Abstract: A pretensioner for tightening a seat belt has a piston-like drive member arranged in a guide tube. A drive means produces a propellant gas that drives the drive member. A movement transmitting system connects the drive member to the seat belt. A discharge system with a release or rupture element opens a discharge orifice in the drive member during a return movement of the drive member.

Abstract: A vehicle safety apparatus has a 3-point seatbelt, with a buckle head, and a crash sensor. A pretensioner is connected at the buckle head of the seatbelt for pulling in a length of seatbelt webbing in response to the crash sensor detecting a crash. The pretensioner has a force reservoir and a piston located within and for movement along a pretensioner cylinder under the force of gas from a gas generator. The piston is connected by a cable to the buckle head of the seatbelt. A cable bracket has an inner and outer guide, and wherein the pretensioner cylinder is attached to the inner guide and the buckle mounting is connected to the outer guide.

Abstract: A load limiting apparatus for a vehicle safety restraint belt is inserted in the force path between a mounting for a seat belt and a vehicle occupant. The load limiting apparatus has a vessel which contains fluid. The fluid is moved from one part of the vessel to another through a valve having a tapering profile to decrease the open area of a constriction as a function of the deceleration of the vehicle in a crash. Ideally the load limiting is self regulating and the force absorbed increases with increasing crash severity.

Abstract: A device senses movement of the front part of an airbag during deployment with a sensing element that is extended during inflation of the airbag and delivers a measured value for the movement of the airbag. Electrical connections are mechanically separated in a time sequence during the sensing of movement, the successive separation processes being detectable electrically and/or electronically.

Abstract: A rear seat vehicle seat belt buckle arrangement includes a buckle head and webbing for attaching the buckle head to a load bearing part of the vehicle. The webbing is fixed to at least two spaced apart attachment locations connected to the load bearing part of the vehicle. The webbing may be a single piece of webbing looped through a slot in the buckle head or two separate lengths of webbing and it may be attached to opposite or to spaced apart rings mounted to a mounting bracket bolted to a fixed part of the vehicle (e.g. a floor plate). The fixing bolt preferably passes between the two splayed parts of the webbing to retain the splayed form. This provides more comfort to the passenger and more flexibility whilst optimizing the safety of the restraint by restricting forward movement of the passenger in a crash and applying crash leads appropriately.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inflator for a vehicle airbag employing non-azide gas generants. The invention also relates to a new filter system for airbag inflators. The filter is a metal ribbon coiled within the inflator house. The metal ribbon comprises at least one segment of apertures and a segment of expanded metal.

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 metal member and means for deforming the metal member associated with the seat belt. Excessive load on the seat belt is transferred to the metal member by deforming the metal member.

Abstract: An airbag module has a gas generator. A gas generator support is connected to the gas generator. A cover is connected to the gas generator support. An airbag is arranged in a folded state between the gas generator, including the gas generator support, and the cover. The airbag is provided with an opening in which the gas generator including the gas generator support is installed. The airbag is further provided with passageways in the peripheral area of opening through which hooks or projections of the gas generator support and/or the cover engage extend.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle and latch indicating system employs a seat belt buckle with a Giant Magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor spaced from a magnet above a gap through which a ferromagnetic latch protrudes. The latch may reside at three distinct positions: unlatched, latched, and latched without the presence of a hasp. The latch functions as a magnetic field concentrator with the result that the sensed magnetic field is dependent on latch position. The GMR sensor provides a signal indicating the sensor is working at all times, and provides specific information based on physical positioning of the critical components of the belt and which indicates that the buckle is mated to the seat belt hasp.

Abstract: A sensor of Giant magneto-resistive (GMR) type is attached to a seat belt anchor bracket. A seat belt passes through an opening in the bracket and is doubled back and sewn to form a loop. A magnet positioned on a sliding carriage is biased away from the sensor by springs. A seat belt loops around the carriage, and when tension is applied to the belt, the carriage with the magnet is drawn against the springs toward the GMR sensor. The GMR sensor measures the magnetic field present at the sensor and a microprocessor determines belt tension based on the known spring constants and the strength of measured magnetic field which is correlated with displacement of the magnet.

Abstract: An airbag for an airbag module in a vehicle has an upper fabric ply, a lower fabric ply and a middle ply which are connected to one another along their circumferential regions. The middle ply extends between the upper fabric ply and the lower fabric ply essentially parallel to these and is firmly connected to the upper fabric ply and the lower fabric ply with a direct close fit only along its circumference. The lower fabric ply has a gas inlet port and the middle ply has a gas passage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a simplified integrated steering wheel assembly and a simplified method for forming the integrated steering wheel assembly. The integrated steering wheel assembly has a one-piece steering wheel armature and an airbag scrim. A cover is molded over a portion of the steering wheel armature and a portion of the airbag scrim. The airbag scrim forms a cavity for placement of an airbag and an airbag inflator between the airbag scrim and a hub portion of the steering wheel armature. The method of the invention includes use of a plurality of positioning pins and a vacuum force to position the airbag scrim relative to the steering wheel armature and mold during the possess of molding the cover over a portion of the steering wheel armature and a portion of the airbag scrim.

Abstract: A seat belt pretensioner has a rotary member that is connectable to a safety belt webbing retractor. A spool and a number of vanes are hingedly attached to the rotary member at spaced positions around the circumferential periphery of the rotary member. The rotary member is rotatably mounted in a housing having a wall facing, and spirally formed with respect to, the rotational axis of the rotary member to form a circularly tapering gas chamber between the rotary member and the wall of the housing. In the event of a crash a gas generator supplies gas which impinges upon vanes attached to the rotary member and causes the rotary member to rotate.

Abstract: An airbag has two cloth layers disposed next to each other and connected with each other in their outer marginal area. One of the cloth layers has an inflation gas inlet opening. The two cloth layers er are connected with each other by at least one tear seam, which at least partially encloses the discharge opening. The tear seam extends away from the discharge opening and is configured so as to tear open when the airbag is inflated by starting at an end of the tear seam that is closest to the inflation gas inlet opening.

Abstract: A hybrid inflator, includes a storage chamber for storing a pressurized gas and a pyrotechnic heater assembly which has a solid gas generating material within a combustion chamber. Forming the outer layer of the pyrotechnic heater assembly is a diffuser, which is inserted into the storage vessel. A closure provides a pressure seal between the storage chamber and the combustion chamber. Upon receiving a control signal, an igniter ignites the solid gas generating material. The closure ruptures, allowing a mixture of hot generated gas and stored gas to discharge through the diffuser and flow into a vehicle occupant restraint.

Abstract: A bidirectional shock sensor is constructed from a reed switch positioned between two shock sensing magnets. Each magnet is an annular ring which travels parallel to the reed switch reeds on a shaft spaced in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the reed switch. A spring pre-loads a first magnet against a first stop. A second spring pre-loads a second magnet against a second stop. The direction of travel of the first and second magnets is opposite and the first and second stops are positioned at opposite ends and on opposite sides of the reed switch. The magnets and the shafts on which they travel are positioned on identical housings which are arranged as mirror images with the reed switch positioned therebetween.

Abstract: A seat occupant sensing system has a plurality of variable resistance force sensors located between a rigid seat support member and the floor of the vehicle. The force transferred from the rigid seat support member to the floor of the vehicle passes through said variable resistance force sensors which sense the magnitude of the force transferred therethrough and generate a signal which is indicative of the force transferred therethrough resistance force sensors interposed between a rigid seat support member and a rigid seat pan member such that the weight supported by the seat pan member is transferred from the seat pan member to the seat support member via said at least one variable resistance force sensor which senses the magnitude of the weight transferred therethrough. A device, such as a microprocessor, processes a signal from the variable resistance force sensors to determine the weight that the rigid seat pan member is bearing.

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 metal member and means for deforming the metal member associated with the seat belt. Excessive load on the seat belt is transferred to the metal member by deforming the metal member.

Abstract: Cryptosporidium parvum (the cause of cryptosporidiosis) has become one of the most common enteropathogens causing diarrhea worldwide. Symptoms associated with cryptosporidiosis are very debilitating especially in the immunocompromised subject (e.g., AIDS patient). Clinical features include severe, chronic diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fatigue, weight loss, etc. which lead to increased health care costs and increased mortality. There is described herein a method of inhibiting the severity of Cryptosporidium parvum infection by enterally administering a therapeutically effective amount of Lactobacillus acidophilus.