Abstract: An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle includes an inflator and a curtain airbag securable to a body structure of the motor vehicle. The airbag includes two or more deployment tubes and two or more inflatable chambers. Vents connect the deployment chambers with the inflatable chambers. Gasses from the inflator pass first into the deployment tubes to rapidly inflate them to vertically extending positions and draw the airbag over a window opening. The gasses then pass through the vents into the inflatable chambers to complete the deployment of the curtain airbag. The rapid inflation and deployment of the deployment chambers provides cushioning for an occupant's head early in a crash event, followed by the inflation of the inflatable chambers to provide additional head protection and increasing the resistance of the curtain airbag to ejection through the underlying window apertures.

Abstract: A frangible vehicle sub-frame joint between a sub-frame and compartment pan. The sub-frame defines a clearance area forward of a collar. In a collision event, the collar is separated into a breakaway portion and a portion that is retained by the sub-frame. The breakaway portion breaks into a clearance area defined in front of the frame joint when the sub-frame is subjected to a front end impact.

Abstract: A frangible vehicle sub-frame joint between a sub-frame and compartment pan. The sub-frame defines a clearance area forward of a collar. In a collision event, the collar is separated into a breakaway portion and a portion that is retained by the sub-frame. The breakaway portion breaks into a clearance area defined in front of the frame joint when the sub-frame is subjected to a front end impact.

Abstract: An airbag module for an automotive vehicle includes a housing securable to a vehicle body panel adjacent to a sill of a side window. An airbag is stored within the housing in a deflated condition and has an inflated condition wherein it is positioned above the sill. A tether has an upper end attached to the airbag adjacent the top portion and a lower end attached to the body portion or the airbag bottom portion. The tether is shorter than a vertical length measured along a surface of the airbag between the top portion and the bottom portion when in the inflated condition, such that the tether is placed in tension and holds the airbag in a bent condition wherein a center section between the top and bottom portions projects laterally inward toward an interior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle roof system enabling elimination of the B-pillar is disclosed. A particular aspect of the invention is to transfer vertical roof loads onto an enhanced rear structure of the vehicle. An additional aspect of the invention is to employ a rear upper cap reinforcement to directly assume roof crush loads applied at front of the vehicle during testing. A specific load transfer mechanism is disclosed. Vertical roof crush force applied near the front of the vehicle is transferred into both a torsional load upon a rear header of the vehicle, and a bending moment upon the C-pillar of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle roof system enabling elimination of the B-pillar is disclosed. A particular aspect of the invention is to transfer vertical roof loads onto an enhanced rear structure of the vehicle. An additional aspect of the invention is to employ a rear upper cap reinforcement to directly assume roof crush loads applied at front of the vehicle during testing. A specific load transfer mechanism is disclosed. Vertical roof crush force applied near the front of the vehicle is transferred into both a torsional load upon a rear header of the vehicle, and a bending moment upon the C-pillar of the vehicle.

Abstract: A deflector is attached to a sub-frame in the front end of a vehicle that rotates the front end of the vehicle in the event the vehicle contacts an object outboard of the sub-frame. The deflector has a deflection beam that is supported on an outboard end by a reaction leg. The reaction leg is backed by an attachment leg that is secured in a parallel orientation to a part of the sub-frame.

Abstract: A vehicle sub-frame structure including a forward zone, extending substantially in the transverse direction towards the front of the vehicle. The forward zone has a first set of hinges and supports a radiator. A middle zone, including a pair of left and right members, extends substantially longitudinally and carries a second set of hinges. A rear zone includes a beam and is disposed substantially in the transverse direction. Both ends of the beam are attached to the sub-frame structure.

Abstract: An airbag assembly for a motor vehicle includes an inflator and a curtain airbag securable to a body structure of the motor vehicle. The airbag includes two or more deployment tubes and two or more inflatable chambers. Vents connect the deployment chambers with the inflatable chambers. Gasses from the inflator pass first into the deployment tubes to rapidly inflate them to vertically extending positions and draw the airbag over a window opening. The gasses then pass through the vents into the inflatable chambers to complete the deployment of the curtain airbag. The rapid inflation and deployment of the deployment chambers provides cushioning for an occupant's head early in a crash event, followed by the inflation of the inflatable chambers to provide additional head protection and increasing the resistance of the curtain airbag to ejection through the underlying window apertures.

Abstract: A vehicle sub-frame structure including a forward zone, extending substantially in the transverse direction towards the front of the vehicle. The forward zone has a first set of hinges and supports a radiator. A middle zone, including a pair of left and right members, extends substantially longitudinally and carries a second set of hinges. A rear zone includes a beam and is disposed substantially in the transverse direction. Both ends of the beam are attached to the sub-frame structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle frame with direction-specific deformation. The frame includes a rail with bended hinge(s) configured to deform the frame in a lateral direction in response to a longitudinal impact force and methods of manufacturing the same.

Abstract: A frame rail for a vehicle that is provided between vehicle frame and the bumper of a vehicle that has a thickness that varies from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The compressive strength of the rail increases from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The rail is rectangular in shape and the thickness of the rail is continuously increased to improve progressive crush characteristics of the rail under an oblique loading. A rail may be provided by providing a tubular rail having a plurality of ring shaped segments that have incrementally increasing thickness. Alternatively, the rail may have a uniformly increasing thickness from the front end to the back end.

Abstract: A frame rail for a vehicle that is provided between vehicle frame and the bumper of a vehicle that has a thickness that varies from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The compressive strength of the rail increases from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The rail is rectangular in shape and the thickness of the rail is continuously increased to improve progressive crush characteristics of the rail under an oblique loading. A rail may be provided by providing a tubular rail having a plurality of ring shaped segments that have incrementally increasing thickness. Alternatively, the rail may have a uniformly increasing thickness from the front end to the back end.