Weight sensor for determining the weight of an occupant of a seat including a bladder arranged in a seat portion of the seat and including material or structure in an interior thereof which constrains fluid flow therein and one or more transducers for measuring the pressure of the fluid in the bladder. The material or structure might be open cell foam. The bladder may include one or more chambers, and if more than one chamber is formed, each chamber can be arranged at a different location in the seat portion of the seat.

Weight measuring systems and methods for vehicles

This invention relates to an air bag inflation gas generator to feed gas for inflation of air bags such as air bags for absorbing collision shocks, life jackets, rafts, and escape chutes. The air bag inflation gas generator according to the present invention has a combustion chamber comprising a bottom-closed cylinder of a housing body and a lid covering the opening of the bottom-closed cylinder. The housing body comprises the bottom-closed cylinder, a flange extending outward and formed integrally with the opening of the bottom-closed cylinder, and an external cylinder formed on the periphery of the flange and bent toward the bottom of the housing body. A plenum chamber is formed by covering the external and bottom-closed cylinders with a covering member from the bottom of the housing body and by welding the covering member to the cylinders.

Air bag inflation gas generator

A vehicle seat and headrest arrangement (100) includes a seatback frame (102) and a headrest (104) having a cushion portion (108) and an impact target (113) pivotally associated with the seatback frame (102). A rearward force acting upon the impact target causes the cushion portion to rotate forwardly. A spring (116) operatively associated with the headrest (104) and the seatback frame (102) biases the headrest against pivotal movement. The arrangement further includes a damper (118) operatively associated with the headrest (104) and the seatback frame (102).

Vehicle pivotal headrest

An air bag system for an automotive vehicle is disclosed. The air bag system includes a housing substantially enclosing a gas emitting inflator and a compact undeployed air bag. The system further includes a moveable member that controls flow of gas into the air bag by controlling items such as tether elements and venting openings that, in turn, control the amount of gas released into the bag and the shape of the bag upon deployment.

Automotive vehicle air bag system

Apparatus for preventing or limiting spinal injuries to a passenger seated in a forward facing position in a moving vehicle during vehicular impact or sudden deceleration. The apparatus includes a vehicle-installed supporting seat for the passenger, the seat having a support portion behind the seated passenger which includes a resilient surface in contact with the supported passenger. The resilient portion is supported on an underlying stiff support shell. A controllably deformable energy absorbing crush zone is disposed to the rear of the shell as to be compressed by rearward displacement of the passenger, whereby the support portion acts to decelerate the supported spine of the passenger during a vehicle rear end impact, while the controlled deformation of the crush zone absorbs energy, to prevent or limit spinal injuries to the passenger. The crush zone material is characterized in a rear end collision by exhibiting a total energy absorption of the kinetic energy gained by the impact accelerated passenger of at least 80%; and the coefficient of restitution for the crush zone material being in the range of 0.05 to 0.4.

Energy absorbing support for vehicular passengers

A headrest apparatus ( 10 ) for a vehicle seat ( 14 ) includes first and second relatively movable cushion portions ( 18 a, 18 b ). An outer covering ( 16 ) for the first and second cushion portions has a head engaging portion ( 19 ) for engaging the head ( 21 ) of a vehicle occupant. The apparatus ( 10 ) further includes actuatable means ( 36 ) located within the outer covering ( 16 ) which, upon the occurrence of a vehicle crash event, moves the head engaging portion ( 19 ) of the outer covering ( 16 ) and one ( 18 a ) of said cushion portions relative to the other cushion portion ( 18 b ) in a direction toward the head ( 21 ) of the occupant of the vehicle seat ( 14 ).

Head restraint apparatus

An apparatus ( 10 ) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle ( 12 ) that has a side structure ( 16 ) and a roof ( 28 ) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( 14 ) that is inflatable away from the roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The device ( 14 ) has a perimeter ( 50 ) defined by an upper edge ( 52 ) positioned adjacent the roof ( 28 ), an opposite lower edge ( 54 ), and front and rear edges ( 56 and 58 ) spaced apart along the upper and lower edges. The device ( 14 ) includes overlying panels secured together along the perimeter ( 50 ) to define an inflatable volume ( 34 ) and is free from association with an inflatable tube. An inflator ( 24 ) provides inflation fluid for inflating the device ( 14 ). A flexible elongated member ( 90 ) extends through the device ( 14 ) and is coiled around a portion ( 70 ) of the inflatable volume ( 34 ) of the device. The member ( 90 ) has a first end ( 92 ) and an opposite second end ( 94 ) fixed to the vehicle side structure ( 16 ). The member ( 90 ) resists movement of the device ( 14 ) away from the vehicle side structure ( 16 ) when the device is inflated.

Inflatable curtain with positioning device

An apparatus (10) includes a vehicle seat back (20) and an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (18) supported on the seat back (20) for deployment upward from the upper end (62) of the seat back (20). The apparatus (10) further includes a backing member (70) supported on the seat back (20) for movement from a retracted position to a deployed position under the influence of inflation fluid pressure forces applied by the protection device (18). When the backing member (70) is in the deployed position, it projects upward from the upper end (62) of the seat back (20) at a location behind the protection device (18). The backing member (70) is non-deflectable under the influence of the inflation fluid pressure forces applied by the protection device (18).

Vehicle occupant restraint apparatus

An inflator generates gas for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint. The inflator comprises a housing. The housing has a chamber for gas generating material and gas outlet openings through which gas flows from the housing into the restraint. A filter in the housing provides a gas flow path to the gas outlet openings. The filter filters and cools the gas as it flows in the gas flow path. The filter comprises a plurality of filter layers. At least one of the filter layers has a higher resistance to gas flow than at least one other of the filter layers. The filter layer of higher resistance to gas flow has a portion extending between and engaging the housing and the other filter layer to provide a gas flow sealing zone adjacent the housing. The gas flow sealing zone has a resistance to gas flow higher than the resistance to gas flow of the gas flow path.

Method of assembling an inflator for a vehicle occupant restraint

An air bag inflator (10) is actuatable to supply inflation fluid under pressure, through discharge openings (40), into a diffuser chamber (90) and thence through gas outlets (92) into an air bag. An isolation membrane (100) extends across the diffuser chamber (90) between the discharge openings (40) and the gas outlets (92). The isolation membrane (100) is welded to the housing at axially and radially spaced locations (106, 128). When the inflator (10) is not actuated, the isolation membrane (100) blocks fluid flow including the conduction of moisture from the environment around the inflator through the discharge openings (40) and into the interior of the inflator. The isolation membrane (100) has a weakened portion defined by a stress riser (130). When the inflator (10) is actuated, the pressure of the fluid flowing through the discharge openings (40) breaks the isolation membrane (100) at the stress riser (130). The isolation membrane (100) moves to a second location in the diffuser chamber (90) clear of the gas outlets (92) to enable fluid flow out of the diffuser chamber and into the air bag.

John P O'loughlin

Papers

Head restraint apparatus

Inflatable curtain with positioning device

Vehicle occupant restraint apparatus

Method of assembling an inflator for a vehicle occupant restraint

Isolation member for air bag inflator