Specific Confinement Structure Patents (Class 280/743.1)
  • Patent number: 11679734
    Abstract: A frontal airbag for vehicle occupants comprises a contact panel (26) facing the vehicle occupant in the inflated state. Inside the airbag tension means (30, 30?) which restrain portions of the contact panel (26) in the inflated state of the frontal airbag (10) are arranged on the contact panel (26) so that, in the mounted and inflated state, the contact panel (26) forms plural indentations (32) extending vertically from the view of the associated occupant. The frontal airbag (10) optionally may take a first completely inflated state and a second completely inflated state with a larger airbag volume than in the first state, wherein a release device (40) is assigned to at least several of the tension means (30, 30?) and, when the release device is not activated, the frontal airbag (10) only reaches the first state and, when the release device (40) is activated, the contact panel (26) bulges in the area of the released tension means (30, 30?) further toward the occupant so as to enable the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Freisler, Simon Schmid
  • Patent number: 11673526
    Abstract: An airbag and a method for manufacturing the airbag. The airbag is manufactured by weaving yarns to form a one-piece woven (OPW) airbag having inflatable portions and non-inflatable portions. The non-inflatable portions are woven with varying weave patterns so as to form recesses in the surface of the airbag in the form of an indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Dylan Moran, Bruce Hill, Avadhoot Paranjpe
  • Patent number: 11623596
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is configured such that the airbag is housed as a compressed body which is compressed to collapse. The second aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an airbag apparatus, wherein the method includes the step of forming a compressed body of an airbag by compressing the airbag so as to collapse the airbag without rolling or folding the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Keisuke Honma, Kazuki Morita
  • Patent number: 11618982
    Abstract: An OPW airbag having warp and weft threads woven together in at least three woven fabric layers: a lower fabric layer, an upper fabric layer, and a middle fabric layer therebetween. The weft threads of the middle fabric layer emerge from the middle fabric layer in a first partial region of the airbag and are tied partially to the upper fabric layer and partially to the lower fabric layer. The warp threads of the middle fabric layer emerge from the middle fabric layer in the first partial region of the airbag and float freely between the lower fabric layer and the upper fabric layer. The weft and warp threads of the middle fabric layer are incorporated into the lower fabric layer or into the upper fabric layer in a second partial region of the airbag or are tied to the lower or upper fabric layer at a few attachment points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: GLOBAL SAFETY TEXTILES GMBH
    Inventor: Daniel Albiez
  • Patent number: 11541839
    Abstract: An airbag cushion for a vehicle may include: a front panel disposed in a direction facing a passenger when the airbag cushion is inflated, and having a front sewed part formed along the edge thereof; and a rear panel coupled to the front panel so as to form a chamber therebetween, having a gas introduction hole to introduce gas into the chamber, and having a rear sewed part formed along the edge thereof, the rear sewed part being coupled to the front sewed part, wherein the rear sewed part has a curvature part formed in a curved shape at the portion coupled to the front sewed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Min Seok Koh
  • Patent number: 11524648
    Abstract: An occupant protection system for protecting a vehicle occupant sitting in a seat includes a seatbelt that includes a lap belt for arresting the pelvis of the occupant, and an airbag disposed in the lap belt. The airbag is coupled to the lap belt in such a manner as to be movable relative to the lap belt in a left and right direction, and includes a main inflatable portion that is deployable in front of upper body of the occupant, and a positioning inflatable portion that protrudes from a lower end region of the main inflatable portion. The positioning inflatable portion includes a contact surface that contacts and is supported by an environmental member which is disposed in a circumference of the lap belt at airbag deployment, whereby helps align a center in the left and right direction of the main inflatable portion generally with that of the upper body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoyuki Tanaka, Takeki Hayashi, Yasushi Masuda, Yuji Sato
  • Patent number: 11518336
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a bulkhead and a seat rotatable to a vehicle-rearward facing direction. The seat includes a seatback having a first side, a second side spaced from the first side, and a rear side. The rear side faces the bulkhead in the away-facing direction. The vehicle includes an inflatable device that is a thermoplastic elastomer. The inflatable device has a middle chamber, a first side chamber, and a second side chamber. The middle chamber is inflatable away from the bulkhead toward the rear side of the seatback in the away-facing direction. The middle chamber is elongated cross-vehicle between the first side and the second side of the seatback. The first side chamber is inflatable vehicle-rearward from the bulkhead along the first side of the seatback in the away-facing position. The second side chamber is inflatable from the bulkhead along the second side of the seatback in the away-facing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 11498511
    Abstract: An airbag assembly including an airbag body having a front side and an opposite rear side, a fold line provided on one of the front side and the rear side, the fold line configured to adjust a length of the one of the front side and the rear side such that a length of the rear side is greater than a length of the front side when the airbag body is in a deployed state, the fold line defining a lower boundary, and a sewn portion provided on an outer surface portion of the front side and an outer surface portion of the rear side. The sewn portion fixes an inner surface portion of the front side to an inner surface portion of the rear side at a location within a predetermined distance from the lower boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: David O. Walker, John Ruddy, Brandon Streeter
  • Patent number: 11498510
    Abstract: An airbag unit comprising an airbag (22) folded or rolled into an elongate package as well as a wrapping (28) holding the package in the folded state includes a fold-back longitudinal end (36) of the package. Apart from a first tearing line (32) through which the airbag (22) leaves the wrapping (28), in the area of the bending point (38) the wrapping (28) has a second tearing line (50) which provides for better gas flow to the fold-back package portion (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: DALPHI METAL ESPANA S.A.
    Inventors: Pedro José Santin Navarro, Estér Sanchez Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 11498508
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a roof-mounted airbag apparatus in a vehicle. The vehicle includes a roof, an instrument panel, and two passenger seats in a front row. The airbag apparatus includes an inflator and an airbag that is fluidly coupled to the inflator. The airbag is inflatable and deployable from the roof in an interior of the vehicle between the passenger seats and the instrument panel, and includes a cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLGOIES, LLC, AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: Mangala Ambalangodage Jayasuriya, David W. Schneider, Frank Herzenstiel
  • Patent number: 11486101
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control method of an airbag-type intelligent control device for vortex-induced vibration of bridges. The airbag-type intelligent control device for vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of bridges includes a control system, which comprises a monitoring device and a control workstation; the monitoring device is used to detect the wind speed and direction near the bridge and the vibration state of the bridge; the control workstation is connected to the monitoring device. The VIV order of bridges is determined based on the detected wind speed, wind direction, and the vibration state of the bridge. The airbag system is mounted on both sides of the bridge and connected to the control workstation; according to the obtained VIV order, the sectional shape parameters of the airbag system are determined, and the airbag system is regulated to have the appropriate sectional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Changsha University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hanyun Liu, Yan Han, Peng Hu, Chunsheng Cai, Na Mao, Ying Luo, Lidong Wang, Lian Shen, Baixiang Chen
  • Patent number: 11465581
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag and a fabric diffuser for directing inflation fluid from an inflator into the airbag. The fabric diffuser comprises first and second fabric panels arranged overlying each other and having portions interconnected along seams to define a pocket configured to receive the inflator. The pocket has a double layer diffuser section defined by the overlying first and second fabric panels that is configured to receive a discharge end of the inflator. The fabric diffuser is configured to be installed in the airbag. The first and second panels are configured so that a plurality of openings of the first fabric panel do not overlie a plurality of openings of the second fabric panel when the panels are interconnected so that inflation fluid travels an indirect path from inside the diffuser section to the exterior of the fabric diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventor: Manuel Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11447089
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an airbag cushion. A reaction surface is configured to move between a retracted position and a deployed position upon deployment of the airbag cushion, such that the reaction surfaces will direct the airbag cushion toward an occupant area upon deployment of the airbag cushion. Multiple embodiments of reaction surfaces are disclosed, including deployable instrument panel sections, flexible straps, and hoods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventors: Roy P. Deutschmann, Alexandra Marie Lazaros, Roland Dominic Furtado, Srinivas Krishnan
  • Patent number: 11407376
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of folding a far-side airbag, which includes forming a first folding part in such a manner that an upper side of an airbag seat is folded inboard, forming a second folding part by folding both widthwise sides of the airbag seat, forming a third folding part by folding the upper side of the airbag seat, forming a roll-folding part by roll-folding the upper side of the airbag seat, forming an overlapping part by folding over an inflator of the airbag seat, and folding the roll-folding part so that the roll-folding part overlaps the overlapping part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Geon Woong Moon
  • Patent number: 11390240
    Abstract: A front head/torso airbag (10) of a vehicle occupant restraint system includes a cover surface (12) and a baffle surface (14) forming a contact face for the vehicle occupant (22) which merges Into the cover surface (12). In the inflated state of the airbag (10) being in the mounted position, the baffle surface (14) includes a central surface portion and laterally adjacent thereto at feast one bulge (20) projecting from the central surface portion for laterally protecting the head (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Daniele Aranzulla, Martin Burkhardtsmaier, Kurt Fischer, Angelo Adler, Alexandra Schroeder
  • Patent number: 11377064
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention pertains to a coated fabric used for an automotive airbag, and more particularly, a coated fabric for an airbag most suitable for a rollover curtain airbag which is produced applying a sealing agent to a coated fabric and sewing the resulting fabric and which can keep the adhesion of the sealing agent to the coat resin even after long-term and high-temperature aging. The present coated fabric for an airbag is obtained by applying an addition-polymerizable solvent-free silicone resin onto at least one surface of a synthetic fiber textile, wherein a coating amount of the silicone resin is 15 to 45 g/m2; and a weft strain/warp strain ratio as observed in stretching the coated fabric is 0.30 to 0.65.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOBO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Akechi, Takahiro Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 11376827
    Abstract: This invention provides a silicone-coated fabric for airbags in which creases can be easily formed by applying heat and pressure, and that can be stored compactly. More specifically, the invention provides a silicone-coated fabric comprising a silicone-based resin coated on one surface of a synthetic fiber woven fabric, and a thermoplastic resin adhering to a non-silicone coated surface, which is not coated with the silicone-based resin, wherein the adhesive strength between the non-silicone coated surfaces is 0.01 to 100 N/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOBO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirotaka Harada
  • Patent number: 11370381
    Abstract: An assembly includes a housing having a sidewall defining a first slot and a second slot, the sidewall having a press plate between the first slot and the second slot, the press plate movable between an initial position and a deployed position. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the housing and inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position, the press plate being moveable from the initial position to the deployed position by inflation of the airbag from the uninflated position to the inflated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Russell Joseph Mihm
  • Patent number: 11358561
    Abstract: An airbag for an airbag device includes an outer bag and an inner bag inflatable inside the outer bag. The outer bag includes a driver-side wall for receiving the driver and a vehicle-side wall that is supported by a ring surface of a ring portion of the steering wheel at airbag deployment, and includes an inlet port of inflation gas and a mounting portion on the steering wheel. The inner bag includes a supply port for supplying the gas to the outer bag. The inner bag completes inflation prior to the outer bag, and the outer bag is inflated with the gas supplied from the supply port. The inner bag as inflated has such a shape that the rear portion protrudes farther rearward than a rear end of the ring surface, and that a height from the ring surface is greater in the rear portion than in the front portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ishii, Koji Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11254275
    Abstract: An airbag device for a driver's seat adapted to be mounted on a boss of a steering wheel disposed at a center of a rim is disclosed. The airbag device includes an inflatable airbag folded in the form of an airbag package. The airbag includes a vehicle-side wall that includes a gas inlet port and is configured to be supported by the rim when deployed, and a driver-side wall. The airbag, before folded into the airbag package, has a flat initial folded form in which the driver-side wall lies over the vehicle-side wall. The initial folded form includes a folded-in portion in which a front edge portion of the vehicle-side wall is folded inwardly and rearwardly beneath a front edge portion of the driver-side wall, and a folded-back portion in which the front edge portion of the driver-side wall which adjoins the folded-in portion is folded towards the inlet port on the vehicle-side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ishii, Koji Kawamura, Hitoshi Iida
  • Patent number: 11225219
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide an airbag device or the like that can suppress the occupant seated in a driver seat from moving toward the passenger seat. [Solving Means] An airbag device includes an airbag cushion inflating and deploying in a vehicle cabin of a vehicle to laterally restrain an occupant seated in a seat, and the airbag cushion includes: a housing portion that stores an inflator for jetting gas for inflation and deployment; a first portion folded in a roll or bellows shape from one horizontal end of the airbag cushion to a vicinity of the housing portion; a second portion that horizontally extends opposite to the first portion when viewed from the housing portion and is folded back toward the folded first portion; and a third portion that further extends from the second portion disposed opposite to the housing portion (411) with respect to the first portion, the third portion being folded in a roll or bellows shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Yuto Kobayashi, Tsutomu Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11214221
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hard cover for a side airbag. The hard cover includes a housing accommodating a cushion, a cover unit covering an opening of the housing and having a cut part formed to be cut when the cushion is deployed, a hinge connecting the cover unit and a rear of the housing, a first restraint unit provided on a front of the housing, a first hook unit provided on a front of the cover unit to be caught and restrained by the first restraint unit, a second restraint unit provided on each of upper and lower sides of the housing, and a second hook unit provided on each of upper and lower sides of the cover unit to be caught and restrained by the second restraint unit and separated from the second restraint unit when the cushion is deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Geon Woong Moon, Ye Ri Hong
  • Patent number: 11192513
    Abstract: An airbag for a front passenger seat is configured to be inflated and expanded between the front passenger seat and an instrument panel. The airbag includes a main bag, a left sub-bag and a right sub-bag. The left sub-bag and the right sub-bag are respectively connected to a left side portion and a right side portion of the main bag. The left sub-bag and the right sub-bag are connected to each other on at least one of an upper portion, a lower portion and a front portion of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Shinichi Takeuchi, Kazuya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11066032
    Abstract: An assembly includes a dash and an airbag supported by the dash. The airbag is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag in the inflated position has a first end and a second end spaced from each other in a cross-vehicle axis and an inflation chamber between the first end and the second end. The airbag includes a tube extending through the inflation chamber from the first end to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Anil Kalra
  • Patent number: 11066031
    Abstract: An airbag device for a driver's seat may include: a housing mounted on a steering part; an inflator mounted on the housing; and a cushion accommodated in the housing, deployed by gas supplied from the inflator, and having a cushion front part and a cushion rear part, wherein the cushion front part is configured such that an upper portion thereof is expanded and deployed and deployment of a lower portion thereof is partially restricted when the cushion is deployed, and the cushion rear part is disposed opposite the cushion front part to partially restrict the deployment of the lower portion of the cushion front part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung Geun Choi
  • Patent number: 11052862
    Abstract: Provided is an air bag base cloth constituted by a composite material obtained by coating fabric made of synthetic fibers with a synthetic resin. The average value of the 100% modulus in the warp direction of the fabric texture included in the composite material and the 100% modulus in the weft direction of the fabric texture included in the composite material is 50 N/cm or less. The 100% elongation recovery rate is 95% or more. The 100% elongation load air permeability is 0.1 L/cm2·min or less both before and after thermal treatment at 100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SEIREN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Houraiya
  • Patent number: 11052863
    Abstract: In one example, an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition. The protection device includes a first panel having a centerline and first and second openings. A second panel is secured to the first panel to define an inflatable volume. First and second self-adaptive vents are secured to the first panel over the first and second openings on opposite sides of the centerline for selectively releasing inflation fluid from the inflatable volume in response to penetration of the occupant into the protection device. A first reinforcing stitching extends through the first panel and around a portion of the first self-adaptive vent. A second reinforcing stitching extends through the first panel and around a portion of the second self-adaptive vent. Each of the first and second reinforcing stitchings is spaced entirely from the respective first and second self-adaptive vents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TRW VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Douglas M. Gould, Michael White
  • Patent number: 11007970
    Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag, a connecting member extending from the airbag, and an actuator mounted on an airbag housing for controlling an inflation manner of the airbag. The actuator includes an actuator body that includes an operating pin which penetrates the connecting member, a mounting plate that holds the actuator body and is secured to the airbag housing, and a supporting plate that is disposed in a vicinity of a leading end portion of the operating pin. The supporting plate includes a supporting hole for receiving the operating pin, and a flange that is formed in a part of a periphery of the supporting hole toward which the connecting member is released. The flange extends along an axial direction of the operating pin towards the leading end of the operating pin for supporting the leading end portion of the operating pin with its surface facing the operating pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Hiraiwa, Shinichi Ishida, Keita Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11007969
    Abstract: The invention relates to a one-piece woven airbag, in particular for vehicle restraint systems, with an upper fabric and a lower fabric which are joined together in a single-ply seam area forming the border of the airbag, with tether threads which are woven partially into the upper fabric and partially into the lower fabric and float there between over a defined length, which is characterized by upper limiting threads which are woven into the upper fabric and/or lower limiting threads which are woven into the lower fabric, the limiting threads between upper fabric and lower fabric floating over a defined number of floating tether threads and being attached to attachment points of their fabric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: GLOBAL SAFETY TEXTILES GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel Albiez, Michael Becker
  • Patent number: 10953840
    Abstract: A knee airbag arrangement for a vehicle. The knee airbag arrangement includes an inflatable airbag and an external tether. The airbag is adapted to be inflated to a position between an instrument panel of the vehicle and a knee/shin region of a vehicle occupant. The knee airbag is adapted to form a first deployment mode or a second deployment mode when in a deployed state. The external tether controls deployment of the airbag to the second deployment mode. The depth (D2) of the airbag in the second deployment mode is greater than a depth (D1) of the knee airbag in the first deployment mode. A depth of the airbag in a deployed state is a greatest extent of the airbag perpendicular to the instrument panel in the knee/shin region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastian Rutgersson, Johan Rosenberg
  • Patent number: 10940824
    Abstract: A passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle includes: an inflator configured to generate gas upon receiving a predetermined actuating signal; and an airbag body folded and stored in an unactuated condition, and configured to deploy by supplying the gas from the inflator to the airbag body. The airbag body includes a predetermined area on which adhesive is applied. After deployment of the airbag body, the predetermined area adheres to an adherend to hold a passenger, and the airbag body is torn off by a predetermined motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 10933838
    Abstract: A method for folding a knee airbag may include: folding both sides of an airbag cushion a plurality of times, and fixing the folded portion of the airbag cushion; forming a roll folding part by rolling one side of the airbag cushion of which both sides are folded a plurality of times; and folding the other side of the airbag cushion toward the roll folding part, with the roll folding part formed at the one side of the airbag cushion, and fixing the other side of the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: I Seul Kang
  • Patent number: 10870405
    Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle is provided. The airbag includes an airbag cushion that has a plurality of chambers and the plurality of chambers are connected to be interlocked with each other by an operation tether. Accordingly, when an occupant presses against a specific chamber due to a vehicle collision, the other chamber is deformed to wrap the occupant, thereby restraining the occupant in a seat and minimizing the occurrence of injury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hyock In Kwon
  • Patent number: 10864883
    Abstract: An airbag device includes: an airbag which inflates from a state of a folded body by receiving an inflation gas; and a wrapping material wraps the folded body. The folded body has a three-dimensional shape including a bottom surface portion, a ceiling portion, and a side surface portion. The wrapping material includes: a cover member having flexibility and a sheet shape which includes a ceiling cover portion covering the ceiling portion of the folded body, a side surface cover portion covering the side surface portion, and a bottom surface cover portion which covers the bottom surface portion and has a locking hole to be locked to a fastener, and an elongation regulating member which is provided on at least a part of the cover member so as to suppress elongation of the cover member in opposition to an acting direction of the restoring force of the folded body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihito Yanagisawa, Takanori Komatsu, Koji Kawamura, Hideo Higashi
  • Patent number: 10857965
    Abstract: An air bag has a large occupant-receiving area when expanded. The air bag has: a top chamber, which expands along a ceiling part; a first chamber, which expands downwards and rearwards from the rear part to the top chamber; a second chamber continuous from the lower part of the first chamber, the second chamber expanding downwards; and a third chamber continuous from the lower part of the second chamber, the third chamber expanding forwards. The expanded first chamber restrains the head of an occupant, and the second chamber restrains the chest to the trunk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Abe, Hiromi Koshiki
  • Patent number: 10829082
    Abstract: An airbag device includes a first section and a second section. The first section is defined by a first material having a first heat dissipating characteristic. The second section is defined by a second material having a second heat dissipating characteristic. The second section dissipates heat at a higher rate than the first section when the airbag device is deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie Campbell, Brian Downey
  • Patent number: 10829079
    Abstract: It is provided a gas bag for an airbag module of a motor vehicle, comprising at least two gas bag parts, which via at least one seam are connected to each other to form a gas bag to be filled with gas, so that the resulting gas bag has an inner wall facing the interior of the gas bag and an outer wall facing away therefrom, and comprising a flame protection layer that is arranged within the gas bag and is connected to the gas bag such that the flame protection layer sectionally covers the gas bag for protection against gases. In the flame protection layer at least one incision is formed, by which a foldable partial section is produced in the flame protection layer, which can be folded over a seam by means of which the gas bag parts are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH
    Inventor: Ralf Glaab
  • Patent number: 10814821
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus including: a first chamber connected to an inflator; a second chamber supported by the first chamber, and connected to the rear of the first chamber so as to support the head of a passenger in case of an oblique collision of a vehicle; a third chamber supported by the first chamber, connected to the rear of the first chamber, and disposed at one side of the second chamber so as to support the head of the passenger in case of a head-on collision of the vehicle; and a connection tether connecting the second and third chambers such that the second and third chambers are suppressed from separating from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hae Kwon Park, Ga Ram Jeong, Rae Ick Jang
  • Patent number: 10793101
    Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag and an inflator stored inside the airbag. The inflator includes an inflator body and a mounting member that protrudes from the circumference of the inflator body generally orthogonally to an axial direction of the inflator body. The airbag includes an insertion region via which the inflator is inserted into the airbag. The insertion region has a double wall structure of an outer panel and an inner panel, and includes one or more through holes that are formed through the outer panel and inner panel for receiving the mounting member of the inflator. The outer panel includes an outer slit via which the inflator is inserted into the airbag, and the inner panel includes an inner slit via which the inflator is inserted into the airbag. The outer slit and inner slit are so arranged as not to overlap or intersect each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Ozeki, Takashi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10759373
    Abstract: An airbag device includes: a gas generator including: an inflator having one end portion to which a connected part is provided; and a cylindrical retainer configured to cover the inflator; and an airbag including a bag main body having an insertion opening. A part of an outer end part of the retainer inserted in the insertion opening is arranged outside the bag main body together with the connected part, and a remaining part of the retainer is arranged inside the bag main body. The outer end part of the retainer is formed with an extension part extending in a direction of being separated away from the gas blowout part. The bag main body has a clearance filling part configured to fill a part of a clearance between the inflator and the retainer, and the clearance filling part is sandwiched by the inflator and the extension part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuhta Okayama, Nobuya Nakano
  • Patent number: 10760210
    Abstract: This invention provides a silicone-coated fabric for airbags in which creases can be easily formed by applying heat and pressure, that can be stored compactly, and that exhibits minimal damage on the coated layer when deployed. More specifically, the invention provides a silicone-coated fabric comprising a silicone-based resin coated on one surface of a synthetic fiber woven fabric, and a thermoplastic resin adhering to the silicone-based resin-coated surface, wherein the adhesive strength between the silicone-based resin-coated surfaces is 0.01 to 10 N/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOBO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirotaka Harada
  • Patent number: 10712230
    Abstract: A structural health monitoring system comprises: a flexible substrate configured for attachment to a structure, the flexible substrate having a plurality of sensors affixed thereon. The flexible substrate comprises a first portion configured for attachment to the structure, a second portion extending in continuous manner from the first portion, and a third portion extending in continuous manner from the second portion and being configured for attachment to the structure. The second portion includes a first section extending in continuous manner from the first portion, a second section connected between the first section and the third portion and having an edge extending in a direction different from an edge of the first section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Acellent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank J. Li, Fu-Kuo Chang, Irene J. Li
  • Patent number: 10696264
    Abstract: Provided is an airbag which can be easily manufactured though it is provided with a tether inside, and has a reduced fear of gas leakage from a joint region. The airbag includes a joint region of outer circumferential edges of a pair of walls. The joint region includes, between the outer circumferential edges of the pair of walls, a sealing member which has elasticity, and has adhesiveness in an unsolidified state. The joint region is formed by such a sewing that runs a sewing thread through an application area of the sealing member. A tether connects the pair of walls. The joint region includes a region in which the sealing member has a solidified, thus non-adhesive surface, and is pressed against at least one of the walls by the non-adhesive surface, and penetrated by the sewing thread in that state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., SEIREN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taizo Suemitsu, Takayuki Umeyama, Mikifusa Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 10688954
    Abstract: An airbag assembly for mounting above an occupant in a vehicle includes an airbag housing and an airbag cushion. The airbag cushion is connected to the housing and is deployable from an uninflated state to an inflated state. The airbag cushion includes a forward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portion is positioned closer to the occupant than the rearward portion when the airbag cushion is in the inflated state. The forward portion is also separated from the rearward portion by a void. The void configured to cause a head of the occupant to rotate forward relative to a torso of the occupant when the occupant contacts the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, Brennon L. White
  • Patent number: 10668887
    Abstract: A vehicle seat with a side airbag device includes: a gas generating device attached to an inner side of an outer side frame in a vehicle-width direction, which is disposed in a side portion on an outside of a seat back in the vehicle-width direction; a side airbag which inflates and deploys to expand over the outer side frame from a vehicle front side of the outer side frame in the vehicle-width direction by receiving gas from the gas generating device accommodated in the side airbag; and an inflation width expansion portion which is provided in the side airbag and causes an inflation width of the side airbag in the vehicle-width direction to be greater outside a side surface provided on an outside of the outer side frame in the vehicle-width direction than inside the side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Takamichi Komura, Masato Kunisada, Hiroyuki Nagura, Takuma Kawai, Takayuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10668889
    Abstract: A method for folding a driver airbag may include: forming a tuck-in folding part by pushing an upper end portion of an airbag cushion part into the airbag cushion part; folding the tuck-in folding part toward the opposite side with respect to a driver seat; temporarily attaching the tuck-in folding part to the airbag cushion part; injecting gas into the airbag cushion part, and compressing the airbag cushion part such that the airbag cushion part maintains a plate shape; and folding the airbag cushion part while moving a folding jig disposed in a radial shape around the circumference of the airbag cushion part toward an inflator connection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: June Young Song
  • Patent number: 10654439
    Abstract: An airbag device for a passenger seat having an inflator and an airbag, wherein: the airbag includes a first structural portion that structures a left-right direction intermediate portion of the airbag and at which is formed a first surface, and second structural portions that are formed in continuation with both left and right sides of the first structural portion and at which are formed a pair of respective second surfaces that is to bulge further toward the front passenger seat side than the first surface and move apart from one another, and a connecting cloth, which connects regions that become bulging end portion sides of the pair of second surfaces in an inflated and deployed state of the airbag, and which is deployed to cover a range that is reached by the head portion and the chest portion of the passenger in the front passenger seat, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 10647284
    Abstract: A driver airbag 1 is formed by sewing a front panel 2 and a rear panel 3 together. The rear panel 3 has a horizontal first tuck portion 21, a second tuck portion 22 extending from a right upper side toward a left lower side, and a third tuck portion 23 extending from a left upper side toward a right lower side. The tuck portion 22 and the tuck portion 23 intersect in an upper part of the rear panel 3. Since most of the second and third tuck portions 22, 23 are located in an upper half section of the rear panel 3, the upper part of the driver airbag 1 has a larger thickness than that of a lower part when the driver airbag 1 is inflated completely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Kimihiro Koshikawa, Teruhiko Hiruta, Hiromichi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 10618262
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a composite material, the method comprises the steps of a) providing a first layer of a fibre reinforced polymer, preferably a thermoset FRP, b) providing an array of thermoplastic islands across at least a proportion of a major surface of the first layer, c) providing a second layer of a fibre reinforced polymer, preferably a thermoset FRP, d) laying the second layer over at least some of the islands, and e) securing the first and second layers together. There is also disclosed a composite which comprises a first layer of a fibre reinforced polymer and a second layer of a fibre reinforced polymer, between which is an intervening layer comprising an array of thermoplastic islands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Inventors: Alma Hodzic, Patrick James Smith
  • Patent number: 10549710
    Abstract: An airbag assembly includes an airbag and a tether. The tether includes a first end portion extending from the airbag, a second end portion spaced from the airbag, and an intermediate portion having a first strap and a second strap extending between and meeting each other at the first end portion and the second end portion. The first end portion, the second end portion, and the intermediate portion are monolithic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Lou Albert Giedeman, III