: Mounting assemblies can be used to retain an inflatable airbag cushion in a packaged configuration and attach the cushion to a vehicle structure. The mounting assemblies can have a mounting bracket and a wrapping member. The assemblies can also have a connecting member that connects the mounting bracket to the wrapper. The mounting bracket is attached to a vehicle structure and the wrapping member wraps and retains the cushion after it has been rolled and/or folded. During airbag deployment, the wrapping member releases the cushion so that it can be fully inflated and the mounting structure continues to anchor the cushion to the vehicle structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, Kurt L. Gammill
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Patent number: 8186710Abstract: A post-deployment, position-stabilized curtain airbag has a top edge from which an inflatable safety cushion is supported by a vehicle for deployment into a vehicle passenger compartment between occupant and occupant enclosure. A fill chamber is secured to the top edge of the safety cushion. An inflatable structural member is mechanically connected to the safety cushion. The fill chamber directs pressurized gas into the safety cushion and the structural member. The structural member deploys into the passenger compartment between the safety cushion and occupant enclosure limiting outboard displacement of the safety cushion. The structural member fully deploys after the safety cushion. Another structural member deploys along the top edge of the safety cushion limiting pivoting of the safety cushion there relative to the fill chamber. Pressurized gas enters each structural member through auxiliary passageways having oppositely directed entrances and outlets.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2011Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, Joshua Clayton Allred
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Publication number: 20120001407Abstract: A post-deployment, position-stabilized curtain airbag has a top edge from which an inflatable safety cushion is supported by a vehicle for deployment into a vehicle passenger compartment between occupant and occupant enclosure. A fill chamber is secured to the top edge of the safety cushion. An inflatable structural member is mechanically connected to the safety cushion. The fill chamber directs pressurized gas into the safety cushion and the structural member. The structural member deploys into the passenger compartment between the safety cushion and occupant enclosure limiting outboard displacement of the safety cushion. The structural member fully deploys after the safety cushion. Another structural member deploys along the top edge of the safety cushion limiting pivoting of the safety cushion there relative to the fill chamber. Pressurized gas enters each structural member through auxiliary passageways having oppositely directed entrances and outlets.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2011Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, Joshua Clayton Allred
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Patent number: 8020888Abstract: A post-deployment, position-stabilized curtain airbag has a top edge from which an inflatable safety cushion is supported by a vehicle for deployment into a vehicle passenger compartment between occupant and occupant enclosure. A fill chamber is secured to the top edge of the safety cushion. An inflatable structural member is mechanically connected to the safety cushion. The fill chamber directs pressurized gas into the safety cushion and the structural member. The structural member deploys into the passenger compartment between the safety cushion and occupant enclosure limiting outboard displacement of the safety cushion. The structural member fully deploys after the safety cushion. Another structural member deploys along the top edge of the safety cushion limiting pivoting of the safety cushion there relative to the fill chamber. Pressurized gas enters each structural member through auxiliary passageways having oppositely directed entrances and outlets.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2009Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, Joshua Clayton Allred
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Publication number: 20110079990Abstract: A post-deployment, position-stabilized curtain airbag has a top edge from which an inflatable safety cushion is supported by a vehicle for deployment into a vehicle passenger compartment between occupant and occupant enclosure. A fill chamber is secured to the top edge of the safety cushion. An inflatable structural member is mechanically connected to the safety cushion. The fill chamber directs pressurized gas into the safety cushion and the structural member. The structural member deploys into the passenger compartment between the safety cushion and occupant enclosure limiting outboard displacement of the safety cushion. The structural member fully deploys after the safety cushion. Another structural member deploys along the top edge of the safety cushion limiting pivoting of the safety cushion there relative to the fill chamber. Pressurized gas enters each structural member through auxiliary passageways having oppositely directed entrances and outlets.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2009Publication date: April 7, 2011Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, Joshua Clayton Allred
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Publication number: 20110057422Abstract: Mounting assemblies can be used to retain an inflatable airbag cushion in a packaged configuration and attach the cushion to a vehicle structure. The mounting assemblies can have a mounting bracket and a wrapping member. The assemblies can also have a connecting member that connects the mounting bracket to the wrapper. The mounting bracket is attached to a vehicle structure and the wrapping member wraps and retains the cushion after it has been rolled and/or folded. During airbag deployment, the wrapping member releases the cushion so that it can be fully inflated and the mounting structure continues to anchor the cushion to the vehicle structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2009Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: AUTOLIV ASP, Inc.Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, Kurt L. Gammill
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Patent number: 7597342Abstract: A new type of mounting system that may be used to mount an inflatable curtain airbag to a vehicle is described herein. This mounting system uses a “P-type” mounting bracket, which is designed such that the all (or substantially all) of the rolled inflatable curtain will be positioned above the bracket. An energy absorbing member is also associated with the P-type mounting bracket. When the inflatable curtain is in the rolled configuration, the energy absorbing member will engage the inflatable curtain. The energy member will also deform and absorb energy when the inflatable curtain is deployed from the rolled configuration into the deployed configuration. The mounting bracket may also include a curved arm that engages the inflatable curtain in the rolled configuration. The curved arm may be designed such that deployment of the inflatable curtain into the deployed configuration deforms the curved arm.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2006Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventor: Blake L. Cheal
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Patent number: 7396040Abstract: An airbag module has a rigid cushion with an integrated inflator. The cushion has a rear cushion panel and the inflator may have a front inflator plate attached to the rear cushion panel. A rear inflator plate is optionally provided and may be positioned within the cushion or outside the cushion. A pyrotechnic may be disposed within the space between the front inflator plate and the rear cushion panel and/or the rear inflator plate. An initiator may be seated in the rear inflator plate and/or the rear cushion panel to initiate combustion of the pyrotechnic. Instead of the front inflator plate, the inflator may have an expanse of tape that secures the pyrotechnic and/or the initiator to the interior of the cushion. The pyrotechnic may be sealed by the tape or by a foil pouch. The initiator may be secured by the tape or by a rear inflator plate.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2005Date of Patent: July 8, 2008Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Mark L. Enders, Bradley W. Smith, Michael P. Jordan, Earl H. Nelson, Guy R. Letendre, Blake L. Cheal
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Publication number: 20070273128Abstract: A new type of mounting system that may be used to mount an inflatable curtain airbag to a vehicle is described herein. This mounting system uses a “P-type” mounting bracket, which is designed such that the all (or substantially all) of the rolled inflatable curtain will be positioned above the bracket. An energy absorbing member is also associated with the P-type mounting bracket. When the inflatable curtain is in the rolled configuration, the energy absorbing member will engage the inflatable curtain. The energy member will also deform and absorb energy when the inflatable curtain is deployed from the rolled configuration into the deployed configuration. The mounting bracket may also include a curved arm that engages the inflatable curtain in the rolled configuration. The curved arm may be designed such that deployment of the inflatable curtain into the deployed configuration deforms the curved arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2006Publication date: November 29, 2007Inventor: Blake L. Cheal
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Patent number: 6886855Abstract: Gas generant filter assemblies and related combinations, including airbag inflator devices, are provided which assemblies include a tubular wall portion with a sleeve member and a central opening adapted to at least in part contain a supply of gas generant material reactable to produce reaction products including a quantity of gas. The assemblies also include a closure such as disposed within the central opening at the second end of the central opening. The sleeve member is shapeable to form a plurality of retention tabs effective to secure the closure within the central opening at the second end.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2002Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, John D. Kemp, Steve Hammer
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Publication number: 20030222443Abstract: Gas generant filter assemblies and related combinations, including airbag inflator devices, are provided which assemblies include a tubular wall portion with a sleeve member and a central opening adapted to at least in part contain a supply of gas generant material reactable to produce reaction products including a quantity of gas. The assemblies also include a closure such as disposed within the central opening at the second end of the central opening. The sleeve member is shapeable to form a plurality of retention tabs effective to secure the closure within the central opening at the second end.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2002Publication date: December 4, 2003Inventors: Blake L. Cheal, John D. Kemp, Steve Hammer