Abstract: An automotive seat belt pretensioner assembly is provided which includes a housing assembly (12) for receiving a cable (18) that is driven by a piston (16) toward an open end (54) of an actuator housing (24) in response to the operation of a pyrotechnic gas generating device (20). A plastic end cap (26) is provided for covering the housing end (54). The cap (26) includes a frangible end wall (54) for permitting passage of an end (46) of the cable (18). The frangible end wall (54) includes a pattern of reduced wall thickness (56).

Abstract: An automotive seat belt pretensioner assembly is provided which includes a housing assembly (12) for receiving a cable (18) that is driven by a piston (16) toward an open end (54) of an actuator housing (24) in response to the operation of a pyrotechnic gas generating device (20). A plastic end cap (26) is provided for covering the housing end (54). The cap (26) includes a frangible end wall (54) for permitting passage of an end (46) of the cable (18). The frangible end wall(54) includes a pattern of reduced wall thickness (56).

Abstract: A fuel pump is mounted within the fuel tank of an automobile on a bracket attached to a flange which sealingly covers an opening in the fuel tank. The bracket has side members with materially altered sections for increasing the energy absorption capability of the bracket. Materially altered sections can take the shape of oblong slots or circular apertures in a center section of the side members, or notches along the edges of the side members. Crimped sections in the side members also serve to absorb energy imparted to the bracket.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle of the type having a front end, a rear end, a front pair of road wheels and a rear pair of road wheels located respectively adjacent to front and rear ends is disclosed. The vehicle also includes a passenger compartment area extending longitudinally between front and rear road wheels, a pair of frame members and a bumper member disposed generally transverses to the frame members. The vehicle further includes a storage compartment disposed longitudinally forward of the bumper member bounded by a plurality of body panel members and an isolation mechanism which isolates the storage compartment from longitudinal loads applied to the bumper member from a rear end collision to minimize the magnitude of the loads acting on the storage compartment.