Abstract: A device for anchoring a strap to a structural member has a strap and a strap anchoring member fixed to the strap at a first end of the strap. The strap anchoring member has a length and a width, wherein the length is greater than the width. The strap anchoring member is folded to provide only two layers of the strap anchoring member enclosing an end region of the strap adjacent a first end of the strap. A secured portion of the strap anchoring member is proximal the first end of the strap with both layers of the strap anchoring member fixed to the strap providing a three layer structure. An unsecured portion of the strap anchoring member is distal from the first end of the strap. A second end of the strap may be fixed to an airbag used for protecting an occupant of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A kit for a device for restraining a vehicle occupant includes a prefabricated seat belt retractor (1) that has a winding shaft (2) mounted in a rotatable manner in a retractor frame (4) to wind up and unwind the seat belt. The kit further includes a similarly prefabricated drive module (30) having an electric motor (32), the drive module being connectable to the retractor frame (4) in a rotationally fixed manner. Force-transmission elements are provided on the drive module (30) and on the seat belt retractor (1) that are to be connected to each other to transmit the torque from the electric motor (32) to the winding shaft (2) when the seat belt retractor (1) and drive module (30) are assembled. An assembled device for restraining a vehicle occupant and having the components of the kit is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for detecting the occupancy status of a vehicle seat with an electrical capacity sensor device that is arranged in a seat belt buckle assigned to the vehicle seat and whose electrical capacity is altered relative to a reference potential (mass, ground) by the presence of a person occupying the vehicle seat and which, as a result, emits an electrical seat occupant presence output signal.

Abstract: A diffuser (50) for use in an air bag system, the diffuser comprising: a connector part (52) configured to be connected to an air bag inflator, the connector part including a side wall (53); and a gas distribution part formed as an integral extension of the connector part and configured to deliver gas from the connector part to the air bag (150), and the distribution part including a first conduit (60) and a second conduit (70), the two conduits configured to give the diffuser a low profile.

Abstract: A linear motion sensor has two pairs of opposed spaced apart stacks of two simple two-pole bar magnets. Each stack has one shorter outer magnet and one longer inner magnet, with the outer magnets centered on the inner magnets. The poles of the magnets are oriented the same in each pair, but opposite with respect to the other pair. The shape of the magnets results in the magnetic fields produced by each pair of magnets being substantially outside of the magnets themselves, so that the load line for the combined magnets is above the knee in its B/H material demagnetization curve. The pairs of magnets define a gap therebetween in which a magnetic field sensor is mounted for travel. The shorter magnets are about one half the length of the longer magnets such that the magnetic field in the gap varies substantially linearly as the sensor moves along the gap.

Abstract: An ignition delay module (10) for use in an airbag inflator (100, 200) has an ignition delay module housing (11). The ignition delay module (10) separates the inflator (100, 200) into two chambers (40, 60). A pyrotechnic tablet (2) is positioned inside the ignition delay module housing (11). Upon activation of the inflator (100, 200) the ignition delay module (10) prevents a gas generant (62) in a second chamber (60) of the inflator (100, 200) from igniting until at least a portion of the pyrotechnic tablet (2) is burnt. Preferably a burn inhibitor layer (3) is affixed or otherwise applied to a surface of the pyrotechnic tablet (2).

Abstract: An air bag module (50) comprising: a curtain air bag (20) having an inflatable portion and a mounting portion, the mounting portion or tab (30) including opposing first and second mounting sides or surfaces; a mounting bracket or clip (100) for the inflatable curtain air bag, comprising first and second plates (110, 120), each plate engagable with a respective first or second mounting side or surface (104, 106), the first plate having a first opening (160) and the second plate having a second opening (170); the first plate about the first opening, including a plurality of bendable first tabs (164a-d), each first tab deformable through the second opening to provide a crimp contact between the first plate (110) and the second plate (120) thereby trapping the mounting portion or tab (30) of the air bag between the first and second plates.

Abstract: An air bag assembly comprising: an inflator for providing a source of inflation gas, and an air bag having a first end and a second end and a first side and a second side, the air bag configured to have a first inflatable chamber proximate the first end, a second inflatable chamber proximate the second and a non-inflatable region therebetween; the air bag including an inlet communicated with the inflator, the air bag further including a plurality of joints or seams, which connect selective regions of the first and second sides together thereby controlling the inflatable volume of the air bag, a top portion of each of the plurality of joints or seams located a determinable distance from a top of the air bag to form within the air bag an integral gas flow path or channel, the inlet generally positioned spaced from a top of the air bag and generally located between the first inflatable chamber and second Inflatable chamber.

Abstract: An air bag assembly mounting system comprising: a fastener having a base plate with a front side and a rear side, a resilient expansion element along the rear side of the base plate which is configured to extend through an opening in a structural member of a vehicle so as to clamp the structural member of the vehicle and through a portion of an air bag or an air bag cover between the rear side of the base plate and the expansion element, the resilient expansion element comprising two co-acting resilient clips each having a center leg extending from the back plate and a resilient outer leg resiliently supported by the center leg; the outer leg, at a distal end, including extending wings which during assembly to the structural member rotate and over-travel the center leg to reduce the dimension between the wings of one of the outer legs and the wings of the other of the outer legs.

Abstract: A three-point safety belt system (20) including: a tongue (100) configured to receive portions of a safety belt assembly (200); the safety belt assembly (200) comprising a shoulder belt section (202) and a lap belt section (250), the shoulder belt section including a hollow, generally flat first tube or tubular section (202), the first tube or tubular part configured to tear apart along a preferred region (203), a web guide (300); a first and second retractor (240, 260); the lap belt section (250) extending from the tongue to the corresponding retractor (260) and the shoulder belt section (202) extending from the tongue to the other retractor (240), each retractor configured to respectively retract the lap belt section and the shoulder belt section and to permit the extension or protraction of same; an inflatable air bag (400) received within the shoulder belt section and movable with the first tubular part (202) of the shoulder belt section, and inflatable by an inflator causing the air bag to extend and bre

Abstract: An air bag module (20) including: an inflator (200) for providing inflation gas; a bracket assembly (100) having an integral spring portion for resiliently biasing the inflator toward a retained position.

Abstract: An air bag usable to protect the driver of the vehicle comprising: a face panel; a rear panel of generally the same shape as the face panel and secured to the face panel along its periphery; the rear panel including a centrally located opening configured to receive an air bag inflator that introduces gas into the space formed by the face and rear panels; a tether of elongated shape having first and second ends and a center region, the center region is positioned into a Z-shaped configuration and secured to the face panel proximate a geometric center of the face panel.

Abstract: A safety system comprising an air bag configured to have at least one inflatable volume or chamber, an inlet through which inflation gas enters the inflatable volume, the air bag including at least one exit port or vent which when in an open state permits inflation gas to exit the volume or chamber, the exit port or vent located in a selected region of the air bag, a vent closure mechanism secured to the air bag and movable to close the exit port or vent by tension created in a tether which is part of the vent closure mechanism; as the air bag inflates, the tether has one end operatively secured to the air bag, a second end operatively secured to the vent closure mechanism, the tether including a medial portion slidably guided across a portion of the air bag.

Abstract: A side air bag module including: an inflator (140), and air bag (102) and a retainer (150), the inflator having inflation ports (145) and a first and a second end (142, 144), the inflator configured to be inserted through a first opening of a first set of openings in an upper portion (104a) of a main panel (105) and configured to exit the upper portion of the main panel through a second opening of the first set of openings, wherein when the inflator is in place in the air bag, the first and second ends of the inflator respectively extend through one of the first and second openings, the main panel (105) also including a lower portion (104b) connectable to the upper portion thereby forming the main panel, a reinforcement panel (130) and the lower portion including similarly shaped, spaced and aligned sets of openings through which the inflator extends; the retainer is situated about the extending ends of the inflator on the exterior of the air bag.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (100) having a rotationally mounted spool (120) with a seat belt windable thereon and a pretensioner (300) for winding the spool in a belt winding direction to rewind the seat belt upon the spool; the pretensioner comprising a rack and pinion mechanism (350) activated by a pyrotechnic element (400) for causing a clutch assembly (200) to change state from a disengaged mode to an engaged mode in which the clutch assembly drivingly engages the spool.

Abstract: An air bag (100) has an inflatable chamber (101, 301) defined by a main front panel (102, 212) and a pair of side panels (104a, b; 224, 226). The air bag (100) has a vertically oriented recessed portion (110, 220) spanning along most of the length of the main panel or a limited section thereof. The recessed portion (110, 220) divides the air bag (100, 210) into two lower lobe portions (112a, b, 240, 242) on each side of the recessed portion. Upon inflation an internal tether (180, 250) is attached to the recessed portion and is anchored at or adjacent to the gas inlet passageway thereby limiting forward movement of the recessed portion upon inflation. The air bag is useful as a frontal air bag, particularly a passenger frontal air bag.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for steering a vehicle including a steering wheel (18) with an armature (300); an air bag module (14) is coupled to the steering wheel and is operable to expand to absorb the kinetic energy of the driver. A horn switch (16) is coupled to the steering wheel and the air bag module. The horn switch is operable to generate an electrical signal based on an input from the driver. The horn switch includes a pair of electrically conductive elements (40, 42) operable to generate the signal.

Abstract: A pretensioner (20) for use with a seat belt system, the pretensioner comprising: a straight first tube (22) having a cylindrical wall (22a), a first end (24) and a second end (26), at least one of the first end (24) or the second end (26) having an opening (32); the first tube includes a first opening (38) in the wall (22a) to receive a second tube (50), the second tube (50) having a first end portion (52), a second end portion (56) and a medial portion (54), the medial portion configured to have a circular curvature of radius R1; the second end portion is situated so that its center is collinear with a central axis (64) extending through the center of the first tube (22) and wherein an axis extending through the center of the first end portion is arranged at an acute angle relative to the central axis (64); a pyrotechnic element (40) is provided at one end of the first tube to provide products of combustion to drive a piston (100) down the first tube, the motion of the piston moving a cable (80) in a direct

Abstract: An assembly is provided for steering a vehicle including a driver interface operable to enable a driver to steer the vehicle and at least one control member operable to couple the driver interface to the vehicle. An air bag module is coupled to the driver interface and is operable to expand to absorb the kinetic energy of the driver. A horn switch is coupled to the driver interface and the air bag module. The horn switch is operable to generate an electrical signal based on an input from the driver. An attachment mechanism is operable to couple the air bag module and horn switch to the driver interface, and includes at least one retaining member operable to engage the air bag module and armature. The retaining member is operable to release the air bag module and horn switch from the driver interface upon the application of a retractive force.

Abstract: A height adjuster (200) for a vehicle safety restraint comprising: a rail (230) for providing a vertical path guide for a carrier (220); the carrier (220) configured to be vertically movable along the rail to one of a plurality of locations, the carrier also configured to rotationally support the web guide (210). The height adjuster also comprises a lock mechanism (240) movable between a locked and an unlocked condition, when in a locked condition the carrier is prohibited from moving down the rail and when in an unlocked condition the carrier is free to be moved; and a return spring mechanism (300) comprising a coiled return spring having an interior or coiled end (372) and a distal end (376), the interior end configured not to rotate as the carrier is moved and a distal end of the return spring secured to one of the carrier and release mechanism.