| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 6793243 |
Airbag deployment rate sensor with spool brake |
September 21, 2004 |
| An airbag deployment rate sensor employs a tape or string that is wound on a spool and connected to the fabric of an airbag cushion so that as the airbag deploys, tape or string is pulled from the spool causing it to rotate. A brake is applied to the spool to prevent the buildup of momen |
| 6789821 |
Method and apparatus for folding an airbag |
September 14, 2004 |
| An airbag is pushed in portions by at least one slide means into at least one compartment in order to generate the folding. So that even complex folds are possible using a relatively simple apparatus, in accordance with the invention the airbag is arranged on the apparatus with a first p |
| 6789819 |
Sensor for monitoring airbag deployment |
September 14, 2004 |
| An airbag deployment sensor stores a quantity of tape which is drawn out of a cartridge during airbag deployment by one end of the tape which is attached to the inside surface of an airbag. To facilitate assembly of an airbag system, the cartridge is designed with a key for locking the t |
| 6789818 |
Variable time venting algorithm |
September 14, 2004 |
| An algorithm for evaluating information from sensors interacting with strips that are extended during activation of the airbag determines whether the airbag has contacted an out-of-position occupant. In one embodiment, each strip includes an alternating pattern that generates a frequ |
| 6786511 |
Seat belt retractot with hydraulic load limiting |
September 7, 2004 |
| A seat belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt has a belt reel for the seat belt. A free-flowing load limiting medium is arranged in a working chamber. A displacement means is drivable by the belt reel. The load limiting medium is transported through at least one flow channel by the d |
| 6786510 |
Single loop, four-point shoulder and lap belt system |
September 7, 2004 |
| A seat belt system for securing a seated occupant to a seat, the system comprising: a single continuous length of seat belt webbing, the seat belt including first and second ends; a first anchor located near the juncture of the seat belt and seat cushion with a buckle positioned on the o |
| 6786294 |
Device for determining the load on a vehicle occupant |
September 7, 2004 |
| A method and vehicle occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle, in which the webbing movement of a seat belt wound on a belt reel 1 caused by the body of the belted-in vehicle occupant is scanned and corresponding measurement data are fed to an evaluating device 3, wherein measuremen |
| 6779813 |
Method of folding an airbag |
August 24, 2004 |
| A method of folding an airbag of an airbag module includes the steps of: arranging the airbag and a base plate on a receiver of a folding device, with the airbag secured to the base plate, and stretching the airbag out. In order to make the device low-cost and to give a reliable procedur |
| 6776434 |
Driver side airbag with a baffle |
August 17, 2004 |
| An airbag comprising a baffle and a heat shield. The baffle contains an opening, which is aligned with at least one-half of the inflator opening and having an area that is at minimum one-half of the area of the inflator opening. Inflation gas from an inflator flows into the baffle and th |
| 6769714 |
Low onset dual stage hybrid inflator |
August 3, 2004 |
| A low onset dual stage hybrid inflator comprising a diffuser subassembly, a gas generator subassembly, and a pressure vessel. The dual stage inflator offers a variety of different output levels of inflation gas. The four main deployment scenarios for the dual stage inflator are primary o |
| 6764097 |
Opening device for a cold gas inflator |
July 20, 2004 |
| A cold gas inflator has a pressure vessel made of first and second cylindrical members that are joined by friction welding, the friction welding producing curls that serve to preclude an orifice plate from sliding into the second cylindrical member. The cold gas inflator is filled wi |
| 6758489 |
Inflator used as damper for steering wheel |
July 6, 2004 |
| A steering wheel assembly has a steering wheel and an airbag disposed about the steering wheel. The airbag is contained within an airbag housing spaced from an airbag inflator to form a gap between the airbag inflator and the airbag housing. A shield selectively bridges the gap between t |
| 6751809 |
Helmet restraint system |
June 22, 2004 |
| An occupant helmet protection system usable with an occupant helmet and a seat belt system, the seat belt system of the type including at least a first and a second shoulder belt, each of which when worn is positioned to lie across a respective shoulder of an occupant, the helmet occupan |
| 6749220 |
Air bag and method of construction |
June 15, 2004 |
| A safety apparatus including a rollover air bag to protect an occupant of a vehicle during the rolling-over of the vehicle, the rollover air bag comprising: first and second panels of woven material that has been coated on at least one side thereof to reduce the porosity of material to |
| 6749150 |
Roller web guide (or D-ring) seat belt system |
June 15, 2004 |
| A safety system including a web guide comprising: a load-bearing member; a roller rotationally supported in relation to the load-bearing member; a one-way clutch for permitting the roller to rotate in a first direction and for prohibiting the roller from rotating in an opposite second |
| 6746074 |
Pedestrian protecting device for a vehicle |
June 8, 2004 |
| A pedestrian protecting device for a vehicle has an airbag having a first wall comprising a flexible layer and a second wall comprising a vehicle body panel. An inflatable interior cavity is formed between the first wall and the second wall. An inflator has a conduit to conduct inflation |
| 6739541 |
Seat belt retractor with load limiting |
May 25, 2004 |
| A seat belt retractor has a spool mounted for rotation in the retractor, for retraction or pay-out of seat belt webbing depending upon the rotation direction of the spool. A locking ring is attached to one end of the spool. A locking pawl locks the locking ring against rotation when a cr |
| 6739264 |
Low cost ignition device for gas generators |
May 25, 2004 |
| An initiator has a circuit board with two spaced copper traces and a bridge resistor of Nichrome.RTM. or tantalum nitride at one end, and wire leads or pins joining the wire traces at the other end. A zener diode is placed between the wire leads and a bridge resistor. Immediately before |
| 6733041 |
Height adjuster or adjustable turning loop |
May 11, 2004 |
| A height adjuster (100, 200, 400) for a seat belt system comprising a mounting bar (102, 202, 402), a carrier (120, 220,460, 460a) and a spring-loaded locking lever (170, 270,490). The mounting bar is preferably oval or rectangular in cross-section with at least one wall (side wall), |
| 6722697 |
Assembly of seat belt buckle and belt tightener |
April 20, 2004 |
| An assembly of seat belt buckle and a seat belt tightener has a seat belt buckle that is connected to a seat belt tightener by a pulling element. The pulling element is firmly connected within a buckle casing to a buckle mechanism of the belt buckle. The pulling element, in a region dire |
| 6722601 |
Seat belt retractor with integrally formed frame |
April 20, 2004 |
| A seat belt retractor (20) characterized by low mass and low operating noise, resistant to dust, moisture, and corrosion comprising: an integrally formed, quadrilaterally shaped main body portion (24). In the preferred embodiment of the invention the frame is injection molded using 5 |
| 6722227 |
Horn actuating device for a steering wheel |
April 20, 2004 |
| A horn actuating device for a steering wheel has a plurality of helical springs that return an airbag module to a raised resting position. Each helical spring has a free upper end that moves with the airbag module that also acts as a mobile electrical contact cooperating with the fixed |
| 6719233 |
Seat belt retractor with load limiter |
April 13, 2004 |
| A seat belt retractor has a belt reel for seat belt webbing and a load limiter that has a flowable load-limiter medium which is transported through a flow channel, by a displacement device. The displacement device is drivable by the belt reel, at an energy consumption related to a crash, |
