Mounted In Vehicle And Positioned Laterally Of Occupant Patents (Class 280/730.2)
  • Patent number: 10836287
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a frame member including an outer wall and an inner wall, the outer wall and the inner wall defining a cavity therebetween and a side airbag supported by the frame member in the cavity, wherein the outer wall extends along an outboard angle relative to a seat-forward direction and the side airbag is inflatable to an inflated position extending along the outboard angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Jesus Alfonso Alarcon Hernandez, Eric D. Veggian
  • Patent number: 10829076
    Abstract: A rear seat side airbag device that includes: an inflator that generates gas in the event of a vehicle collision; and a side airbag that is supplied with gas from the inflator from a position in a vehicle cabin side portion that corresponds to a rear seat, and that is inflated and deployed towards a portion on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle occupant in a case in which the vehicle occupant is sitting in the rear seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10822842
    Abstract: The invention controls a power cinching function of a motor vehicle door latch in order to improve door seal performance under conditions wherein vibrations could otherwise reduce seal effectiveness. With the door latched closed in a flush condition, the vehicle speed is compared to a slow-speed threshold. When the vehicle speed is greater than the slow-speed threshold, then a vehicle vibration parameter is compared to a vibration threshold. When the vibration parameter is greater than the vibration threshold, then the power cinching function is activated to move the door to to a subflush condition which increases a compression of the seal between the door and a vehicle door frame. When the door is in the subflush condition, the vehicle speed continues to be compared to the slow-speed threshold, and when the vehicle speed is less than the slow-speed threshold then the door is released back to the flush condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Ronald J. Collins, Aaron M. Halonen, David Brian Glickman, Paul K. Dellock
  • Patent number: 10814824
    Abstract: A side airbag device may include: an inflator mounted to a seat frame; a cushion unit covering the inflator and configured to be deployed by gas discharged from the inflator to protect a side portion of an occupant; and a tether unit mounted to the inflator and configured to enclose the cushion unit. The cushion unit may include: a cushion deployment part mounted to the inflator and configured to be deployed by gas discharged from the inflator; a cushion passing part formed in the cushion deployment part so that the tether unit passes through the cushion passing part; and a cushion penetration part formed in an upper end of the cushion deployment part so that the tether unit penetrates the cushion penetration part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiwoon Song, Sang Won Hwangbo, Hae Kwon Park
  • Patent number: 10807554
    Abstract: A side curtain airbag module comprises an airbag having a plurality of fastening flaps that are configured to be fastened to the body of a vehicle; a ramp to guide deployment of the airbag, the ramp has at least one fastener configured to be fastened to a vehicle body; means for securing the ramp to the airbag by relative movement of airbag and ramp, whereby in a mounting condition of the airbag module the ramp fasteners are at least in part housed by the airbag flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Floersheimer
  • Patent number: 10807555
    Abstract: A curtain airbag includes an upper airbag configured to deploy in a position opposite to an upper half of a side part of a vehicle in which a window is formed, and a lower airbag configured to deploy in a position opposite to a lower half of the side part and coupled to the upper airbag in an up-and-down direction. The upper airbag includes a first expansion section configured to extend in the up-and-down direction and expand to increase in volume in a front part more than in a back part of the first expansion section in a width direction of the vehicle, and the lower airbag includes a second expansion section configured to extend in the up-and-down direction and expand to increase in volume in a front part more than in a back part of the second expansion section in the width direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mototsugu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10807558
    Abstract: A side curtain air bag module includes an inflatable cushion, an inflator, and a flexible ramp. The inflatable cushion includes a first panel coupled to a second panel. The ramp is configured to prevent interference from the pillar trim with deployment of the cushion. The ramp includes at least a first slot, a second slot, and the inflatable cushion includes first and second flexible tabs that couple the ramp to the inflatable cushion. The first slot may have a horizontal orientation, while the second slot may have a vertical orientation to allow alignment with the C-pillar during installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLC
    Inventor: Eric Naranjo
  • Patent number: 10787146
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus may include: a first chamber connected to an inflator, and supporting the head of a passenger in case of a head-on collision of a vehicle; a second chamber connected to one side of the first chamber so as to be supported by the first chamber, and suppressing the head of the passenger from moving in a diagonal direction in case of an oblique collision of the vehicle; a communication part formed in the first chamber so as to introduce gas of the first chamber into the second chamber; and a valve tether installed along the circumference of the communication part, connected to the first chamber, and closing the communication part when the first chamber is completely deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rae Ick Jang, Seok Min Lee, Jae Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 10787145
    Abstract: An airbag device for a motor vehicle, the airbag device can be provided on and secured to a seat frame and is designed to protect the head and rib cage of an occupant in the event of side impact or vehicle rollover. The airbag device has a gas generator, an airbag cushion and a first securing system, the first securing system, the gas generator and the airbag cushion being connected to one another to secure the airbag device to the seat frame. A second securing system is provided in the side region of the airbag cushion above the connecting region with the first securing system The second securing system is designed to secure the airbag cushion, with an additional securing point in the side region, to the seat frame above the first securing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Mats Berntsson, Pär Sandinge, Hanna Karlsson
  • Patent number: 10773678
    Abstract: An airbag module mounted on a near-side vehicle seat is provided for protecting a far-side occupant seated in a far-side vehicle seat. The airbag module includes an airbag cushion and an inflator for providing inflation gas for the airbag cushion. The airbag cushion in a deployed state has a rear lobe portion and an extension portion. The rear lobe portion bulges laterally toward the far-side vehicle seat. The extension portion projects forward of the rear lobe portion in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In a near-side impact crash event the airbag cushion deploys upwards in a vehicle height direction and forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction with a deployment angle of the entire airbag cushion obliquely oriented to direct the airbag cushion away from the near-side vehicle seat and toward the far-side vehicle seat to provide restraint of the far-side occupant against lateral movement within the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Craig Markusic
  • Patent number: 10766448
    Abstract: A side inflatable airbag assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. Inflatable airbag assemblies may provide protection for an occupant in a vehicle collision event. In a side collision event, or other event producing lateral movement of the occupant relative to the vehicle, the disclosed inflatable airbag assembly may receive and support the occupant during ride down so as to prevent or minimize injury resulting from impact with a vehicle door, sidewall, center console, or other vehicle structure disposed lateral to the vehicle seating position. The disclosed airbag may differentially support the occupant buy providing varied degrees of support for the shoulder and pelvis, and the torso, which may be particularly beneficial to an elderly occupant whose bones may be more susceptible to some injury types and modes as a result of age-incident health issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: Autoliv ASP, Inc., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Derek John Wiscombe, Don Larry Parker, Terry Alan Wheelwright, Andrew Lawrence Holliday, Charles Paul Dinsdale, Bryant S. Whitcomb, Craig Allen Markusic
  • Patent number: 10759374
    Abstract: an airbag for a vehicle is provided. In particular, a deployment position of an airbag cushion is changed to correspond to the occupant's seating position or the occupant's lying position in response to the vehicle collision. Accordingly, the occupant is more safely protected regardless of seating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Joo Seon Yoo, Hyock In Kwon
  • Patent number: 10759376
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a seat having a seat bottom and defining a seat-forward direction. The vehicle includes an interior component. The vehicle includes an airbag supported by the interior component and inflatable to an inflated position having a main body elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis and an extension extending from the main body transverse to the vehicle-longitudinal axis in front of the seat bottom relative to the seat-forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Pardeep Kumar Jindal, Rahul Makwana, Dinkar Sadashiv Karanth
  • Patent number: 10752198
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seatback. The assembly includes a side airbag supported by the seatback and inflatable to an inflated position including a top panel having a pair of opposing side edges and a front edge extending between the side edges. The side airbag includes a main panel fixed to the top panel at a seam extending along the side edges and the front edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Deepak Patel, Yun Cai, Joseph E. Abramczyk
  • Patent number: 10723303
    Abstract: A vehicle curtain airbag device includes: a main body stored between a front pillar and a front pillar garnish as well as between a roof side rail and a roof head lining; a notch portion formed at the main body, and dividing an upper portion of the main body into front and rear sides; a connecting component connecting a front inflating portion at a front side of the notch portion to a vehicle main body, and supporting the front inflating portion so as to inflate at a vehicle width direction outer side of the front pillar garnish; and a holding component holding the front pillar garnish such that the front pillar garnish is movable in the vehicle width direction between an initial position in a pre-inflated state of the main body, and an inflation position, the inflation position being at a vehicle width direction inner side relative to the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10717403
    Abstract: A curtain airbag device that allows easy recognition and correction of twisting of an airbag during attaching. The curtain airbag device can be stored in a compact manner during transportation. The curtain airbag device including an airbag that is disposed along a roof side rail of a vehicle interior, and that can deploy so as to cover a window portion on a side face of the vehicle interior, the curtain airbag device further including a cover that covers the airbag, at least, in a part of the folded or rolled airbag in the longitudinal direction. The cover is formed of a pliable fabric material of polymer fibers, and maintains the shape of the rolled-up airbag through mutual fusion of at least a part of the polymer fibers. A high stiffness portion harder than other portions and formed during the fusion of the cover is provided in the cover extending in the longitudinal direction of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Takayuki Shimizu, Yuto Kobayashi, Mitsuo Nogami, Hiroyoshi Shimono
  • Patent number: 10703325
    Abstract: Multi-chambered side airbag assemblies are provided. The airbag assemblies can include a housing, an inflator, and a side inflatable cushion. The side inflatable cushion can include multiple chambers, for example, a first inflatable chamber coupled to the housing, a second inflatable chamber coupled to the first inflatable chamber, and a third inflatable chamber coupled to the second inflatable chamber. The side inflatable cushion can also include a connector coupling at least two of the inflatable chambers to each other. In a deployed state, at least a portion of the side airbag may protrude transverse to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle such that a portion of the side airbag is configured to receive a vehicle occupant moving from a vehicle occupant position during a vehicle impact event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Schneider
  • Patent number: 10703321
    Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a first airbag and a second airbag each inflatable to an inflated position, and a panel. In the inflated position, each of the first and second airbags have a bend, and first and second legs extending from the bend. The panel extends from the first airbag to the second airbag in the inflated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Joseph Edward Abramczyk, Deepak Patel
  • Patent number: 10696265
    Abstract: A curtain airbag system of a vehicle is configured such that a position of an auxiliary chamber provided in a curtain airbag is changed to correspond to an occupant's seating posture or the occupant's lying posture in response to a vehicle collision, so that the occupant is safely protected in various seating postures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Hyo Shub Shin, Hyock In Kwon
  • Patent number: 10696261
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seat frame and a seat cushion coupled to the seat frame. The seat frame includes a seatback frame, a base frame coupled to the seatback frame, a first armrest frame coupled to the seatback frame, and a second armrest frame coupled to the seatback frame. The seat cushion covers the seat frame and is spaced apart from the seat frame to define a cavity therebetween. The seat assembly further includes an airbag coupled between the seat frame and the seat cushion. The airbag has a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position, the airbag is disposed in the cavity between the seat frame and the seat cushion. In the deployed position, the airbag is partly disposed outside the cavity between the seat frame and the seat cushion to absorb energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yi-Pen Cheng, Chin-Hsu Lin, Paul E. Krajewski
  • Patent number: 10688953
    Abstract: A rear seat side airbag device includes: a case provided inside a vehicle cabin side portion in correspondence with a rear seat, the case being open substantially toward a vehicle front side; an inflator accommodated inside the case, the inflator configured to generate gas at a time of vehicle collision; and a side airbag accommodated inside the case and is configured to receive a supply of gas from the inflator and inflates and expands, the side air bag including a distal end portion being fixed to a region of the case or a vehicle body, which region is at a vehicle width direction inner side with respect to the inflator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masanori Sato
  • Patent number: 10668885
    Abstract: A side airbag device for a rear seat relating to the technique of the present disclosure includes: an airbag module that is provided at an interior of a side garnish that is disposed between a vehicle body side portion and a vehicle transverse direction outer side of a seatback of a rear seat; a tubular flow regulating cloth that is provided at an interior of a side airbag of the airbag module, at a periphery of an inflator; and an airbag door that is provided at the side garnish, and that has a hinge portion and a tear portion at a periphery thereof, and that is pushed by the tubular flow regulating cloth when gas is generated from the inflator, wherein the tubular flow regulating cloth has openings at both ends thereof, and has exhaust holes in a peripheral wall thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Seiji Hioda, Yoshinori Beppu, Atsushi Yamada, Takuya Sudo
  • Patent number: 10668888
    Abstract: A curtain airbag apparatus may include: a curtain airbag cushion part installed at a side of a vehicle, and expanded and deployed to cover the side of the vehicle; a first seaming part disposed in the curtain airbag cushion part at one side of a driver airbag cushion part, suppressing a thickness-direction expansion of the curtain airbag cushion part when the curtain airbag cushion parts is expanded, forming a constraint concave portion into which one side of the driver airbag cushion part is inserted, and forming first and second chamber parts at both sides of the constraint concave portion; a protruding chamber part expanded and deployed to the interior of the vehicle when the curtain airbag cushion part is expanded; and an anti-expansion tether part connected to both sides of the protruding chamber part, and restricting an expansion of the outside of the protruding chamber part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Geon Woong Moon
  • Patent number: 10661747
    Abstract: A curtain airbag device for a vehicle including; a curtain airbag that includes tabs that are anchored at a roof side portion, stowed in the roof side portion in folded state, inflates and expands toward the vehicle lower side, and includes, at a front portion, a front seat oblique collision chamber that inflates to the vehicle lower side relative to a door beltline and is superposed in the vehicle width direction with a door trim; and a swing restriction tab projecting from upper edge portion of front portion of the curtain airbag, anchored at the roof side portion at the vehicle lower side with respect to an imaginary line that runs along the curtain airbag in folded state and passes through anchoring points of the tabs, and restricts upward swinging with respect to the vehicle by the front portion of the inflated and expanded curtain airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10661744
    Abstract: An airbag has a bag main body and a connection member with a base side joined to the bag main body and a distal end side fixed to a circumferential window edge. The bag main body has end-side and normal inflation portions. A slit is formed between the end-side and normal inflation portions. The base side of the connection member is joined to the bag main body at a position on a front and upper side from the slit. The bag main body is pulled by the connection member that covers a vehicle exterior side of the end-side inflation portion, in which is inserted into the slit from the vehicle interior side toward the vehicle exterior side when the airbag is completely inflated, and a vicinity of a part of the end-side inflation portion, is oriented toward the vehicle interior side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Okuhara, Koji Kawamura, Takashi Iida
  • Patent number: 10654437
    Abstract: In the state in which the first reinforcing cloth and the second reinforcing cloth are in loops, two end portions of the first reinforcing cloth are sewn to the first skin, and two end portions of the second reinforcing cloth are sewn to the second skin. Thus, the first reinforcing cloth and the second reinforcing cloth are sewn to the first skin and the second skin, respectively, in two-layer states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: NHK SPRING Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yaegashi, Tomoyuki Iyama, Akihiko Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10647285
    Abstract: Tabs for coupling or securing an airbag to a vehicle are provided. A tab may include a first panel and a second panel that meet at a foldable portion. First and second arms may extend away from a central portion of the first panel in substantially opposite directions. First and second recesses may extend inward from first and second lateral edges, respectively, of the second panel. The tab may be configured to be folded to form a bracket receiving member. The bracket receiving member may be configured to be disposed through an aperture of a bracket to secure the tab to the vehicle. Additionally, the first and second panels of the tab may be configured to be secured to an airbag to secure the airbag to the vehicle via the tab and the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler Glen Christiansen, Charles Paul Dinsdale
  • Patent number: 10640073
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus includes a gas generator, and an airbag. The airbag includes a first fabric inner tube and a second fabric inner tube, both surrounding at least a gas injecting portion of the gas generator to have a double tubular shape. Common portions of the first inner tube and the second inner tube in a tubular circumferential direction are coupled to an airbag main body by a coupling portion extending in a tubular length direction, and other common portions which are separated from the common portions of the first inner tube and the second inner tube by a central angle (a central angle in a state where the airbag is only deployed and not inflated) of 70 to 180 degrees about the gas generator in the tubular circumferential direction are coupled to each other by a coupling portion extending in the tubular length direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Nukaya, Kensaku Honda
  • Patent number: 10632954
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an airbag assembly and a vehicle seat comprising the airbag assembly. The airbag assembly is adapted to be mounted at a side of a vehicle front seat away from its neighboring vehicle door, and includes a folded airbag adapted to be inflated with gas and to be connected to a backrest frame of the vehicle front seat; and a tether for controlling deployment of the airbag. A first end of the tether is connected to the airbag and a second end of the tether is adapted to be connected to the backrest frame. The airbag is configured to be restrained by the tether and the filling so as to be disposed along a side contour of the backrest frame in a bent state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Jin Zhang, Kongfu Xie, Magdalena Wingren, Mats Berntsson, Par Sandinge
  • Patent number: 10632960
    Abstract: A folded body of a head protection airbag includes a compression section, and a non-compression section. The airbag includes a shield inflation section that covers the vehicle interior side of a window at a time of inflation completion. The shield inflation section includes: a primary development area developed and inflated in an initial stage of an inflow of the inflation gas; and a secondary development area disposed on a side of one end of the airbag in the front-rear direction so as to be inflatable by following development and inflation of the primary development area. The secondary development area is disposed in the compression section and the primary development area is disposed in the non-compression section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Okuhara, Shinji Hayashi, Takashi Iida
  • Patent number: 10625705
    Abstract: A roof airbag apparatus may include: a gas injection unit configured to discharge gas; a tether guide extending in a longitudinal direction of a roof; and an airbag configured to be deployed by gas transferred from the gas injection unit. The airbag may include: a first chamber part coupled to the tether guide and configured to be deployed in a longitudinal direction of the tether guide by gas transferred from the gas injection unit; and a second chamber part coupled to the first chamber part, and configured to be deployed by gas transferred from the first chamber part and cover the first chamber part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byung Ho Min, Hae Kwon Park, Seok Min Lee, Kyu Sang Lee, Jong Seob Lee
  • Patent number: 10618491
    Abstract: A side airbag device including: a bag-shaped airbag that deploys from a lateral portion of a vehicle seat toward a front side of a vehicle; and an inflator that supplies inflation gas into the airbag. The airbag has, at least at a lower portion thereof, a lower tuck-in region tucked into the airbag. Further, at least a part of the lower tuck-in region is folded into a fan shape and forms a radial folded region folded into a pleated shape along a line extending rearward in a radial direction from a central point of the fan shape positioned on a front side of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Naoki Hatakeyama, Atsushi Murai
  • Patent number: 10618440
    Abstract: A reclining mechanism cover for covering hinge portions (15) of a reclining mechanism in a vehicle seat includes a seat front right reclining mechanism cover (11) and a seat front left reclining mechanism cover (12) which cover, from the front of a seat back the hinge portions on the left and right sides in the width direction of the seat back; and a seat lower reclining mechanism cover (10) which comprises left and right rear reclining mechanism covers that cover, from the rear of the seat back, the left and right hinge portions (15) of the seat back and a seat back rear covering component that is integral with the seat back rear reclining mechanism covers. This reclining mechanism cover is mounted to the seat back frame (4) of the seat back via the seat lower reclining mechanism cover (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: TACHI-S CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kamei
  • Patent number: 10604103
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a roof airbag apparatus may include: a roof airbag cushion connected to an inflator, the roof airbag cushion configured to be disposed in a first folded state in a panorama roof, and to be inflated in a second expanded state and deployed as gas is supplied from the inflator; and a constraint connected to the roof airbag cushion configured to pull downward a distal end portion of the roof airbag cushion as it is being inflated to prevent reverse deployment of the roof airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok Min Lee, Byung Ho Min, Hae Kwon Park, Kyu Sang Lee
  • Patent number: 10556565
    Abstract: A curtain airbag apparatus may include: an inflator part configured to inject gas; a main cushion part expanded by the gas injected from the inflator part, and coupled to a car body; and a cushion moving part interposed between the main cushion part and the car body, and expanded by the gas injected from the inflator part so as to move the main cushion part. The gas transferred to the cushion moving part may be passed through the cushion moving part and transferred to the main cushion part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jong Seob Lee
  • Patent number: 10543801
    Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle includes an airbag cushion and a tether. The airbag cushion is installed on one side of a seat and is composed of multiple chambers. When the airbag is deployed, the airbag cushion extends to a front side of the seat and the chambers are consecutively arranged in a superior-inferior direction of the seat. The tether connects the chambers to each other or connects one chamber to a vehicle body. The multiple chambers include a normal chamber deployed to the front side of the seat and a confining chamber bent toward an occupant when being deployed. The confining chamber is pressed by the adjacent normal chamber, or pulled or pressed by the tether. Thus, a front half portion of the confining chamber is folded toward a rear half portion of the confining chamber, thereby coming into tight contact with the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hyock In Kwon
  • Patent number: 10543800
    Abstract: A side airbag device for a vehicle includes a lower chamber and an upper chamber to protect a passenger from a side impact in the event of a vehicle collision. The upper chamber is bent towards the passenger by a connecting tether to support a passenger's neck region and prevent the neck from being twisted. The restraint belt forms an inserting space in front of a passenger when the upper chamber is bent so that a passenger's shoulder region is inserted into the inserting space when the passenger is moved forwards by collision inertia. The passenger's shoulder region is surrounded and supported by the restraint belt so that the passenger's body is restrained by a seat. A passenger is protected from impact and simultaneously the passenger is restrained by the seat to minimize an injury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyock In Kwon
  • Patent number: 10518735
    Abstract: A trim cover for a seat assembly includes a front trim cover having first and second sides with first zipper portions disposed on the first and second sides. First and second intermediate strips include first and second ends. The first ends of the intermediate strips include second zipper portions that releasably couple to the first zipper portions of the front trim cover. A rigid back panel includes first and second sides that are operably coupled to the second ends of the first and second intermediate strips. The back panel is coupled to the front trim cover through the intermediate strips. The back panel is a rigid self-supporting member that is pierceable along an edge portion thereof, such that the second ends of the intermediate strips are stitched to the back panel in assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marcos Silva Kondrad, Ryan Welch, Kevin Mozurkewich, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Patent number: 10518738
    Abstract: A side airbag device 100 includes: a main bag 120, is built in a seat of a vehicle, and inflates and deploys toward a side of an occupant and a vehicle front side; an inner bag 122 which is formed in a bag shape independent of the main bag 120, and inflates and deploys on a vehicle rear side inside the main bag 120. An inflator 110 provided inside the inner bag 122 to supply gas; and a tension member 126 which spans between the vehicle front side and the vehicle rear side inside the inner bag 122 and is tensioned as the inner bag 122 inflates and deploys. The length of the inner bag 122 in the front-back direction of the vehicle at inflation is restricted by the tension member 126 to a predetermined range, and the inner bag therefore inflates in a vehicle width direction and pushes and spreads the vehicle rear side of the main bag 120 from the inside of the main bag 120 to both sides in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Yuto Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 10501044
    Abstract: A curtain airbag apparatus may include: a curtain airbag cushion installed on an inner side surface of a vehicle including a first chamber configured to be inflated and deployed from a collapsed position as gas is injected therein from an inflator into an expanded position covering the inner side surface of the vehicle; and a first restraint part disposed toward a side of a driver airbag cushion to limit expansion of the curtain airbag cushion and form a restraint recess in the curtain airbag cushion to allow the driver airbag cushion to be fitted into the restraint recess such that the first chamber supports the driver airbag cushion in the expanded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Geon Woong Moon
  • Patent number: 10501043
    Abstract: An exemplary vehicle assembly, includes, among other things, an inflatable device that transitions between a less expanded position and a more expanded position. The inflatable device in the more inflated position is disposed within a door opening of a vehicle. A side door of the vehicle is detached from the vehicle to provide the door opening. An exemplary occupant protection method includes, among other things, after a side door of a vehicle is detached from the vehicle to provide a door opening, transitioning an inflatable device from a less expanded position to a more expanded position. The inflatable device in the more inflated position is disposed within the door opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Saied Nusier
  • Patent number: 10486638
    Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle includes a lower chamber and a confining chamber that confine the upper body of an occupant in a seat such that the upper body of the occupant cannot rotate in a lateral direction in the event of a side vehicle impact. The airbag further includes a protecting chamber coming into contact with the head of the occupant, thereby preventing the head of one occupant from colliding with the head of another occupant. The airbag provides secure protection for an occupant from an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyock In Kwon
  • Patent number: 10479313
    Abstract: The curtain airbag device includes: an inflator; an airbag; and a restricting member. The airbag includes an outer circumferential joining portion forming a bag body, a gas inlet portion, and a joining portion which is arranged in a region surrounded by the outer circumferential joining portion. The airbag, while being stored in a folded state, includes a roll folding portion formed by folding the bag body into a roll shape with a vehicle interior side base fabric facing outside, and a flip folding portion formed by folding back the bag body with the vehicle interior side base fabric facing inside. The restricting member includes a tip portion fixed to a lower side of a sidewall of a vehicle, and a base end portion joined to a vehicle exterior side base fabric located at the flip folding portion or an upper end portion of the roll folding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Azuma, Kou Sasaki, Shuhei Konishi, Masanori Kato
  • Patent number: 10479316
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus for a vehicle may include first and second inflators each configured to provide an inflation gas; a main cushion connected to the first inflator and deploying toward a passenger when the first inflator operates; a sub cushion connected to the second inflator and deploying along a first side surface of the main cushion to be overlappingly deployed with the main cushion at the first side surface and the front surface of the main cushion when the second inflator operates; and a controller configured to operate the first inflator to deploy the main cushion when a vehicle collision is detected, and configured to operate both of the first inflator and the second inflator to deploy both of the main cushion and the sub cushion when the vehicle collision is detected as an oblique collision at a least a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hyo Shub Shin
  • Patent number: 10442387
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag apparatus includes a curtain airbag, a collision direction detector, a deployment inhibitor, and an airbag controller. The curtain airbag is deployable in an interior of a vehicle from an upper portion on a side of the vehicle so as to cover a side window of the vehicle. The collision direction detector detects a collision direction of a collision object and the vehicle. The deployment inhibitor partially suppresses deployment of the curtain airbag. In response to the collision direction detector detecting a substantially forward collision of the vehicle, the airbag controller deploys the curtain airbag in such a manner as to activate the deployment inhibitor to suppress deployment of the curtain airbag over an area interfering with an extending portion of a seat belt being worn by an occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Yamane, Takashi Kamibayashi
  • Patent number: 10427634
    Abstract: An adjustable airbag system for a vehicle. The system includes an airbag assembly having an inflatable airbag within a housing, and an airbag housing orientation mechanism operatively coupled to the airbag housing. The airbag housing orientation mechanism is structured to enable control of an orientation of the airbag housing so as to enable deployment of the airbag to cushion an occupant positioned in either one of a driver side or a front passenger side of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Umesh N. Gandhi, Danil V. Prokhorov
  • Patent number: 10407018
    Abstract: A system includes a roof and an airbag supported by the roof. The airbag is inflatable away from the roof to an inflated position. The airbag includes an apex adjacent to the roof. The airbag includes a first leg inflatable away from the apex to an end, and a second leg inflatable away from the apex to an end spaced from the end of the first leg. The airbag includes a bottom portion spaced from the apex and inflatable to the inflated position. The bottom portion extends from the end of the first leg to the end of the second leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Srinivasan Sundararajan, Fubang Wu, Robert William McCoy
  • Patent number: 10407017
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to an airbag assembly for protecting a vehicle occupant having a torso and a pelvis disposed in a vehicle seat. The airbag assembly can include a first inflatable chamber disposed in the vehicle seat and configured to expand outward from the vehicle seat to indirectly support the torso of the occupant. The airbag assembly can also include a second inflatable chamber disposed in the vehicle seat below the first inflatable chamber and configured to expand outward from the vehicle seat below the first inflatable chamber. The airbag assembly can further include a sheet connecting the first inflatable chamber to the second inflatable chamber, the sheet being configured to engage the torso of the occupant when the occupant is disposed in the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Craig Markusic, Murthy Ayyagari
  • Patent number: 10377337
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraining system includes plural occupant restraining devices that are disposed in a side support portion of a seat back of a vehicle seat and is configured to, when activated, restrain an occupant; and a control device that is configured to staggers the activation timings of the plural occupant restraining devices so that a load that acts on the occupant simultaneously from the plural occupant restraining devices is made to be equal to or less than a maximum value of a load that acts on the occupant individually from the plural occupant restraining devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Kunisada, Hiroyuki Nagura, Takuma Kawai, Takayuki Iwakawa
  • Patent number: 10369952
    Abstract: A backrest for a vehicle seat having a backrest side rail for supporting a side of a body of an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat, having an airbag and having a gas generator for protecting the occupant, having a hard cover housing for arrangement on the backrest side rail, wherein the hard cover housing in a lateral plan view is designed as a half shell arranged along a longitudinal extent of the backrest side rail with two longitudinal edges spaced from one another, wherein the airbag and the gas generator can be pushed in and/or are pushed in between the two longitudinal edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Jenny, Juergen Maier