Abstract: An armrest assembly includes a body portion having a cushioned component, wherein the cushioned component includes first and second portions spaced-apart from one another. The cushioned component includes a porous lattice matrix. A duct assembly includes a main inlet and first and second outlets that are operably coupled to the first and second portions of the cushioned component, respectively. The duct assembly further includes first and second channels fluidically coupled to the first and second outlets, respectively. An air diverter member is pivotally supported between first and second positions and includes a channel disposed therethrough. The channel of the air diverter member opens into the first channel when the air diverter member is in the first position, and opens into the second channel when the air diverter member is in the second position for directing airflow to the first and second outlets, respectively.

Abstract: A unitary defroster system for a motor vehicle windshield comprises an instrument panel substrate, an HVAC supply source, and an air supply plenum in fluid communication with the HVAC supply source and terminating in a plurality of individually configured defroster nozzle ducts conjoined with the instrument panel substrate and aligned in a substantially linear row parallel to and proximate an interior surface of the windshield. The unitary defroster system is formed by an additive manufacturing process and at least two of the ducts are configured and arranged to deliver a different air flow to the interior surface of the windshield.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly for an automotive instrument panel is injection molded to form an integral deployment chute, door, and attachment flange, The flange attaches to the instrument panel around an aperture in the instrument panel. The tubular chute extends interiorly from the flange to a lower end configured to receive an inflating air bag from an air bag module and defines a deployment path along a longitudinal axis. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute rotatable from the flange to emerge through the aperture. The flap has an interior side impacted by the inflating air bag carrying a plurality of raised strengthening ribs. The flap has at least one closed-section hollow channel protruding from the interior side to a channel height extending beyond the strengthening ribs formed by gas-assist injection molding.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly for an automotive instrument panel is injection molded to form an integral deployment chute, door, and attachment flange, The flange attaches to the instrument panel around an aperture in the instrument panel. The tubular chute extends interiorly from the flange to a lower end configured to receive an inflating air bag from an air bag module and defines a deployment path along a longitudinal axis. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute rotatable from the flange to emerge through the aperture. The flap has an interior side impacted by the inflating air bag carrying a plurality of raised strengthening ribs. The flap has at least one closed-section hollow channel protruding from the interior side to a channel height extending beyond the strengthening ribs formed by gas-assist injection molding.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly mounts a passenger air bag module to an automotive instrument panel. An outer flange collar of the assembly attaches to the instrument panel and defines a windshield-facing side. A tubular chute extends interiorly from the collar to a lower end that attaches to the air bag module. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute. An S-shaped hinge has a first edge attached to the door flap. An apron extends from the collar laterally into the deployment path from the windshield-facing side. A second edge of the hinge attaches to the apron so that a sweep zone of the door flap is shifted by a distance corresponding to a reduction in a width of the deployment path at the upper end caused by the apron, reducing interference between the flap and a windshield during air bag deployment.

Abstract: An air bag chute assembly mounts a passenger air bag module to an automotive instrument panel. An outer flange collar of the assembly attaches to the instrument panel and defines a windshield-facing side. A tubular chute extends interiorly from the collar to a lower end that attaches to the air bag module. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute. An S-shaped hinge has a first edge attached to the door flap. An apron extends from the collar laterally into the deployment path from the windshield-facing side. A second edge of the hinge attaches to the apron so that a sweep zone of the door flap is shifted by a distance corresponding to a reduction in a width of the deployment path at the upper end caused by the apron, reducing interference between the flap and a windshield during air bag deployment.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of a passenger compartment in an automotive vehicle. A plastic-molded front wall deploys in a deployment direction toward a passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic-molded bladder member is joined along an outer perimeter with the front wall by a hot weld seam to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle. An inflator couples an inflation gas into the inflatable bladder in response to a crash event of the vehicle. The pleated baffle forms a plurality of at least five vent openings including at least one stress relief vent juxtaposed to a peak stress region of the hot weld seam and a plurality of tuning vents which are concentrated at a lowest restraint-force region of the inflatable bladder.

Abstract: An active glove box door includes a bladder member joined along an outer perimeter with a front wall by a hot weld seam to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes a circumferential pleat for unfolding in response to an inflation gas during a crash event. A door inner liner is joined to a central region of the bladder member and forms a generally continuous plate behind the bladder member. The door inner liner interfaces with the instrument panel to provide a reaction surface for expansion of the bladder. The pleat has a peak disposed proximate to the door inner liner, wherein the peak includes a vent opening that delineates a collision region on the door inner liner. The door inner liner includes a plurality of perforations in the collision region permitting flow of inflation gas from the vent opening through the door inner liner.

Abstract: An active glove box door includes a bladder member joined along an outer perimeter with a front wall by a hot weld seam to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes a circumferential pleat for unfolding in response to an inflation gas during a crash event. A door inner liner is joined to a central region of the bladder member and forms a generally continuous plate behind the bladder member. The door inner liner interfaces with the instrument panel to provide a reaction surface for expansion of the bladder. The pleat has a peak disposed proximate to the door inner liner, wherein the peak includes a vent opening that delineates a collision region on the door inner liner. The door inner liner includes a plurality of perforations in the collision region permitting flow of inflation gas from the vent opening through the door inner liner.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of a passenger compartment in an automotive vehicle. A plastic-molded front wall deploys in a deployment direction toward a passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic-molded bladder member is joined along an outer perimeter with the front wall by a hot weld seam to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle. An inflator couples an inflation gas into the inflatable bladder in response to a crash event of the vehicle. The pleated baffle forms a plurality of at least five vent openings including at least one stress relief vent juxtaposed to a peak stress region of the hot weld seam and a plurality of tuning vents which are concentrated at a lowest restraint-force region of the inflatable bladder.

Abstract: An active bolster includes a plastic trim wall that deploys toward a passenger compartment and a plastic-molded bladder member joined with the trim wall by a hot weld seam to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes at least one substantially circumferential pleat for unfolding in response to an inflation gas. A reaction member is joined to a central region of the bladder member to provide a reaction surface. The pleat has a peak disposed proximate to the reaction member and an outer band between the peak and the weld seam at least a portion of which extends perpendicularly to the reaction member. A buffer zone is formed circumjacent the outer band between the trim wall and the reaction member. The pleat has a vent opening formed in the outer band providing an unobstructed path for inflation gas from the inflatable bladder to the buffer zone.

Abstract: An active glove box door is provided for a vehicle passenger compartment. A plastic-molded inner door liner forms a reaction plate. A plastic-molded front trim wall deploys toward a passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic-molded bladder member is joined along an outer perimeter with the trim wall by a hot weld seam to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes at least one substantially circumferential pleat adjacent the weld seam and a central attachment region with a plurality of attachment bosses joined to the inner door liner. A skeleton member is mounted to the inner door liner between the bladder member and the inner door liner, wherein the skeleton member has a lattice structure for reducing flexing of the inner door liner. The skeleton member has at least one aperture receiving a respective attachment boss.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of a passenger compartment in an automotive vehicle. A plastic front wall deploys in a deployment direction toward a passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic expandable bladder member is joined along an outer perimeter with the front wall by a weld seam to form a bladder. The weld seam has a nominal separation pressure. An inflator couples an inflation gas to inflate the bladder in response to a crash event. The bladder member includes a plurality of vent openings configured to regulate an inflation pressure of the inflation gas during an impact according to a passenger restraint profile. The bladder member further includes at least one stress relief vent comprising a frangible tear seam partially cut into the bladder member configured to tear open at a predetermined pressure between the passenger restraint profile and the nominal separation pressure.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of a passenger compartment in an automotive vehicle. A plastic-molded front wall deploys in a deployment direction toward a passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic-molded bladder member is joined along an outer perimeter with the front wall by a hot weld seam to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle. An inflator couples an inflation gas into the inflatable bladder in response to a crash event of the vehicle. The pleated baffle forms a plurality of at least five vent openings including at least one stress relief vent juxtaposed to a peak stress region of the hot weld seam and a plurality of tuning vents which are concentrated at a lowest restraint-force region of the inflatable bladder.

Abstract: An active bolster for an automotive vehicle includes a plastic-molded trim wall that deploys outwardly during a crash. A plastic-molded reaction plate is mounted as a deployment base. A plastic-molded bladder member is joined around a substantially sealed perimeter with the trim wall to form an inflatable bladder. The bladder member includes at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle around a central attachment region. The central attachment region includes an attachment boss projecting toward an attachment pad on the reaction plate to form a hot weld. The attachment boss has an arched cross section defining a weld surface with an apex. The weld surface is hot welded to the attachment pad such that the apex makes first contact with the attachment pad, wherein compression of the bladder member with the reaction plate creates a contact edge moving radially outward from the apex to expel gas from the hot weld.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a canister including a plurality of hooks disposed about a perimeter thereof and a chute having a plurality of spaced-apart windows extending therethrough to an interior, at least one hook being operably engaged with at least one window. The assembly further includes a reinforcing strip molded into the interior of the chute including a plurality of apertures aligned with respective ones of the plurality of windows and a steel door coupled with the reinforcing strip.

Abstract: An active bolster at an interior trim surface of an automotive vehicle has a plastic-molded outer trim panel and a plastic-molded expandable bladder member. The bladder member has a central attachment section configured to attach to a support structure of the vehicle, a welding flange welded to the trim panel, and a baffle section between the attachment section and the welding flange. An inflator couples an inflation gas into a space between the trim panel and bladder member to expand the bladder member in response to a crash event of the vehicle. The welding flange has a generally-rectangular profile with a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges. The baffle section includes circumferential pleats providing an expansion length of the bladder member that is greater at the long edges than at the short edges to reduce stress on the weld along its weakest point.

Abstract: An airbag assembly having a canister portion and a chute portion. The chute portion has a plurality of windows in order to engage hooks of the canister portion. In order to reinforce the hook and window engagements, an insert molded reinforcing strip is molded into the chute. The reinforcing strip may be more than one reinforcing strip or a single continuous strap molded around the entire perimeter of the chute. Another embodiment also includes a hinged steel door insert molded into the bottom surface of the chute providing additional reinforcement to the body of the chute.

Abstract: An active bolster has a plastic-molded, expandable front wall and a plastic-molded back wall joined around a substantially sealed perimeter with the front wall to form an inflatable bladder. The back wall includes at least one active vent and at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle. An inflator couples an inflation gas into the inflatable bladder in response to a crash event of the vehicle. The active vent comprises a window opening in the back wall and an integrally-molded flap juxtaposed to the window opening. The flap has an undeflected position corresponding to a first flow coefficient and a deflected position corresponding to a second, nonzero flow coefficient that is less than the first flow coefficient. The flap moves from the undeflected position to the deflected position when a pressure in the inflatable bladder resulting from a passenger impact is greater than a predetermined pressure.

Abstract: An active bolster has a plastic-molded, expandable front wall and a plastic-molded back wall joined around a substantially sealed perimeter with the front wall to form an inflatable bladder. The back wall includes at least one active vent and at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle. An inflator couples an inflation gas into the inflatable bladder in response to a crash event of the vehicle. The active vent comprises a window opening in the back wall and an integrally-molded flap juxtaposed to the window opening. The flap has an undeflected position corresponding to a first flow coefficient and a deflected position corresponding to a second, nonzero flow coefficient that is less than the first flow coefficient. The flap moves from the undeflected position to the deflected position when a pressure in the inflatable bladder resulting from a passenger impact is greater than a predetermined pressure.