Patents by Inventor Kristopher Schaffer

Kristopher Schaffer 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).

  • Overmolded inertia sensor mass for a seat belt retractor
    Publication number: 20080029635
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor (10) has an actuator (14) for unlocking and locking the seat belt retractor (10). An inertial sensor (18) detects changes in vehicle acceleration and interacts with the actuator (14) to lock and unlock the seat belt retractor (10). The inertial sensor (18) has one inertial sensor mass, each mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33) has a wide portion (70) and a narrow portion (72). Preferably each inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33) has a high density body (31) embedded in the wide portion (70) of the elastomeric material (34). The inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 36, 32, 33) has a greater density than the elastomeric material (34). Moreover, the elastomeric material (34) at least partially surrounds an exterior circumferential surface (38) of the inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Christopher Morgan, Huiyao Liu, Stephan Vetter, Kristopher Schaffer, David Arnold
  • Seat belt retractor with overmolded inertia sensor mass
    Publication number: 20060180695
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor (10) has an actuator (14) for unlocking and locking the seat belt retractor (10). An inertial sensor (18) detects changes in vehicle acceleration and interacts with the actuator (14) to lock and unlock the seat belt retractor (10). The inertial sensor (18) has one inertial sensor mass, each mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33) has a wide portion (70) and a narrow portion (72). Preferably each inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33) has a high density body (31) embedded in the wide portion (70) of the elastomeric material (34). The inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33) has a greater density than the elastomeric material (34). Moreover, the elastomeric material (34) at least partially surrounds an exterior circumferential surface (38) of the inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Christopher Morgan, Huiyao Liu, Stephan Vetter, Kristopher Schaffer, David Arnold