Abstract: An impact resistant releasable retainer is for a door, such as for covering a glove box or other vehicle storage compartment. A pawl retains the door closed and releases to allow the door to open. A pivotally mounted catch engages the pawl, such as within a notch, when the door is closed or moved in a forward direction, opposite the opening direction. An actuator moves the catch allowing the pawl to move, such as by engagement with the actuator following the engagement with the catch, for releasing the door to open. The catch otherwise remains secured to the pawl for preventing the inadvertent release of the door, such as during movement in the forward direction as the result of an impact.

Abstract: Described are joint designs, tooling, and molding methods for a hollow object, such as an automobile bolster. The methods and structures provide a process and system that facilitates mold alignment, part alignment, material strength, design adaptability, efficient processing, reduced labor, increased production rates, reduced energy consumption per part, aesthetically pleasing surfaces, and reduces or eliminates the need for welding.

Abstract: A load floor for a vehicle includes a carpet having a tuft attached to a backing, a plurality of inserts attached to a second side of the backing, a top surface fused to the carpet and encapsulating the inserts, and a bottom surface fused to the encapsulated inserts. The inserts may be varied in material, shape, thickness, and spacing to provide a tunable stiffness. A related method includes forming a parison feeding the parison between mold halves shaped like a load floor, hanging a carpet and a plurality of inserts in the first mold half, clamping the parison by moving the mold halves together to form a mold, and pushing the parison outward, using blown air, such that the parison is adjacent the backing in the first mold forming a top surface and encapsulating the inserts, and adjacent the second mold half forming a bottom surface fused to the parison encapsulating the inserts.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of an automotive vehicle to act as a cushion in an impact event. The bolster has a plastic-molded, expandable bladder wall having concentric pleats terminating with a skirt. A bilateral welding flange integrally extends from the skirt. A plastic-molded trim wall overlies the bladder wall. The bilateral welding flange forms a hot weld with the trim wall to provide an inflatable cavity for receiving an inflation gas during an impact event. The bilateral welding flange includes a plate member molded to extend radially outward from the skirt and a neck member molded to extend substantially parallel with the skirt. The hot weld deflects the neck member to extend radially inward from the skirt so that the neck member is exposed to the inflatable cavity whereby a pressure from the inflation gas pushes the neck member against the trim wall.

Abstract: An armrest for a captain's chair of a vehicle includes an outer layer and an inner layer including a foaming agent and defining a hollow core. At least one of the inner layer and the outer layer may include a reinforcing material and/or may be varied in thickness along its length. The armrest may include a third layer defining the hollow core. A related method includes heating a parison having a first and second layers, mixing a foaming agent into the second layer prior to heating, feeding the heated parison between mold halves, clamping the heated parison by moving the mold halves together, and pushing the layers of the heated parison outward, using blown air, such that the first layer is adjacent the mold and the second layer forms a hollow core of the armrest, the hollow core being partially filled by expansion of the second layer during cooling.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a main body substantially enclosing an interior volume. The main body is elastically expandable to an inflated configuration. The apparatus further includes a vent aperture in the main body and a vent cover at least partially overlapping the vent aperture. The vent aperture and the vent cover define a passage from the interior volume to outside of the main body. In the inflated configuration of the main body and within a pressure threshold of the interior volume, the vent cover constricts the passage proportionately to a pressure increase in the interior volume of the main body.

Abstract: Described are joint designs, tooling, and molding methods for a hollow object, such as an automobile bolster. The methods and structures provide a process and system that facilitates mold alignment, part alignment, material strength, design adaptability, efficient processing, reduced labor, increased production rates, reduced energy consumption per part, aesthetically pleasing surfaces, and reduces or eliminates the need for welding.

Abstract: An automobile armrest is described. The armrest allows lateral movement in an outboard direction while resisting inboard movement. The armrest facilitates occupant egress and mitigates injury in a collision. Lateral outboard movement of the armrest is non-destructive and the armrest returns to a standard position upon removal of the outboard force.

Abstract: An active bolster is provided for an interior trim surface of an automotive vehicle. A plastic-molded outer trim panel has a welding track on an inside surface. A plastic-molded expandable bladder member has a central attachment section configured to attach to a support structure of the vehicle, a welding flange along a peripheral edge with a first surface facing the trim panel inside surface and a second opposed surface, and a pleated region between the central attachment section and the welding flange. The welding track and the welding flange are joined by a closed-loop hot weld seam to form a sealed chamber. The welding track and welding flange comprise complementary surfaces having a plurality of corrugations making the weld seam at least partially shaped as an undulating ribbon. As a result, a majority of the forces on the weld seam during inflation are in shear instead of peel.

Abstract: An automobile armrest is described. The armrest allows lateral movement in an outboard direction while resisting inboard movement. The armrest facilitates occupant egress and mitigates injury in a collision. Lateral outboard movement of the armrest is non-destructive and the armrest returns to a standard position upon removal of the outboard force.

Abstract: An inflatable active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the active bolster comprising a front wall and a rear wall, the front and rear walls being interconnected to form a hollow chamber. The front wall has deformable features that permit the hollow chamber to volumetrically expand upon inflation of the hollow chamber by an inflator. The active bolster further includes a reaction plate for attachment of the active bolster to a suitable vehicle mount structure. The hollow chamber is attached to the reaction plate through a releasable engagement mechanism. The active bolster provides for snap-in installation, and easier detachment for servicing.

Abstract: A hollow article is provided, comprising a first wall and a second wall, where the first and second walls are positioned in opposing relationship and define a space therebetween. A plurality of protruding structural pillars extend from the second wall and span the space, each of the structural pillars having an end surface integrally bonded with an inside surface of the first wall.

Abstract: Provided is an active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the active bolster comprising a rear panel, an internal structure, and a front panel. The internal structure is disposed between the rear panel and the front panel, and the internal structure and rear panel together forming a hollow chamber in communication with an inflation device. The hollow chamber is expandable on activation of the inflation device. The internal structure has at least one expandable element such that upon pressurization of the hollow chamber by the inflation device, at least a portion of the at least one expandable element undergoes deformation to permit inflation of the hollow chamber, thereby displacing the rear panel rearwardly to an extended position.

Abstract: This invention is in the field of safety devices to lessen injuries arising from impact in vehicles, particularly automobiles. A bolster which may be employed to reduce impact severity to passengers from either frontal or side impacts is activated by impact sensing devices. The housing of the bolster has a lateral length L. Upon activation, the bolster is inflated with an activating fluid and extends the lateral length L of bolster upon activation.

Abstract: A hollow article is provided comprising a first wall, and a second wall, where the first and second walls are positioned in opposing relationship thus defining a space therebetween. A first set of structural members are provided that extend internally from one of the first and second walls, the first set of structural members spanning the space and having an end surface that is integrally bonded with an inside surface of the opposing wall. A second set of structural members is also provided that extend internally from one of the first and second walls, the second set of structural members spanning the space and having an end surface integrally bonded with an inside surface of the opposing wall. The first and second sets of structural members are provided in different orientations.

Abstract: Provided is an active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the active bolster comprising a rear panel, an internal structure, and a front panel. The internal structure is disposed between the rear panel and the front panel, and the internal structure and rear panel together forming a hollow chamber in communication with an inflation device. The hollow chamber is expandable on activation of the inflation device. The internal structure has at least one expandable element such that upon pressurization of the hollow chamber by the inflation device, at least a portion of the at least one expandable element undergoes deformation to permit inflation of the hollow chamber, thereby displacing the rear panel rearwardly to an extended position.

Abstract: An inflatable active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the active bolster comprising a front wall and a rear wall, the front and rear walls being interconnected to form a hollow chamber. The front wall has deformable features that permit the hollow chamber to volumetrically expand upon inflation of the hollow chamber by an inflator. The active bolster further includes a reaction plate for attachment of the active bolster to a suitable vehicle mount structure. The hollow chamber is attached to the reaction plate through a releasable engagement mechanism. The active bolster provides for snap-in installation, and easier detachment for servicing.

Abstract: Provided is an active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the active bolster comprising a rear panel, an internal structure, and a front panel. The internal structure is disposed between the rear panel and the front panel, and the internal structure and rear panel together forming a hollow chamber in communication with an inflation device. The hollow chamber is expandable on activation of the inflation device. The internal structure has at least one expandable element such that upon pressurization of the hollow chamber by the inflation device, at least a portion of the at least one expandable element undergoes deformation to permit inflation of the hollow chamber, thereby displacing the rear panel rearwardly to an extended position.

Abstract: An inflatable bolster for use in a passenger compartment of a vehicle comprises a hollow body having a first wall having a central area and a circumferential area surrounding the central area, a second wall opposite the first wall, and an air chamber formed between the first and second walls. The inflatable bolster also comprises an inflator for injecting a pressurized fluid into the air chamber which is mounted to the hollow body. The inflatable bolster also comprises a plurality of concentric extension pleats formed in the first wall. The extension pleats extend around a major part of the circumferential area. The extension pleats contact the second wall at a plurality of contact points which are distributed across the second wall. The plurality of contact points is sufficient in number to at least partially suppress audible vibration of the second wall.

Abstract: An inflatable active bolster for a vehicle occupant, the bolster having a first body section and a second body section interconnected by a living hinge. The first and second body sections are folded about the living hinge to form a hollow chamber. The first body section provides an outer surface for facing the vehicle occupant, while the second body section provides a support surface for coupling the inflatable active bolster to a vehicle. At least one of the first and second body sections provides at least one expansible element such that upon pressurization of the hollow chamber, at least a portion of the at least one expansible element undergoes deformation to permit inflation of the hollow chamber, thereby displacing the outer surface of the first body section outwardly to an extended position.