Center for Study of
`Responsive Law
`
`"H.H. Bliss"
`
`Awards of
`
`Appreciation
`
`to the
`
`Inventors and
`
`Technical Pioneers
`
`of the Airbag
`
`Tuesday, December 3, 1991
`The Capital Hilton
`Washington, D.C.
`
`AVS, LLC
`Exhibit 2061
`
`Unified Patents v. AVS, LLC
`IPRZOI6-00364
`
`1
`
`

`
`2,649,311. ‘Safety Cushion Assembly ForpAU10m0’(lV:c\?8“|”t?C|BS.r;| in 1953.e?illg:t?hrg
`first to conceive the use of an inflatable bag in an automobile to reduce crash injuries.
`inspired others to develop and perfect what is now known as the airbag.
`Harry A. Bertrand -- Private invemor, Flint MI. Received United States patent
`2,834,606 in 1958 for an automatically inflated airbag system using a crash sensor.
`His patent was the first to demonstrate automatic control to inflate the airbag, using
`an electomagnetic crash sensor and an electronic control circuit.
`
`Carl C. Clarita Martin Marietta; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. At
`Martin Marlena, first to conduct airbag crash experiments with technical
`measurements, some as a test subject himself, showing the injury protection
`provided by controlled yielding airbags. Later, principal government scientist in
`airbag research program.
`
`Trevor 0. Jones -- General Motors; TRW. Currently Chairman, Libbey-Owens-Ford.
`While at General Motors in the late 1960s,_develo_ped innovative crash sensor
`designs,
`introduced total systems analysis to airbag systems which led to
`incorporation of redundant crash sensors for high reliability. He is one of the
`inventors of the multi—level inflation airbag.
`
`David J. Breed -- Breed Corp.; Breed Automotive Corp. Currently President
`Automotive Technologies lntemational. Worked at Breed and Breed Automotive to
`develop the ball-in-tube crash sensor design that is used in most of the world's
`airbag vehicles. Co—hctder of numerous patents on airbag systems and sensors.
`
`George E ifirchoff — Thiokol; Morton International. Early pioneer in automotive
`airbag development, testing and production at Thiokol and Morton international.
`Co-holder of numerous patems on airbag inflator modules and selmontained airbag
`systems. His systems were used in all of the Department of Transportation
`Research Safety Vehicles and by many auto manufacturers.
`
`Michael Fitzpatrick :- General Motors; lvlinicars. Currently Fitzpatrick Engineering.
`Used extensive vehicle crash test experience withairbag restraint systems to write
`computer programs to simulate crash tests. HIS computer programs enabled
`mgrctigfgcturers to optimize airbag restraints to incorporate them in a wide range of
`
`_Dai_rnler-Benz, A.G. Chief research scientist responsible for
`Willi Heideibach
`engineering and utilization of airbags in Mercedes cars. He developed structural
`design concepts as well as methods andfacilrties for testing airbag restraint systems
`and their contributions to crashworthiness.
`
`David J. Flomeo -- Calspan; Talley industries. Currently Romeo Engineering.
`Conducted early airbag systems research at Calspan and Talley which
`demonstrated their safety, effectiveness and reliability. Had primary responsibility
`for _design and development of retrofit airbags for Department of Transportation
`Police Fleet Program that demonstrated airbag effectiveness.
`
`Arne G. Asberg -- Council on Road Safety Research; Volvo. Currently, Ergoma AB.
`In the 197_0s analyzed and developed structural design ofvehicle exterior and interior
`that_ maximizes the effectiveness of airba s in protecting occupants in crashes.
`Project leader for the Volvo Experimental
`afety Car.
`
`FiobertM. Kernmerer -- Ford Motor Company; Hammill Mfg. Div., Firestone 1"ire. As
`a result of work on escape systems for aircraft, he_ conceived the mechanism of
`using electricity and explosives to fracture a burst disc to bring about the rapid gas
`transfer to inflate an airbag. He was the first volunteer at Ford to experience an
`airbag inflation.
`
`Robert Alexander, Ford
`
`Arne G. Asberg, Council on Road Safety
`Research; Volvo; Ergoma AB
`Ken Bames,ChrysIer; TlP Engineering
`Joseph Barrett, ICI Explosives, Inc.
`Robert Bayley, TRW
`Lon Bell, TRW Technar
`Donald Benrud, Inventor
`
`Harry Bertrand, Patent Holder
`Alan Breed. Breed Automotive
`David Breed, Breed Automotive
`David 0. Campbell, General Motors
`William Carey, Eaton, Yale & Towne
`Carl 0. Clark, Martin Marietta; National
`Highway Traffic Safety Administration
`Edward N. Cole, General Motors
`Roger Daniel, Ford
`Mario Delalivtine, CIL
`Kennerly Digges, National Highway
`Traffic Safety Administration
`Robert Diller, TRW Technar
`Sid Dunford, General Motors
`Michael Fitzpatrick, General Motors;
`Minicars; Fitzpatrick Engineering
`Stuart Frey, Ford
`Donald Friedman, General Motors;
`Minicars
`
`Lyle Galbraith, Rocket Research
`George Geotz, TRW
`William Gruber, TRW Technar
`D. Peter Haas, Eaton, Yale 8. Towne;
`American Motors Corp.
`Brian Hamilton, OEA
`John E. Hetrick, Patent Holder
`
`RN. Hodges, Patent Holder
`Fred Irish, General Motors
`Kjell Jonasson, Volvo
`Trevor 0. Jones, General Motors; TRW;
`Libbey-Owens-Ford
`Assen Jordanoff, Inventor
`Robert M. Kemmerer, Ford; Hammill
`Manufacturing
`
`George F. Kirchoff, Thiokol; Morton
`International
`
`Edwin H. Klove, Jr., General Motors
`Saburo Kobayashi, Honda
`Y Kobori, Kabusshiki. CIC
`Jo Kotula, Inventor
`M. Leising, Chrysler
`Walter Linderer, Inventor
`Robert Mclean, General Motors
`Harold J. "Bud" Mertz, General Motors
`John Morris, National Highway Traffic
`Safety Administration
`Ft. Namsick, Goodyear Tire Go.
`Kart Eric Nilsson, Bayern Chemie
`Donald L. Nordeen, General Motors
`1'. Norton, Ensign-Biol-iford
`John Pietz, Talley Industries
`Pyra Prassad, Ford
`Donald Radke, TRW; Bendix
`Willi Reidelbach, Daimler-Benz, A.G.
`John Repp, Ford
`Robert Resh, TRW
`Ralph Rockow, TRW
`David Romeo, Calspan; Talley
`Industries
`
`3. Salvadore, inventor
`Ola Saxmark, Volvo
`Eckart Schmidt, Rocket Research
`Fred Schneiler, Morton International
`
`Hans Jurgen Sholtz, Daimler-Benz, A.G.
`Donald Smith, Ford
`William Smith, General Motors
`Charles Strother, National Highway
`Traffic Safety Administration
`William Thorn, Rocket Research
`Leshek Utrackl, CIL
`Thomas Vos. TRW
`Chuck Warner, Brigham Young
`University
`Arnold Wilmer, Inventor
`Karl Wilfert, Daimler-Benz, A.G.
`
`2
`
`

`
`The concept of an inflatable air cushion for aircraft was conceived in the
`1940s. Flesearch and development began on the airbag for automobiles
`in the 19503 when private inventors led by John I-tetrick and Harry Bertrand
`of the United States first patented the airbag. The auto companies led by
`Ford Motor Company under Robert M. Kemmerer began research on
`airbags inlhe late 1950s. Researchers from the aerospace industry led
`by Carl Clark began transferrin research and technology applications to
`motor vehicles in the 1960s.
`uto industry suppliers led by Eaton, Yale
`and Towne began their own airbag research and development programs
`followed by aerospace companies, Rocket Research and Thiokol. By the
`late 1960s. airbag research was well under way in Europe led by Daimler-
`Benz, Volvo, and Volkswagen.
`
`In July 196_8, the federal government expressed its interest in airbag use
`at a meeting convened by National Highway Safety Bureau (NHSB)
`Director, William Haddon, Jr., with replresentatives of the auto companies.
`In June 1 969, the NHSB issued an A anced Notice ofProposed Rulemak-
`ing for ‘Inflatable Occupam Restraint System‘ with a proposed effective
`date of January 1, 1972. The first of many international conferences on
`airbag technology was held in Ma 1970 at General Motors’ Milford Proving
`Grounds under the auspices of ATO. General Motors President Edward
`N. Cole, an engineer with airbag patents, announced that GM would make
`full fromal airbags standard on one million 1974 model cars.
`
`Led by Allstate under its Vice President and General Counsel Donald
`Schaffer and by State Farm, the insurance industry became strong sup-
`porters of airbags in the early 1 9703. Allstate participated in the first airbag
`fleet demonstration program when Ford produced 1,000 1972 modeis with
`airbags. After leaving the NHSB. Dr. Haddon became the President of the
`lnsurgnce Institute for Highway Safety and continued his strong advocacy
`of air ags.
`
`Technological advances and regulatory delays marked the 1970s for
`airbags. All the major car companies developed Experimental Safety
`Vehicles that included airbags. Researchers such as Willi Reidelbach of
`Daimler-Benz and Arne Asberg of Volvo were instrumental in developing
`Safety Vehicle Programs for their companies and integrating the results
`into production vehicies with airbags. General Motors, utilizing airbag
`systems develo
`d by Trevor Jones. became the first company to sell
`airbag equippe cars in the mid-1970s bi.it they were discontinued shortly
`after Edward Cole retired in 1974.
`
`Auto industry suppliers helped make significant advances in airbag tech-
`nology during the 1970s. George Kirchoff at Thiokol used its rocket
`technology to develop reliable inflators. Taliey Industries and TRW came
`to the forefront. Advanced sensor development was spurred at Breed
`Corporation. Michael Fitzpatrick developed computer modeis to simulate
`crashes of cars with airbags that speeded their develo ment. The Re-
`search Safety Vehicles produced for the Department of
`ransponation by
`
`Minicars under Donald Friedman's direction demonstrated 50-mph oc-
`cupant protection with advanced airbags.
`
`Despite its initial support of airbags, the auto industry challenged federal
`regutation requiring passive restraints in the courts. in the federal agencies
`and Congress. Although every Secretary of Transportation from John
`Voipe through William Coieman to Brock Adams supported airbags. their
`final passive restraint rules were modified and delayed. Strong Congres-
`sional support led by Senators Warren Magnuson, Vance
`Frank Moss plus Representatives Harley Sta
`ers, John Moss, and ‘Fm
`Wirth. kept pressure on the Department 0
`ransponation to pursue
`airbags. Consumer and sat
`groups joined forces to keep the airbag
`alive. The National Highway raffic Safety Administration let out a key
`contract in the later 1970s under David Romeo's direction to retrofit police
`fleets to demonstrate airbag effectiveness.
`
`Events in the 19803 finally set the stage for the success of the lifesaving
`airbag.
`In December 1980, Daimfer-Benz became the first company since
`General Motors to sell airbag~equipped cars. Daimier-Benz equipped
`some 1981 modeis in Europe with airbags and then. later on, 1984 models
`in the United States.
`In July 1983, Ford Motor Company bid on and
`received a General Services Administration contract to supply 5,000
`airbag cars to the federal government in 1985. in 1983, the U.S. Supreme
`Court unanimously overturned the Reagan Administration's recision of the
`passive restraint rule.
`
`After remand from the Supreme Court, Transportation Secretary Elizabeth
`Dole issued a new final rule requiring airbags to be phased in beginning
`with 10% of cars in 1987 and ending with alldpassenger cars in 1990. A
`provision in the rule — that it weojuld bedrescin ed ifbstftatleas with two-thirds
`t e nation's popu ation pass man ato
`seat
`e
`aws — was never
`invoked because states passed seat beltnuse laws with provisions that
`revented them from bein counted toward the two-thirds required. DOT
`ater amended the final rug to give the auto makers until the 1994 model
`year to install airbags on the passenger side.
`
`In 1989, Chrysler Chairman Lee lacocca said, ‘Who says you can't teach
`an old dog new tricks? I had my doubts about airbags, but today’s new
`techlrcilolggy made meda believer.l' ‘file then arlinounccded di"jiverésideéaiti]rba'g;s
`wou
`ecome slan aid in al
`omestica
`pr
`uce
`90
`models. Other auto makers soon annoianc
`they would install standard
`airbags in most models. When the D T final rule took effect in 1990,
`consumer demand for airbags outstrtipzped supply. Manufacturers could
`i1ot produce enough airbags for ail rr_i
`els and ront seat positions. After
`twenty years of delay, the dreams of inventors and safety advocates have
`come true. Airbags are on their way to being in all passenger vehicles. In
`conjunction with seat belts, airbags will save 12,000 occupant lives a year
`when in all vehicles.
`
`3