Patents by Inventor Karen M. Balavich

Karen M. Balavich 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).

  • Patent number: 7686332
    Abstract: A two panel, woven, inflatable air bag with a single panel sail portion, and method of making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Michael Abramczyk, Edgardo Valdez, Karen M. Balavich
  • Publication number: 20090236827
    Abstract: A two panel, woven, inflatable air bag with a single panel sail portion, and method of making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: William Michael Abramczyk, Edgardo Valdez, Karen M. Balavich
  • Patent number: 7178827
    Abstract: An automotive ejection prevention assembly is provided comprising an airbag mounted within the beltline of a vehicle door. The airbag has an airbag stored condition and an airbag deployed position. The airbag expands vertically upwards from the beltline when in the airbag deployed position. A cover cloth assembly is mounted within a window frame of the vehicle door. The cover cloth assembly has a vertical restraint edge mounted to a vertical portion of the window frame and a horizontal restraint edge mounted to the beltline. The cover cloth assembly includes an inner cloth surface and an outer cloth surface joined to form an internal pocket. The airbag is positioned within the internal pocket. The cover cloth assembly fills a portion of the window frame upon the airbag entering the airbag deployed position. The cover cloth assembly prevents occupant ejection through the window frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fubang N. Wu, Jialiang Le, Karen M. Balavich, Clifford C. Chou
  • Patent number: 6237943
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system includes a restraint curtain stowed adjacent a roof rail of the vehicle to deploy downwardly adjacent the side wall of the vehicle. The curtain is formed with a slit extending from a lower edge upwardly toward an upper edge to divide the curtain into first and second sections. A short, rod-like connecting member is attached to the curtain adjacent the lower edge and spans the slit, tying the first and second sections together. A ring encircles the connecting member and a flexible tether is attached to the ring. The end of the tether opposite the ring is slidingly engaged with a guide track disposed on a pillar extending downwardly from the vehicle roof. The curtain is placed in the stowed condition by rolling it in a spiral fashion, starting at the lower edge and rolling toward the upper edge in a direction parallel to the slit so that the connecting members remain accessible through the slit even in the stowed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Robert Brown, Julie Ann Zychowicz, Karen M. Balavich