Abstract: 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 lock bar locks the locking ring against rotation when a crash is sensed. A load limiter allows further pay-out of the seat belt webbing after the spool has locked under the influence of a vehicle occupant's forward momentum. The load limiter is a torsion bar attached at one end to the locking ring and at the other end to the spool; and a wire releasably coupled in the force path between the spool and the locking ring. The resilient mechanism, i.e. the wire, decouples itself after a predetermined number of turns of the torsion bar. The thickness, length and composition of the wire, together with the number of wires may be chosen to suit a vehicle's crash criteria.

Abstract: A seat belt has a buckle tongue stop that is resiliently deformable. The buckle tongue stop may be deformable laterally or in its width and may be formed of compressible bumps. The seat belt allows a child seat to be secured in a vehicle according to European regulations yet still enables the buckle tongue to be supported on the belt webbing at a convenient location for an adult vehicle occupant.

Abstract: To improve the grasp on the tongue of a seat belt, a handle extends from the seat belt tongue in the forward direction of the seat belt and is attached in a rotating manner to the central or rear portion of the tongue to perform rotation of the tongue in relation to the handle when the handle is grasped and pulled forward to fasten the seat belt.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor operates in two distinct modes: a first, Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR), mode; and a second, Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR), mode. A toothed ratchet wheel is mounted to rotate with a spool that is biased in a seat belt webbing rewinding direction. A sensor detects an emergency condition of the vehicle. A vehicle acceleration sensor lever responsive to the sensor engages the ratchet wheel in the event of an emergency condition. The vehicle acceleration sensor lever performs two functions: it locks the retractor when the sensor detects accelerations and decelerations greater than a predetermined magnitude and it also prevents rotation of the spool in the seat belt webbing pay-out direction when operating in its second mode. A cam connected to the spool via a step-down gearing arrangement acts as a switch.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a winding reel rotatably mounted in a frame, an electric motor and a switching mechanism, with which varying torques can be transmitted to the winding reel to adjust the comfort of a wearer of the seat belt or to tighten the seat belt. The switching mechanism is automatically directed into a switch position set for the comfort perceived by the wearer of the seat belt and into a switch position for belt tightening, in which if necessary an adjustable load limitation is also achieved.

Abstract: A device for testing the inflation state of an cold gas inflator for an airbag has a gas reservoir that is filled with gas at a high pressure, in particular an inert gas. Oscillations of frequencies varying within a particular frequency range are generated at the filled gas reservoir and the resonance frequency is measured. The measured resonance frequency is compared by a comparator with a resonance frequency which was determined at the gas reservoir filled with the desired pressure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a motor car steering wheel with an external shell made of carbon fibers begins with preparing a pile of sheet materials which is then hot molded to yield respective half-shells with a shape corresponding to that of respective halves of the steering wheel being manufactured. Next comes mechanical flattening of the front surfaces of the two half-shells, followed by mounting of the two half-shells above and under a steering wheel body formed by a metallic core covered by resin. The steering wheel body has lateral profile members which act as fixing supports for the two half-shells.

Abstract: An apparatus adjusts the inclination of a back rest of a vehicle seat with an electric motor and a hand wheel as adjusting drives which act on the adjustable back rest frame via an adjusting gear. The hand wheel is arranged coaxial with the rotor of the electric motor and accommodates the motor components as a hood-shaped housing in its interior. The hand wheel and the electric motor have a common output shaft connected to the adjusting gear.

Abstract: A shock sensor has a shock sensing magnetic mass that rides on the inside of a glass tube that is sealed about a reed switch. The reed switch has a first stop positioned so that the shock sensing magnetic mass when resting against the first stop does not cause the reeds of the reed switch to attract. A spring extends between the shock sensing magnetic mass and a second stop. Acceleration causes the sensing mass to accelerate toward the second stop. The motion of the magnetic sensing mass causes the switch reeds to attract and close the reed switch. The entire shock sensing mechanism is hermetically sealed within the glass capsule of the reed switch. The reed switch within the glass capsule detects movement of the shock sensing mass.

Abstract: A vehicle seat has an adjustable backrest connected to a driving device that can be activated in the event of a rear end collision. The backrest is inclined forwardly during the rear end collision and then performs an opposing rearward movement decelerated by an energy absorber.

Abstract: An airbag housing can be attached to an installation supporting means on a motor vehicle. The airbag housing has on a side facing the installation supporting means at least one resilient member which is formed in one piece with the airbag housing and permits a resilient movement of the airbag housing relative to the installation supporting means.

Abstract: A pretensioner for a vehicle occupant safety restraint has an outer casing that contains a gas generant. An igniter has igniter material disposed within an igniter housing. A pair of electrodes are connected to the igniter material. A grounding path connector link electrically connects the igniter housing to a grounding path. The connector link may be formed by springs connecting the outer case to the grounding electrode and an interference fit connecting the igniter housing to the outer case. The link forms a low resistance path to short circuit undesirable static charges in the unit that would otherwise tend to cause unintentional activation of the pretensioner.

Abstract: An airbag module has a gas distributor arranged between a gas generator and an airbag, in which at least a first and a second flow path for a gas are provided in the gas distributor. At least one valve device that opens and closes the respective flow path is arranged in each case in the flow paths. The first flow path connects the gas generator to the airbag, and the second flow path is not connected to the airbag.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a container which defines a flow path for a fluid, with a restriction in the flow path. An actuator is located within the container and is movable within the container under the action of a load transmitted to the seat belt webbing from the vehicle occupant under extreme acceleration conditions, to move the fluid through the restriction in the flow path to dissipate a predetermined portion of the load on the webbing.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a container which defines a flow path for a fluid, with a restriction in the flow path. An actuator is located within the container and is movable within the container under the action of a load transmitted to the seat belt webbing from the vehicle occupant under extreme acceleration conditions, to move the fluid through the restriction in the flow path to dissipate a predetermined portion of the load on the webbing.

Abstract: A motor vehicle steering wheel is provided with an airbag. The steering wheel has a central part for connection to a steering wheel attachment, having a cavity for housing a module comprising an airbag, an outer ring and a plurality of substantially radial spokes connecting the outer ring to the central part of the steering wheel. The module is provided with a peripheral metal part overlapping spokes so as to give the steering wheel a sporting appearance.

Abstract: An igniter for igniting a reactive material has a conductor for conducting power and communication signals to and from the igniter. A controller is located within the igniter. The controller is preferably an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The controller has communication means for communicating with a master controller located remote from the igniter. The controller also has diagnostic means for comparing established parameters for components of the igniter to predetermined limits and sending fault warning messages and integrity status messages to the master control unit. The controller also further has means for receiving a unique igniter activation command from the master control unit and sending an activation signal to an igniter activation means that couples the energy stored in an energy storage capacitor to a heating member that ignites a reactive material.

Abstract: An integral steering wheel is produced from single-shot injection molding of a single thermoplastic elastomer. The thermoplastic foam material can produce desirable characteristics for both the rim and the airbag cover. The rim of the steering wheel has good wear characteristics and a targeted compressibility or "feel" while the airbag cover has the sought-after strength across a large temperature range and exhibits very little compliance. The present invention is very cost effective since the composite steering wheel/airbag cover is produced from one thermoplastic foam material, the scrim or substrate is not required, and the molding cycle time is drastically reduced.