Patents by Inventor Spencer W. Chavez
Spencer W. Chavez 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).
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Patent number: 8696019Abstract: A knee airbag module for restraining an occupant seated in the interior compartment of a vehicle. The module includes an inflatable airbag cushion configured to deploy to a location forward of the legs of the seated occupant, and an inflator to supply inflation gas for inflating the cushion. The module further includes a housing configured to couple to the vehicle and a cover connected to the housing. The housing includes a base, a forward side wall and a rearward side wall, which together with the cover form a compartment for housing the airbag cushion prior to deployment, as well as the inflator. A portion of the rearward side wall is inclined to guide the deploying airbag cushion in an oblique direction when breaching the housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2011Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Greg D. Kitts, John P. Ruterbusch, Michael J. Lange
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Patent number: 8540278Abstract: An airbag assembly includes an airbag cushion, an inflator to provide inflation gas to inflate the airbag cushion, a diffuser provided between the inflator and the airbag cushion and a deflector provided between the inflator and the diffuser. The diffuser forces the inflation gas to change flow direction at least one time before the inflation gas exits into the airbag cushion. The deflector deflects particulates emitted from the inflator into a predetermined portion of the diffuser to inhibit particulates from entering into the airbag cushion. The predetermined portion of the diffuser may be an upper corner of the diffuser.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Vera Ljajcaj, Russell J. Mihm
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Patent number: 8500161Abstract: A knee airbag module can include a knee airbag cushion and a deployment control mechanism, with the deployment control mechanism limiting displacement of the knee airbag cushion in at least a vertical direction relative to a vehicle. The deployment control mechanism can induce an airbag cushion to deploy in a direction rearward (relative to a front of a vehicle) and oblique along a vehicle dashboard quickly by controlling and limiting the downward deployment distance and making the rearward and oblique direction become a path of least resistance for deployment of the knee airbag cushion. In addition, the airbag module and the deployment control mechanism can permit a knee airbag cushion to provide enhanced coverage of an occupant's leg, such as above the knee of the occupant's leg, by controlling the deployment of the knee airbag cushion without the need to use an airbag cushion with a greater vertical height.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2011Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventor: Spencer W. Chavez
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Publication number: 20120313359Abstract: An airbag assembly includes an airbag cushion, an inflator to provide inflation gas to inflate the airbag cushion, a diffuser provided between the inflator and the airbag cushion and a deflector provided between the inflator and the diffuser. The diffuser forces the inflation gas to change flow direction at least one time before the inflation gas exits into the airbag cushion. The deflector deflects particulates emitted from the inflator into a predetermined portion of the diffuser to inhibit particulates from entering into the airbag cushion. The predetermined portion of the diffuser may be an upper corner of the diffuser.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2012Publication date: December 13, 2012Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Vera Ljajcaj, Russell J. Mihm
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Patent number: 8282128Abstract: An airbag assembly comprises an airbag cushion, an inflator to provide inflation gas to inflate the airbag cushion, and a diffuser provided between the inflator and the airbag cushion. The diffuser includes a plurality of panels. The plurality of panels force the inflation gas to change flow direction at least two times before the inflation gas exits into the airbag. The panels each include openings for inflation gas to pass through. Openings in a first panel are not aligned with the openings in a second panel.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2010Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Vera Ljajcaj
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Publication number: 20120242066Abstract: A knee airbag module for restraining an occupant seated in the interior compartment of a vehicle. The module includes an inflatable airbag cushion configured to deploy to a location forward of the legs of the seated occupant, and an inflator to supply inflation gas for inflating the cushion. The module further includes a housing configured to couple to the vehicle and a cover connected to the housing. The housing includes a base, a forward side wall and a rearward side wall, which together with the cover form a compartment for housing the airbag cushion prior to deployment, as well as the inflator. A portion of the rearward side wall is inclined to guide the deploying airbag cushion in an oblique direction when breaching the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2011Publication date: September 27, 2012Inventors: Spencer W. CHAVEZ, Greg D. Kitts, John P. Ruterbusch, Michael J. Lange
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Publication number: 20110241319Abstract: A knee airbag module can include a knee airbag cushion and a deployment control mechanism, with the deployment control mechanism limiting displacement of the knee airbag cushion in at least a vertical direction relative to a vehicle. The deployment control mechanism can induce an airbag cushion to deploy in a direction rearward (relative to a front of a vehicle) and oblique along a vehicle dashboard quickly by controlling and limiting the downward deployment distance and making the rearward and oblique direction become a path of least resistance for deployment of the knee airbag cushion. In addition, the airbag module and the deployment control mechanism can permit a knee airbag cushion to provide enhanced coverage of an occupant's leg, such as above the knee of the occupant's leg, by controlling the deployment of the knee airbag cushion without the need to use an airbag cushion with a greater vertical height.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Inventor: Spencer W. CHAVEZ
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Patent number: 7946611Abstract: An airbag module for protecting the knees of an occupant located in an occupant compartment of a vehicle, the airbag module configured to be mounted behind an instrument panel of the vehicle and including a housing; and an airbag configured to be filled with an inflation gas. The housing may surround the airbag. The housing may include two connected portions. The housing may also be configured so that when the airbag is inflated and deploys the two portions of the housing disconnect and the first housing portion bends downward into a position where the first portion forms a ramp to guide the airbag from a stored position into the occupant compartment. The airbag module may also include a mounting mechanism configured to mount the housing to the instrument panel.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Gary A. Card, John P. Ruterbusch
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Publication number: 20100276917Abstract: An airbag assembly comprises an airbag cushion, an inflator to provide inflation gas to inflate the airbag cushion, and a diffuser provided between the inflator and the airbag cushion. The diffuser includes a plurality of panels. The plurality of panels force the inflation gas to change flow direction at least two times before the inflation gas exits into the airbag. The panels each include openings for inflation gas to pass through. Openings in a first panel are not aligned with the openings in a second panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2010Publication date: November 4, 2010Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Vera Ljajcaj
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Publication number: 20100244410Abstract: An airbag module for protecting the knees of an occupant located in an occupant compartment of a vehicle, the airbag module configured to be mounted behind an instrument panel of the vehicle and including a housing; and an airbag configured to be filled with an inflation gas. The housing may surround the airbag. The housing may include two connected portions. The housing may also be configured so that when the airbag is inflated and deploys the two portions of the housing disconnect and the first housing portion bends downward into a position where the first portion forms a ramp to guide the airbag from a stored position into the occupant compartment. The airbag module may also include a mounting mechanism configured to mount the housing to the instrument panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Gary A. Card, John P. Ruterbusch
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Patent number: 7390013Abstract: An airbag module includes a cover having an I-shaped tear line. The I-shaped tear line has a first tear seam parallel to and spaced apart from a second tear seam. A third tear seam is continuous with and perpendicular to the first tear seam and the second tear seam. When an airbag is inflated the tear line separates and the airbag deploys there through.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2005Date of Patent: June 24, 2008Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.Inventors: Spencer W. Chavez, Michael J. Lange