Jake, Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't ZOLT supply fiber for air bags? If so ZOLT just lost a market for their fibers. See below.
DETROIT, Sept 9 (Reuter) - TRW Inc. said Tuesday it will introduce a new automotive air bag inflator in the year 2000 that eliminates the threat of burns on the people it is designed to protect.
The Cleveland-based auto parts and space technology company said it has purchased an exclusive, worldwide technology license for a helium gas air bag inflator from **AirBelt Systems LLC of Bel Air, Calif. ** ****Are they listed??????***
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. AirBelt will continue to work in a consulting capacity with TRW, the world's largest air bag producer.
TRW said it plans to offer the new "cold-gas" inflator to automakers for launch in the 2000-2001 model year. During a crash, the cold-gas inflator forces helium from a pressure vessel through a proprietary flow control device to fill the air bag.
Most air bags today ignite a pyrotechnic charge to create hot inflation gas that sometimes causes minor burns on vehicle occupants.
"This new technology is clean, cool and offers the potential for passive tailorability," said James Smith, vice president of TRW's inflatable restraint systems business. "The technology offers a simple design and the potential for cost-effective manufacturing."
TRW also said the new inflator can be easily tailored to specific vehicle requirements and softer deployment to avoid injury to out-of-position occupants. It also can be modulated to provide the variable inflation power required by "smart" airbag systems now under development that will be capable of detecting the size, weight and position of an occupant and can adjust inflation pressures accordingly. |
