Patents by Inventor Earl Henry NELSON

Earl Henry NELSON 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).

  • Seatbelt pretensioner
    Patent number: 9669799
    Abstract: A seatbelt pretensioner is provided including an inner tube with a gas generator housed therein, an intermediate sleeve extending over the inner tube, and a spool portion housing the sleeve and the tube. The spool portion includes spiraling flutes thereon that correspond to a protruding member in the form of flutes or pegs extending from the intermediate sleeve. In response to the gas generator firing, the sleeve will be driven longitudinally, causing the protruding member to act on the spiraling flutes of the spool, thereby causing the spool to rotate. The intermediate sleeve can include a spiraling slot that receives a peg from the inner tube, so that the intermediate sleeve will rotate to compound the spool rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: Earl Henry Nelson, Hans-Otto Kock, Isaac Hoffman
  • SEATBELT PRETENSIONER
    Publication number: 20140263809
    Abstract: A seatbelt pretensioner is provided including an inner tube with a gas generator housed therein, an intermediate sleeve extending over the inner tube, and a spool portion housing the sleeve and the tube. The spool portion includes spiraling flutes thereon that correspond to a protruding member in the form of flutes or pegs extending from the intermediate sleeve. In response to the gas generator firing, the sleeve will be driven longitudinally, causing the protruding member to act on the spiraling flutes of the spool, thereby causing the spool to rotate. The intermediate sleeve can include a spiraling slot that receives a peg from the inner tube, so that the intermediate sleeve will rotate to compound the spool rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Henry NELSON, Hans-Otto Kock, Isaac Hoffman