Abstract: An inflatable safety restraint assembly is provided and methods are provided for installing such an inflatable safety restraint assembly into a vehicle. The inflatable safety restrain assembly comprises a cushion pack configured for attachment to an A-pillar of the vehicle and an inflator configured for attachment to a body structure of the vehicle other than the A-pillar. The inflatable safety restraint assembly further comprises a flexible tube having a first end connected to the cushion pack and a second end connected to the inflator. The flexible tube is adjustable to provide a number of orientations between the cushion pack attached to the A-pillar and the inflator attached to the vehicle body other than the A-pillar.

Abstract: A process is described for producing an aluminum alloy sheet having excellent bendability for use in forming panels for automobiles. An aluminum alloy containing 0.50 to 0.75 by weight Mg, 0.7 to 0.85% by weight Si, 0.1 to 0.3% by weight Fe, 0.15 to 0.35% by weight Mn, and the balance Al and incidental impurities, is used and is semi-continuously cast into ingot. The cast alloy ingot is subjected to hot rolling and cold rolling, followed by solution heat treatment of the formed sheet. The heat treated sheet is quenched to a temperature of about 60-120° C. and the sheet is then coiled. This coil is then pre-aged by slowly cooling the coil from an initial temperature of about 60-120° C. to room temperature at a cooling rate of less than 10° C./hr.

Abstract: A selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a take-up spool connected to webbing of a seat restraint system for winding and unwinding the webbing. The selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor further includes a rotatable first torsion bar to provide a first level of load limiting on the webbing during an impact. The selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor includes a rotatable second torsion bar orientated parallel to the first torsion bar to provide a second level of load limiting on the webbing during an impact. The second level of load limiting is less than the first level of load limiting. The selectable load limiting seat restraint retractor further includes a selectable load limiting mechanism cooperating with the first torsion bar and the second torsion bar to select between the first level of load limiting and the second level of load limiting to provide digressive load limiting on the webbing during an impact.

Abstract: A process is described for producing an aluminum alloy sheet having excellent bendability for use in forming panels for automobiles. An aluminum alloy is used containing 0.5-0.75% by weight Mg, 0.7-0.85% by weight Si, 0.15-0.35% by weight Mn and 0.1-0.3% by weight Fe and the remainder Al and incidental impurities. The alloy is formed into ingot by semi-continuous casting and the cast alloy ingot is subjected to hot rolling and cold rolling, followed by solution heat treatment of the formed sheet. The sheet material is pre-aged by rapidly cooling from an initial pre-aging temperature of at least 80° C. to room temperature at a cooling rate of more than 5° C./hour.

Abstract: An inflatable knee bolster for a vehicle occupant is mounted in opposing relation to the knees of a vehicle occupant. The bolster is an expansible chamber of multipiece construction having a face portion and a separate three dimensional expansible body portion. The face portion and body portion are joined about their peripheries to define and substantially enclose the chamber. The expansible body portion is formed from injection molded polymeric material and has one or more integrally molded at least partially collapsible pleated profile elements disposed along the sides and across the top of the body portion in raised and lowered profile with respect to the face portion. Deformable mounting brackets extend outwardly from the body portion for attachment to the vehicle. The materials forming the face and body portions are of either similar or dissimilar chemical and physical character.

Abstract: A process of producing a shaped article suitable for use as an automotive body panel intended for finishing by painting and, if necessary, baking. The process comprises obtaining a sheet article made of an aluminum alloy of the 2000 or 6000 series in a T4 or T4P temper and that exhibits an increase in hardness after painting and optionally baking, shaping the sheet article by forming to produce an intermediate shaped article, and subjecting the intermediate shaped article to a thermal spiking treatment prior to painting and optionally baking. The thermal spiking treatment involves heating the intermediate shaped article from ambient temperature to a temperature in a range of 150 to 300° C. with or without holding at that temperature for a period of time to enhance the increase in hardness. The process may also include the painting and optionally baking step. The invention includes the shaped articles, either prior to or after painting and optionally baking, produced by the process.

Abstract: A stackable washer tossing game apparatus and method of play which allows a player to easily stack, store, and transport the scoring boxes. The apparatus incorporates a removable center scoring pin with the game. The apparatus also comprises a scoring box having an inside gripping surface which minimizes bounce of the washers used in the game. The apparatus further comprises washers having an impact absorbing coating which further minimizes bounce. The washers of the apparatus having an outside diameter or periphery which has a plurality of dimples or serrations which further minimizes rolling of said washers.

Abstract: An air bag system in a vehicle having opposing upper front interior corners. The system includes at least one air bag assembly located proximate one of the upper front interior corners. The air bag is in fluid communication with a gas expelling inflator and includes a frontal impact portion sized and shaped for deploying along a predetermined deployment path in front of a vehicle occupant. A biasing element of flat pliable character is held in place in hinging relation along an attached edge at an anchoring position inboard of the air bag. The biasing element is unattached at a free end which is extended away from the anchoring position upon deployment of the air bag cushion such that the biasing element is advanced in hinging fashion ahead of the frontal impact portion as the frontal impact portion is deployed in front of the vehicle occupant.

Abstract: A seat restraint tensioner for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a housing for operative connection to vehicle structure and a movable piston disposed in the housing. The seat restraint tensioner also includes a gas generator operatively connected to the housing for expelling a gas to move the piston. The seat restraint tensioner further includes a spool assembly operatively connected to the piston and for connection to belt webbing of the seat restraint system for pulling-down the belt webbing of the seat restraint system in a linear manner and winding up the belt webbing on the spool assembly as the piston moves.

Abstract: This present invention provides a deformable air bag module for use in an instrument panel or door panel of a vehicle. The air bag module has a deformable housing with an inflator and an air bag cushion being disposed within the deformable housing. The module housing has a neck portion defining an opening formed at a first side, wherein the first side is coupled to the instrument panel. The instrument panel includes first and second instrument panel sections and the module housing is disposed about the first and second instrument panel sections so that deployment of the air bag cushion causes deformation of the module housing resulting in the first and second instrument panel sections separating and deployment of the air bag cushion therebetween. When a tear seam is used to define the first and second instrument panel sections, the present invention permits the tear seam to be formed thicker in size and more durable.

Abstract: An inflatable air bag system having an inflatable curtain-like cushion element for inflated deployment away from a storage position along the roof rail portion of the vehicle frame to provide coverage over an expanded region of the vehicle interior. The cushion element is inflated by the rapid introduction of a substantially inert gas such as helium from an elongate gas storage receptacle extending at least partially along the roof rail portion of the vehicle frame. The gas storage receptacle serves as a profiling and stiffening support member for the cushion element in the storage position extending along the roof rail. The inflation gas may be discharged directly into an interior portion of the cushion element so as to promote rapid expansion and deployment of the cushion element over centralized regions of the surface to be covered.

Abstract: Metallic cloth seals backed by stiff high temperature-resistant shims depend from a bracket for engagement in a slot of a transition piece for sealing between the transition piece and a first-stage nozzle. The high pressure acting on the shim forces the metallic cloth into engagement with the sealing surface in the slot. The lower edge of the shim is bent about, and overlies, the edge of the metallic cloth in a direction toward the sealing surface of the slot to choke any flow from the high pressure region past the seal. Elongated spline seals are also inserted into opposed registering slots of adjacent transition pieces. The spline seals comprise metallic cloth folded onto itself backed by elongated stiff high temperature-resistant shims having lateral edges overlying the lateral edges of the cloth material. The overlying edges prevent leakage flow about the spline seals from the high pressure to the low pressure regions.

Abstract: A seat restraint buckle assembly for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a rigid frame having an open forward end defining a passage to receive a latch plate. The seat restraint buckle assembly also includes a locking member operatively connected to the frame and pivotal between a latched position in which the locking member retains the latch plate within the passage and an unlatched position in which the locking member is held clear of the passage. The seat restraint buckle assembly includes a release button slidably mounted on the frame above the passage for longitudinal movement relative to the frame. The seat restraint buckle assembly further includes a blocking lever operatively connected to the frame and pivotal to contact the locking member and urging the locking member towards the latched position.

Abstract: An air bag module includes an air bag and an inflator being activatable to discharge inflator gas for inflating the air bag. The inflator has at least one discharge port through which inflator gas is discharged. A housing includes at least one inflator vent opening aligned with the discharge port. A variable inflation device is mounted on the inflator and includes a movable member alignable with the vent opening. The movable member is movable relative to the vent opening for opening and closing the vent opening at a predetermined time during inflator activation to control the amount of inflator gas discharged into the air bag and the amount of inflator gas expelled out through the vent opening of the housing. Preferably, the variable inflation device includes an initiator device being activatable during activation of the inflator to move the movable member relative to the vent opening at the predetermined time during inflator activation.

Abstract: This present invention provides variable deployment performance by controlling the quantity and fluid flow path of the inflator gas into or out of an air bag module according to the present invention. The air bag module includes a slide ring mechanism disposed about an inflator and adjacent at least a portion of a cushion retainer. The slide ring mechanism comprises an annular ring having openings formed therein, wherein during rotation of the slide mechanism, the openings of the annular ring align with openings formed in the cushion retainer to define a fluid flow path away from an air bag cushion for venting some of the inflator gas. Preferably, the annular ring is rotated by attaching a pair of tethers to the annular ring and to a rear surface of the air bag cushion.

Abstract: A process of producing a shaped article suitable for use as an automotive body panel intended for finishing by painting and, if necessary, baking. The process comprises obtaining a sheet article made of an aluminum alloy of the 2000 or 6000 series in a T4 or T4P temper and that exhibits an increase in hardness after painting and optionally baking, shaping the sheet article by forming to produce an intermediate shaped article, and subjecting the intermediate shaped article to a thermal spiking treatment prior to painting and optionally baking. The thermal spiking treatment involves heating the intermediate shaped article from ambient temperature to a temperature in a range of 150 to 300° C. with or without holding at that temperature for a period of time to enhance the increase in hardness. The process may also include the painting and optionally baking step. The invention includes the shaped articles, either prior to or after painting and optionally baking, produced by the process.

Abstract: A tensioning system which provides continuous tensioning to an inflatable curtain air bag during deployment of the curtain air bag. A dynamic tethering element is utilized which travels in conjunction with the downward deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag so as to both tension the curtain air bag while at the same time providing a guiding action so as to bring the curtain air bag into the proper position at which it is thereafter maintained.

Abstract: This present invention provides an air bag assembly for use in a vehicle having a front structural member which preferably comprises an A-pillar of the vehicle. The air bag assembly comprises an inflator for generating gas and an air bag cushion deployable upon generation of gas by the inflator. The air bag cushion is preferably stored along a length of the front structural member while the inflator is preferably located at a position remote from the front structural member. The air bag assembly further includes a gas conduit which provides a gas path for transferring the gas from the inflator to the air bag cushion. The gas conduit comprises an expandable member extending along at least a length of the front structural member which permits the gas conduit to be packaged within the A-pillar structure underneath interior trim molding used to cover the A-pillar.

Abstract: A seat restraint tensioner for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a housing for operative connection to vehicle structure and a movable piston disposed in the housing. The seat restraint tensioner also includes a gas generator operatively connected to the housing for expelling a gas to move the piston. The piston includes a passageway extending therethrough to control a rate of stroke of the piston when the gas is generated to apply a force for pulling-down belt webbing of the seat restraint system.

Abstract: This present invention provides variable deployment performance by controlling the quantity and fluid flow path of the inflator gas into or out of an air bag module according to the present invention. The air bag module includes a slide ring mechanism disposed about an inflator and adjacent at least a portion of a cushion retainer. The slide ring mechanism comprises an annular ring having openings formed therein, wherein during rotation of the slide mechanism, the openings of the annular ring align with openings formed in the cushion retainer to define a fluid flow path away from an air bag cushion for venting some of the inflator gas. Preferably, the annular ring is rotated by attaching a pair of tethers to the annular ring and to a rear surface of the air bag cushion.