Specific Confinement Structure Patents (Class 280/743.1)
  • 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: 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: 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: 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
  • Patent number: 10507786
    Abstract: A gas pressure container for an airbag system of a motor vehicle is disclosed having a tube element with a high bursting resistance when internal pressure is being applied. The tube element includes a steel alloy and a first longitudinal portion of the tube element has a tensile strength Rm,11 higher than (>) 800 MPa, a transition temperature Tu,11 of at least ?40° C., and an outer circumference U1. The tube element also includes at least one second longitudinal portion and/or additional longitudinal portions, which extend axially from the first longitudinal portion. The second longitudinal portion or the additional longitudinal portions and the first longitudinal portion are formed from a seamless or welded single-piece tube made of a uniform material, and more specifically from a hot-rolled or cold-drawn tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: BENTELER STEEL/TUBE GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Tegethoff, Leonhard Rose, Darius Wrobel, Jozef Balun
  • Patent number: 10493945
    Abstract: An airbag includes at least one panel defining an interior of the airbag, a divider positioned in the interior so as to divide the interior into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and at least one tethering mechanism positioned within the lower chamber. The at least one tether mechanism is structured and attached to the at least one panel so as to restrict movement of a portion of the at least one panel during airbag inflation such that a first recess is formed along an exterior surface of the airbag when the airbag is inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLC
    Inventor: Christopher L. Anderson
  • Patent number: 10486634
    Abstract: The invention describes an airbag module (10) for attaching to an instrument panel, comprising an inflator (12), a fastening portion (36) which is arranged so that the airbag module (10) can be attached to the instrument panel via the fastening portion (36), a receiving portion (46) for an airbag as well as a holding portion (57) which serves for holding the inflator (12). The airbag module (10) has a support structure (16) including the fastening portion (36) and a housing (14) made from fabric material. The holding portion (57) is partially configured in a holding area (58) of the housing (14) which is opposed to the fastening portion (36) so that the inflator (12) is fastened from outside and extends at least partially into the receiving portion (46). The support structure (16) comprises at least one supporting portion (18) U-shaped in cross-section which at least partially encompasses the housing (14). In addition, the support structure (16) includes a peripheral frame (66).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Juergen Schmid
  • Patent number: 10486635
    Abstract: A rear vehicle seat airbag module configured to be mounted to a portion of a seat back of a front vehicle seat comprising an inflator and an inflatable cushion comprising a lower portion, an upper portion and an external tether connecting the lower portion and the upper portion. The inflator provides inflation gas to the inflatable cushion and the inflatable cushion is configured to deploy forward of an occupant seated in a rear seat of a vehicle by curving away from the occupant. The external tether is configured to control a trajectory of the deployment of the inflatable cushion by pulling the upper portion toward the lower portion to curve the inflatable cushion such that the upper portion is located above the lower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: James P. Karlow, Nachiket Pendse, Joseph Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 10486633
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag device includes: an airbag; a gas generator which supplies an inflation gas to the airbag; and a wrapping material, which covers a periphery of an airbag assembly including the airbag and the gas generator. The wrapping material includes: a combining part which is formed of a sheet material and combines both edges, which are overlapped with each other in a length direction; an engagement part which is formed in parallel with the combining part in a width direction of the sheet material and is engaged in the gas generator; and a notch portion formed between the combining part of both edges and the engagement part, wherein a position of a deepest part of the notch portion in the length direction of the sheet material is less than or equal to a depth of the combining part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masao Kino, Norihisa Taya
  • Patent number: 10336280
    Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a plurality of pipes each having a distal end. The pipes are inflatable to an inflated position in which the distal ends are positioned in a circular configuration. The airbag assembly includes a plurality of interconnecting panels in alternating arrangement with the plurality of pipes. Each interconnecting panel is fixed to adjacent ones of the plurality of pipes. The airbag assembly includes an uninflatable panel fixed to the distal ends of the plurality of pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 10279771
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is the preparation of woven fabrics suitable for use in manufacturing vehicle airbags. Such fabrics are woven from a plurality of polymeric, e.g., polyamide, warp and weft tapes which have preferably been slitted, preferably in the machine direction, from a thermoplastic polymer film, and preferably from such a film which has been drawn at least in the machine direction. The resulting fabrics exhibit both the relatively low basis weight, stiffness and small packing volume typical of nylon films, and the relatively high tear strength and high damage tolerance of yarn-based woven airbag fabrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: INVISTA North America S.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Scott Westoby
  • Patent number: 10266145
    Abstract: Inflatable frontal restraint air cushions, or frontal curtain airbags, are disclosed herein. An occupant impact zone is formed by an opening at an inner area of the frontal restraint air cushion extending from a rearward surface to a forward surface, the opening defining a free end of the occupant impact zone and a fixed end of the occupant impact zone such that the free end is pivotable relative to the fixed end. The occupant impact zone is to deflect forward with impact of the head of the vehicle occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignees: Autoliv ASP, Inc., Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald James Paxton, Frank Herzenstiel, Mangala Ambalangodage Jayasuriya
  • Patent number: 10252689
    Abstract: A knee airbag includes a front panel, a rear panel and first and second tethers. The first tether is between the panels and defines an outboard chamber. The second tether is between the panels and defines an inboard chamber. The tethers cooperatively define a center chamber. The chambers, in an inflated position, are substantially vertical and parallel. The inboard chamber is thinner than the other chambers. In the inflated position, the tethers respectively define first and second knee-receiving pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Patel, Kris Allyn Warmann, Edward Joseph Abramoski, Zhibing Deng, Morteza Tanbakuchi
  • Patent number: 10214171
    Abstract: A passenger protection apparatus allows a bag body of an airbag unit to inflate and expand in a stable manner when an impact is input. The passenger protection apparatus includes an airbag unit that is arranged below an article storage box and that causes a bag body to inflate and expand in a direction of a front seat when an impact is input. The passenger protection apparatus further includes a guide member that covers a gap between a lower end of the article storage box and an adjacent member adjacent to the lower end when bag body inflates and expands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kento Maeda, Shinsuke Odai
  • Patent number: 10166946
    Abstract: A vehicular airbag device capable of improving reduction of an occupant obstruction value during a diagonal collision. A vehicular airbag device opens an airbag door on an instrument panel. The outer shape of the airbag when fully deployed and expanded is line-symmetrical with respect to a center line (a line X-X) of the opening in a vehicle left-right width direction, and a width dimension WB in the vehicle width direction at a position of a rear edge 2b of the instrument panel in the vehicle longitudinal direction is greater than a width dimension WC in the vehicle width direction at a position of a center Z1 of the opening in the vehicle longitudinal direction which is more forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction than the rear edge position of the instrument panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sumiya, Kai Maenishi
  • Patent number: 10166943
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus for a vehicle my include an airbag housing accommodating an airbag cushion, an inflator supplying gas into the airbag cushion, a hard retainer fixing the inflator to the airbag housing, and a soft retainer having a first side coupled to the hard retainer and controlling a flow of the gas supplied from the inflator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jun Yeol Choi
  • Patent number: 10160416
    Abstract: An airbag having a front side (10) and a rear side (20) connected thereto, which airbag is made of an airbag material, which encloses a volume that is filled with a deployment gas when a gas generator or a pressurized gas source is activated, and having at least one limiting strap (30), which is connected to the front side (10) at a first fastening point (31), and to the rear side (20) at a second fastening point (32. At least one of the fastening points (31, 32) has a fastening seam (51, 51?, 52, 52?) having mutually opposing sections for fastening the limiting strap (30) to the airbag material, and wherein at least one load relief slot (60) at the fastening point (31, 32) between the sections of the fastening seam (51, 51?, 52, 52?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Bernhard Jahme, Magdalena Kocjan, Piotr Burak
  • Patent number: 10087574
    Abstract: Markings visible by automatic optically guided cutting equipment are provided in a fabric such as a double layer fabric for one-piece-woven air bags by groups of black marker weft yarns which contrast with the other (white) weft yarns and warp yarns. The marker weft yarns emerge onto the upper face of the fabric only in predetermined marker areas spaced apart in the warp direction by other white weft yarns to afford optically identifiable markings spaced apart along said weft yarns and spaced apart along the direction of the warp yarns. The arrangement avoids the need for black warp yarns and thus avoids the inconveniences and loom down-time associated with required alterations to the locations of such optically detectable marker areas in the fabric web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Altay Kismir, Willhelm Heinrichs, Brian Parry, Keri Kennedy, Kevin Smith
  • Patent number: 10065586
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame, a wheel supported by the frame; and a device fixed to the frame. The device includes an inflator and an inflatable member in fluid communication with the inflator. The inflatable member is inflatable away from the frame and into contact with the wheel to push the wheel away from the frame during sensed impact of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Saeed David Barbat, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 10065591
    Abstract: The invention relates to an occupant restraint system (10) for a vehicle comprising a roof cross member (12) which extends transversely to a longitudinal vehicle axis (A) and is part of a body of the vehicle, an airbag module (14) which includes an airbag (16) and in a non-actuated initial state is accommodated inside the roof cross member (12), wherein the roof cross member (12) has a front side (18) facing a front end of the vehicle and an opposite rear side (20) facing a rear end of the vehicle, and wherein the front side (18) or the rear side (20) of the roof cross member (12) includes a mounting opening (22) for receiving the airbag module (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Debler, Maciej Sadowski
  • Patent number: 10053042
    Abstract: The invention relates a method of wrapping an inflatable airbag (31) for the protection of a person, comprising the steps of: folding an airbag (31), fastening the folded airbag (31) to a module carrier, positioning the folded airbag (31) fastened to the module carrier relative to a wrapping (20) including plural surface portions (21) such that the respective outer ends (23) of the surface portions (21) project from the airbag (31), folding each of the outer ends (23) of the surface portions (21) toward the middle (M) of the wrapping (20) so that the folded airbag (31) is wrapped at least in portions, and connecting, especially welding, the outer ends (23) of the surface portions (21) in portions to the airbag (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: DALPHI METAL ESPANA S.A.
    Inventor: Fernando Garcia Eireos
  • Patent number: 10023148
    Abstract: A curtain airbag for a vehicle may include a curtain airbag cushion, a first folding portion formed from an indoor side to a window side of the curtain airbag cushion, at a predetermined distance rearward from a front end of the curtain airbag cushion, a second folding portion formed from the indoor side to the window side of the cushion airbag at a predetermined distance rearward from the first folding portion, a panel tether connecting the first folding portion and the second folding portion to each other on the window side of the curtain airbag cushion, the panel tether being shorter than a length of the window side of the curtain airbag cushion between the first folding portion and the second folding portion, and a protruding portion protruding inward between the first folding portion and the second folding portion of the curtain airbag cushion by tension of the panel tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignees: KIA MOTORS CORPORATION, HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jae Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 9925949
    Abstract: An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle. The module includes an airbag formed by connected first and second panels, wherein the airbag includes first and second inflatable chambers. The module also includes an inflator for providing inflation gas for the airbag. The first and second inflatable chambers are fluidly connected by a gas flow passage. The first and second panels are connected together along a volume controlling seam located in the second chamber. The seam is configured to give way during inflation of the airbag to thereby allow the second chamber to completely inflate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Russell Joseph Mihm
  • Patent number: 9896057
    Abstract: A method of folding an airbag (10) includes the following steps: the airbag (10) is flatly spread, a first section (16) adjacent to a first border (14) is folded at least once, the folded first section (16) is folded in U-shape, and a second section (18) adjacent to the first section (16) is rolled around the folded first section (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Anton Fischer
  • Patent number: 9878684
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing a cloth which, when used as an air bag main body cloth, does not undergo the damage caused by a high-temperature gas generated from an inflater, and therefore has high heat resistance and is suitable for an air bag. The means for solving the problem is a coated cloth for an air bag, which is produced by applying an elastomer resin layer on at least one surface of a three-dimensional woven fabric in an amount of 50 to 500 g/m2 per one surface, said coated cloth being characterized by having void spaces formed therein, wherein the void content in the coated cloth is 15 to 60%. Preferably, the coated cloth is used in applications in which the coated cloth is attached onto the periphery of an inflater connection opening in an air bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Tanaka, Hiroshi Tsuchikura, Satoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 9862348
    Abstract: An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle is provided, the inflatable cushion having a first sheet of material; a second sheet of material, the first sheet of material being secured to the second sheet of material at a seam to define the inflatable cushion; and wherein the seam consists only of: a first plurality of stitches; a peripheral edge portion of the first sheet of material; and a peripheral edge portion of the second sheet of material; and wherein no adhesives or sealants are applied to the first sheet and the second sheet when the seam is formed by applying the first plurality of stitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: NXGEN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael F. Fink
  • Patent number: 9863069
    Abstract: A junction band with high tensile strength in order to suppress rupture of a ground fabric from the junction band. Provided is a hollow-weave base fabric that includes a hollow-weave section (111) with a dual layer structure containing a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer, and a junction band (112) formed continuously from threads which form the hollow-weave section. The junction band comprises a first junction structure section (121), in which a structure of two layers is formed by the alternating positional relationship of a first continuation thread that extends from the first fabric layer of the hollow-weave section to the first junction structure section and a second continuation thread that extends from the second fabric layer of the hollow-weave section to the first junction structure section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SUMISHO AIRBAG SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Teppei Harabayashi
  • Patent number: 9783148
    Abstract: An air bag module includes an inflatable air bag, an inflator for inflating the air bag, a housing for supporting the air bag and inflator, and a cover for enclosing the air bag in the housing. The cover includes a fabric panel and a steering panel. The fabric panel has a main portion that at least partially envelops the air bag in a deflated and stowed condition and includes a tear seam that is rupturable upon inflation of the air bag to permit the air to deploy from the housing. The steering panel is for directing the air bag to deploy from the housing along a predetermined trajectory. The steering panel includes a panel of reinforcing material that overlies a portion of the fabric panel and is connected to the fabric panel. In a closed condition of the cover, the steering panel is fastened to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Diane M. Schwark
  • Patent number: 9713998
    Abstract: An airbag system includes an airbag. The airbag includes a face portion configured such that when the airbag is inflated; the face portion forms a corrugated section. The corrugated section has a plurality of corrugations. The plurality of corrugations is configured to impede movement of an occupant's head from a center of the airbag toward a side of the airbag during impact. The plurality of corrugations is formed using a plurality of tethers attached to the face portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammed Omar Faruque, James Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 9682678
    Abstract: Airbag cushion assemblies comprising cushion protective structures and related methods of assembly. Some embodiments may comprise an airbag cushion and a protector or protective structure, such as a protective wrapper, comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be wrapped around the airbag cushion, and the second portion may be positioned adjacent to a deployment side of the airbag cushion such that the protective wrapper is configured to expand upon deployment of the airbag cushion so as to define a pocket for protecting the airbag cushion during deployment. In some embodiments, the pocket may be configured to enclose the airbag cushion about an entire perimeter of the airbag cushion during deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: Larry D. Rose, Randy K. Stuart
  • Patent number: 9682680
    Abstract: An airbag unit and method for folding up a driver's airbag, which has an insertion opening for a gas generator and, after activation of the gas generator, is unfolded away therefrom in the direction of a user. The airbag is folded around an imaginary center in alternating directions along first folding lines running around the imaginary center and is compressed in the direction of the center. At least one partial region of the airbag is rolled up or folded over onto the side towards the insertion opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Marc Schock, Jürgen Mackensen, Raimund Nebel, Andreas Guggenberger, Daniel Schwerdtfeger