Patents by Inventor Eric Eckelberg

Eric Eckelberg 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).

  • Publication number: 20070262572
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant (15 or 16) of a vehicle (17) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) and an inflation fluid source. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) has a stored, deflated position and an inflated position. The inflation fluid source provides inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) has a first panel portion (501) for, when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) is inflated, protecting an adult size vehicle occupant (15). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) has a second panel portion (502) for, when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (10) is inflated, defining a downwardly open pocket (520) for receiving a portion of a child size vehicle occupant (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Kurt Fischer, Eric Eckelberg, Alberto Rodriguez, Heather Kramer, Amit Sharma
  • Publication number: 20070246924
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (14) of a vehicle (12) includes a housing (26) and an air bag (22) supported by the housing. An inflator (24) is supported by the housing (26). The inflator (24) includes a first stage (40) including at least one first outlet passage (44) and a second stage (50) including at least one second outlet passage (54). The first and second outlet passages (44 and 54) are provided for discharging inflation fluid into the air bag (22). An anchor (110) is secured to the inflator (24) and at least partially blocks inflation fluid flow through the second outlet passage (54). The anchor (110) is configured to disconnect from the inflator (24) in response to inflation fluid discharged through the second outlet passage (54) when the second stage (50) is actuated. At least one tether (100) has a first end (102) connected to the air bag (22) and a second end (106) secured to the anchor (110).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventor: Eric Eckelberg
  • Publication number: 20060267322
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an air bag (12) includes a first source (22) of inflation fluid actuatable to produce a volume of inflation fluid and a second source (24) of inflation fluid actuatable to produce a volume of inflation fluid. The apparatus (10) also includes a temperature sensor (72) for providing a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the apparatus (10) and a control system (50) operatively connected to the temperature sensor (50). The control system (50) actuates the first and second sources (22, 24) of inflation fluid. The apparatus (10) further includes a delay circuit coupled (51) to the temperature sensor (72) and the control system (50). The delay circuit (51) is responsive to the temperature signal for delaying the actuation of one of the first and second sources (22, 24) for a predetermined period of time after actuation of the other one of the first and second sources (22, 24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventor: Eric Eckelberg