Abstract: A gas generator includes an outer wall delimiting a first chamber, a source of gas and a second chamber for diffusing gas outwards between which is found a nozzle. The nozzle includes a first through-hole for letting through gas from the first chamber to the second chamber. The first hole is closed by a cap capable of being opened from the triggering of an electro-pyrotechnic device located towards the first chamber. The second diffusion chamber includes in the wall at least one second through-hole for letting through gas outwards. The outer wall includes at least one overmolded plastic material around a portion of the metal nozzle.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes an acceleration sensor. The acceleration sensor includes a sensor case having a supporting surface which is maintained horizontal. A self-standing inertia body whose bottom surface is placed on the supporting surface is installed inside the sensor case in a self-standing condition, and which tilts when a horizontal acceleration is exerted. An actuating member which, in accordance with a tilting movement of the self-standing inertia body, activates a lock mechanism to lock the extraction of the seat belt. An outer contour of a contact area where the supporting surface of the sensor case and the bottom surface of the self-standing inertia body are in surface contact is configured such that a distance from a center axis of the self-standing inertia body to the outer contour differ, in a horizontal plane, in a first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: A method of folding a knee airbag. One side surface of the airbag is roll-folded toward the centerline defined by the airbag and the other the side surface is thereafter roll-folded toward the centerline. After the steps of roll-folding both of the side surfaces, the knee airbag is vertical roll-fold from an end toward a connection part. With the roll-folding of the side surfaces, the side surfaces are roll folded such that they form different inclination angles with respect to the centerline of the airbag.

Abstract: A vehicle air bag device in which gas leakage prevention is achieved via mounting of a bracket on an inflator. The vehicle air bag device includes an air bag that is formed integrally with an inflator insertion portion into which an inflator is inserted. The air bag device also includes a bracket that is formed to attach the inflator to a vehicle body side, and that includes an inflator side mounting portion mounted onto an outer side of the inflator insertion portion so as to partially cover the inflator insertion portion. A strip-form body surrounds and integrates the inflator side mounting portion and the inflator disposed in the inflator insertion portion.

Abstract: A gas generator includes two reserves of reactive gases, an ignition device capable of being triggered in order to open lids of the reserves and initiating combustion of the reactive gases, and an orifice for letting out combustion gas towards the outside. The gas reserve, a device for diffusing the combustion gas towards the outside and the second gas reserve are successively positioned along a longitudinal direction. A guiding wall is provided in the reserve for guiding the pressure wave generated by the device up to the lid in order to open this first lid. The diffusing device includes a conduit for guiding the pressure wave from the first lid to the second lid so as to open the latter, and which communicates with the orifice.

Abstract: An airbag for a motor vehicle includes an airbag skin having two side walls which enclose a gas chamber. The airbag skin is at least partially rolled to a shaped package in the resting state of the curtain airbag, with the shaped package having a non-circular cross-section. In order to provide a cost-effective way to produce such an airbag and to ensure that the airbag shows a deployment behaviour of a rolled package, the non-circular cross-section is permanent as long as the pressure inside the gas chamber does not exceed the pressure of the environment and is obtainable by plastic conversion of a rolled package with a circular cross-section.

Abstract: A vehicle air bag device having an air bag that is formed integrally with an inflator insertion portion into which an inflator is inserted. The air bag device also includes a bracket that is formed to attach the inflator to a vehicle body side, and that includes an inflator side mounting portion mounted onto an outer side of the inflator insertion portion so as to partially cover the inflator insertion portion; a strip-form body that surrounds and integrates the inflator side mounting portion and the inflator disposed in the inflator insertion portion; and a seal portion that is formed on the inflator side mounting portion in alignment with the strip-form body.

Abstract: A retractor includes a slide nut that is caused to slide toward a tread head while rotating by a mesh between a first male screw groove and a female screw groove when the tread head is locked and a spindle rotates in a direction for unreeling a webbing, and a slider that is caused to slide toward the slide nut by a mesh between the female screw groove and a second male screw groove. A torsional rigidity of a second shaft part of a torsion bar is larger than that of a first shaft part, and a play is eliminated before a gap such that the slide nut and the slider are integrated.

Abstract: A self-locking belt retractor having a vehicle-sensitive controlled blocking system in which a mass (14) moves a locking lever (17) engaged in the toothing (29) of a controlled disk. The sensor mass (14) fitted in a holder part (10) on a support surface (23) that can be tilted in case of vehicle accelerations, the locking lever (17) on the end (19) facing away from the engaging tip (18) being connected to the sensor mass (14) in a form-fitting manner and forming a support (21). A form fit occurring in an extension (15) of the sensor mass (14) which protrudes through a hole (33) in the contact surface (23) of the holder part (10). A projection (31) projecting into a hole (33) is provided at the border of the hole (33) facing the locking lever (17) that is contacted by the locking lever (17) in case of a deflection.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, the present invention provides a side airbag apparatus for a vehicle having a seat with a back rest part and a hinge mechanism. The side airbag includes an inner sleeve forming a separation element defining one of a front airbag chamber and a rear airbag chamber within the side airbag. A connecting passage connects the front and a rear airbag chambers adjacent a lower extremity of the separation element. An attaching portion provided on the rear portion of the rear airbag chamber attaches the side airbag to the backrest part. An inflator proximate the attaching portion injects gas into the rear airbag chamber which flows through the connecting passage into the front airbag chamber.

Abstract: An automotive airbag apparatus is able to reduce the shock caused by early deployment of airbag against a passenger not in a position for safe airbag restraint, and further able to deploy quickly and effectively when a passenger is in a position for safe restraint. The airbag apparatus includes an airbag housing in which a folded airbag resides until deployed by the gas from an inflator, an airbag door that opens on a hinge from the pressure applied by the deploying airbag, and a restrictor member extending over the folded airbag beneath the airbag door with a direction from front to rear of the vehicle. The restrictor member has a fixed end at forward part thereof attached to the airbag housing, and a releasable fixed or free end at rearward part thereof, the free end coming into frictional contact with the airbag door in the vicinity of the hinge as the airbag door is pushed out by the early phase of the airbag deployment.

Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle occupant protective system comprises an inflatable cushion, a cinch tube circumventing a vent aperture disposed in the cushion, and a draw element guided in a circumventing channel of said cinch tube and being coupled to a surface of said cushion such that deployment of said cushion causes said draw element to contract said cinch tube. The airbag comprises a contraction limiting arrangement adapted to limit the contraction of said cinch tube by said draw element to a predetermined minimum free diameter d of at least 20% relative to the free diameter D of the open cinch tube.

Abstract: A steering wheel has a gripping portion including an armature substantially encapsulated by a cover, and an outer skin provided over the cover. The outer skin comprises a layer of fabric material defining first and second opposed surfaces. The first surface of the fabric material has a polymeric coating. The first surface is attached to the outermost surface of the cover and the second surface defines a peripheral surface of the gripping portion. Preferably, the second surface of the fabric layer is substantially uncoated. In preferred arrangements, the second surface of the fabric layer has a surface relief pattern substantially defined by a weave of the fabric and thus defines a peripheral surface pattern.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly including a cover, for example, an airbag cover, having an attached plate of the type adapted to support a manufacturer's emblem, wherein the plate penetrates with tongues distributed over its circumference into perforations arranged at the vehicle assembly cover. The tongues are bent into matching slots molded on the back of the vehicle assembly cover about a bending edge arranged between the perforations and the slots. At least one of the tongues is provided at its free end with a narrower neck region and a cross-sectional enlargement extending through the perforations in the vehicle assembly cover, and the slots having a shape matching the contour of one or more of the tongue.

Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat frame, a first air-bag unit and a second air-bag unit. The seat frame is at least partially covered by a padding material and substantially covered by a cover. The first air-bag unit includes a first air-bag mounted within an outboard side of the seat, and substantially covered by the cover. The second air-bag unit includes a second air-bag mounted within the outboard side of the seat and substantially covered by the cover. The first air-bag is configured to inflate and burst through the cover, when activated, and to bear against an occupant of the seat sitting in a normal position in the seat, thereby exerting a pushing force against the occupant in an inboard direction. The second air-bag is configured to inflate and burst through the cover when activated, and to occupy a position between an occupant of the seat and an exterior side wall of the vehicle.

Abstract: A front passenger airbag (5) is described for arrangement in the instrument panel (20) of a motor vehicle. It has an airbag envelope (10) having an impact area (11) and lateral surfaces extending from the impact area (11). In order to use small gas generators and to reduce the danger for a passenger in a non-standard seating position, the impact area (11) is nearly exclusively allocated to the front passenger's (I) head or head and shoulder area, the impact area (11) having a concave shape when the airbag envelope (10) is fully expanded and free of external forces, such that a left and right section of the impact area (11) respectively extend farther into the interior of the motor vehicle than a central section.

Abstract: An airbag arrangement with an inflatable curtain airbag for a vehicle includes fixation elements to fix the inflatable curtain airbag to the interior side structure of the vehicle. The airbag further includes an inflatable area to cover parts of the interior side structure of the vehicle. A fender airbag is provided adjacent to the inflatable area and/or the fixation elements of the inflatable curtain airbag. The fender airbag is inflated with a time delay with respect to the inflation of the inflatable area of the inflatable curtain airbag.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor incorporating a force limiter to permit the restricted paying out of a seat belt webbing and a control mechanism for controlling the force limiting functions of the retractor. The arrangement includes a two part spindle within a retractor. On a first part of the spindle the safety belt is wound. A second part of the spindle is configured to be locked by a retractor locking device. The two spindle parts are interconnected by a belt load limiting torsion bar. The torsion bar has two sections of different torsional stiffness. The junction between the two torsion bar sections is releasably connected to part of the spindle. When the connection is present one energy absorbing level is provided and when the connection is controlled there is another energy absorbing level. The connection is broken in response to a relative movement between the two spindle parts caused by an initial belt force in excess of a predetermined force.

Abstract: In an airbag arrangement for a front seat passenger in a motor vehicle, an airbag is mounted, in its stowed condition, in a dashboard of the vehicle. The airbag is configured to inflate to a deployed condition interposed between the dashboard and the front seat passenger. The inflated airbag is wider on an upper side, over an impact region nearer the front seat passenger, than on a lower side adjacent the dashboard. The airbag is narrower at an end adjacent the vehicle dashboard than at an end nearer to the front seat passenger.

Abstract: In a night vision arrangement for a motor vehicle in which a camera captures an infra-red image of the roadway in front of the vehicle, a video signal generated by the camera is processed by a signal processor so that the field of view of the image displayed by a display unit is selected in accordance with a control signal. The control signal is generated by a signal generator which is responsive to one or more parameters of the movement of the vehicle. The width of the field of view may be decreased with increasing speed. The axial direction of the field of view may be adjusted depending upon the nature of a turning movement of the vehicle.