Abstract: An active glove box bolster system for an automotive vehicle comprises an instrument panel housing defining a door space. A glove box door comprises a longitudinally-movable latch rod having a sloped end. A striker is provided on the housing for receiving the latch rod in a pocket between a front wall and a rear wall. The front wall slidably engages the sloped end during closing of the door to retract the latch rod until it enters the pocket. The latch rod includes a first interlock element adjacent to the sloped end, and the rear wall includes a second interlock element aligned with the first interlock element. The interlock elements engage to resist movement in response to a force against the door in a direction to push the door through the door space.

Abstract: A system may include a steering wheel assembly including a plurality of heat mat sections configured to selective heat a subset of the steering wheel, and a controller coupled to the heat mat sections via at least one connector, the controller configured to instruct the connector to provide current to at least one of the heat mat sections based on a user preference associated with an identified user.

Abstract: An airbag includes a first panel having a perimeter, and a second panel connected to the first panel along the perimeter of the first panel. The first panel and the second panel define an inflation chamber between the first and second panels. The first panel has a tab extending from the perimeter of the first panel and transverse to the perimeter of the first panel. The tab is connected to the second panel. A vent on the tab is in communication with the inflation chamber.

Abstract: An airbag includes a first panel having a perimeter, and a second panel connected to the first panel along the perimeter of the first panel. The first panel and the second panel define an inflation chamber between the first and second panels. The first panel has a tab extending from the perimeter of the first panel and transverse to the perimeter of the first panel. The tab is connected to the second panel. A vent on the tab is in communication with the inflation chamber.

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 for an automotive vehicle includes a plastic-molded outer trim panel with a welding track on an inside surface and a plastic-molded expandable bladder member with a welding flange along a peripheral edge with a first surface facing the trim panel inside surface and a second opposed surface. The welding track and the welding flange are joined by a hot weld to form a sealed chamber. A plurality of counterbores are distributed over the welding flange in order to form rivets that mechanically strengthen the weld. Each counterbore is comprised of a neck portion penetrating the first surface and a head portion penetrating the second surface. Each head portion includes an internal ledge extending laterally from the neck portion. The hot weld includes plastic-molded material that flows from the welding track through each neck portion and spreading onto the internal ledge in each head portion.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of a passenger compartment. A plastic-molded front wall deploys to receive an impacting passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic-molded back wall is joined around a substantially sealed perimeter with the front wall to form an inflatable bladder, wherein the back wall includes at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle for unfolding during inflation of the bladder to deploy the front wall. An inflator delivers an inflation gas into the inflatable bladder in response to a crash event of the vehicle. An absorber member is disposed along the front wall in the bladder prior to inflation and is configured to deploy transversely to the front wall and into fixed abutment with the back wall upon inflation of the bladder to mechanically resist post-inflation movement of the front wall toward the back wall and to dissipate energy of the impacting passenger.

Abstract: An active bolster for an automotive vehicle has a outer trim panel with a welding track. An expandable bladder member has a central section configured to attach to a support structure of a vehicle, a welding flange along a peripheral edge, and a pleated region between the central section and the welding flange. The welding track and the welding flange are joined by a hot weld to form a sealed chamber. The welding track includes a plurality of radially-spaced stepped pits. Each pit has an upper section defining a first opening with a respective first cross-sectional area and a lower section defining a second opening with a respective second cross-sectional area smaller than the respective first area. A perimeter of each upper section is melted by the hot weld and a perimeter of each lower section is not melted by the hot weld.

Abstract: An active glove box bolster system for an automotive vehicle comprises an instrument panel housing defining a door space. A glove box door comprises a longitudinally-movable latch rod having a sloped end. A striker is provided on the housing for receiving the latch rod in a pocket between a front wall and a rear wall. The front wall slidably engages the sloped end during closing of the door to retract the latch rod until it enters the pocket. The latch rod includes a first interlock element adjacent to the sloped end, and the rear wall includes a second interlock element aligned with the first interlock element. The interlock elements engage to resist movement in response to a force against the door in a direction to push the door through the door space.

Abstract: An active bolster for an interior trim surface of an automotive vehicle has a plastic-molded outer trim panel with a closed-loop bonding section 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 bonding flange along an peripheral edge, and a baffle section between the central attachment section and the bonding flange. The closed-loop bonding section and the bonding flange are configured to define a substantially closed toroidal region therebetween. An attachment body is molded in-situ to substantially fill the toroidal region. As a result of the in-situ molding of the attachment body in the toroidal region, the trim panel and bladder member become bonded via the attachment body resulting in a high bonding strength.

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 back wall is joined around a substantially sealed perimeter with the front wall to form an inflatable bladder. The back wall includes at least one substantially circumferential pleated baffle and a plurality of attachment towers projecting from a central region disposed within the baffle to join with a reaction surface. An inflator couples an inflation gas into the inflatable bladder in response to a crash event of the vehicle. At least one of the attachment towers includes an elongated notch sunk partially into a surface of the attachment tower to provide a thinned wall section configured to tear open at a predetermined pressure during inflation.

Abstract: An active glove box system comprises an instrument panel and a glove box door. The instrument panel housing defines a door space bordered by a curb flange along top and lateral sides of the door space. The glove box door comprises a trim wall providing an outside trim surface of the door, a bladder wall sealed along an outer edge to the trim wall defining an inflatable cavity, and a reaction wall. The reaction wall defines a back surface of the door, is attached to the bladder wall, and has an outer fringe surface abutting the curb flange when the door is closed. The fringe surface and the curb flange comprise interlocking features configured to engage and disengage in a door opening direction and to provide interference against movement of the reaction wall along an inward perpendicular direction when engaged.

Abstract: An active bolster protects a passenger in an automotive vehicle during a crash event. An interior trim panel has a front wall with a front surface facing the passenger and a back surface including a plurality of closed bonding tracks spaced laterally across the panel. A plurality of bladder walls each has an outer flange bonded to a respective bonding track, a plurality of pleats disposed annularly adjacent the respective outer flange and defining a respective extension length, and central mounting towers attaching the respective bladder wall to a reaction structure. A plurality of micro gas generators are each mounted to a respective bladder wall for inflating the respective bladder walls. Inflation causes unfolding of the respective pleats while the trim panel deploys away from the reaction structure by a non-uniform distance resulting from a bladder wall having a pleat extension length not equal to another laterally-spaced bladder wall.

Abstract: A vehicle instrument panel has a pedestrian protection zone along a forward side. The instrument panel generally has a low stiffness that avoids impact forces in the pedestrian protection zone greater than a predetermined force. An accessory component mounted on the instrument panel within the protection zone has a stiffness that could generate an impact force above the predetermined force. A cover providing a trim surface of the instrument panel has an annular wall region between inner and outer tear seams which encompass the accessory component. An annular bladder wall joined to the annular wall region forms a substantially toroidal expandable chamber. An inflator is arranged to supply an inflation gas into the expandable chamber during an impact of a pedestrian to tear the tear seams and expand the expandable chamber above the instrument panel body to intercept the pedestrian prior to impacting the accessory component.

Abstract: An active bolster for an interior trim surface of a vehicle has a trim panel with a closed-loop bonding section on an inside surface. A first stud extending from an inside trim panel surface at the closed-loop bonding section, and a second stud extends from the panel inside surface radially outward of the bonding section. A thermoplastic expandable bladder member has a welding flange along an peripheral edge which is hot-welded with the bonding section. The welding flange has a stud aperture receiving the first stud. A stepped bracket comprises a first plate overlying the welding flange and a second plate overlying the trim panel. The first plate has a first aperture receiving the first stud. The second plate has a second aperture receiving the second stud. The studs have respective re-melted heads clamping the bracket in place.

Abstract: An active bolster for an automotive vehicle has a plastic-molded outer trim panel with a closed-loop welding section. A plastic-molded expandable bladder member has a central attachment section, a welding flange along a peripheral edge, and a pleated region between the central attachment section and the welding flange. The welding section and the welding flange are joined by a hot weld. 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. The bladder member includes a first blocking rib projecting toward the trim panel between the welding flange and the pleated region. The trim panel includes a second blocking rib projecting toward the bladder member. The blocking ribs mechanically interlock to resist separation of the bladder member and trim panel during expansion and to shield the hot weld from the inflation gas.

Abstract: An active bolster for an interior trim surface of an automotive vehicle has a plastic-molded outer trim panel with a closed-loop bonding section 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 bonding flange along an peripheral edge, and a baffle section between the central attachment section and the bonding flange. The closed-loop bonding section and the bonding flange are configured to define a substantially closed toroidal region therebetween. An attachment body is molded in-situ to substantially fill the toroidal region. As a result of the in-situ molding of the attachment body in the toroidal region, the trim panel and bladder member become bonded via the attachment body resulting in a high bonding strength.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of a passenger compartment in an automotive vehicle. A plastic-molded, expandable front wall deploys toward a passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic-molded back wall is joined around a substantially sealed perimeter with the front wall to form an inflatable bladder. The back wall includes an inflator receptacle defined by a raised recess wall having an inflator aperture. An inflator with a gas outlet end and an electrical connector end is received in the inflator aperture with the gas outlet end inside the inflatable bladder. The recess wall has a predetermined thickness for substantially retaining shape during inflation of the bladder. The inflator receptacle includes a flexible seal disposed around an inner edge of the inflator aperture comprised of a flashing edge bearing against the inflator and having a thickness less than the predetermined thickness of the recess wall.

Abstract: An active bolster mounts at an interior trim surface of a passenger compartment in an automotive vehicle. A plastic-molded, expandable front wall deploys toward a passenger in the passenger compartment. A plastic-molded back wall is joined around a substantially sealed perimeter with the front wall to form an inflatable bladder. The back wall includes an inflator receptacle defined by a raised recess wall having an inflator aperture. An inflator with a gas outlet end and an electrical connector end is received in the inflator aperture with the gas outlet end inside the inflatable bladder. The recess wall has a predetermined thickness for substantially retaining shape during inflation of the bladder. The inflator receptacle includes a flexible seal disposed around an inner edge of the inflator aperture comprised of a flashing edge bearing against the inflator and having a thickness less than the predetermined thickness of the recess wall.

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.