Abstract: An airbag inflator (1) for motor vehicles, more specifically an airbag inflator which is adapted to reduce high sound levels generated by the streaming of a gas flow out of the outlet into ambient air, which airbag inflator comprises at least one gas outlet (9) which is adapted to reduce high sound level generated by the streaming of a gas flow out of the outlet into ambient air. The gas outlet (9) of the airbag inflator (1) has an orifice (10;18) that is non-circular. When in use, the non-circular orifice (10; 18) of the gas outlet (9) enhances the mixing of the gas flow with the ambient air and thus provides for a reduction of the sound level caused by the gas flow.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the present invention a seat-belt retractor is provided. The seat-belt retractor comprises a locking system that is controlled by means of at least one vehicle-sensitive sensor. The sensor has an alignment mass for autonomous alignment and is configured to pivot on the seat-belt retractor when the angular installation position of the seat-belt retractor is changed and when the seat-belt is extended, the sensor can be fixed in position by a blocking device. The blocking device is friction-controlled by the rotation of the belt shaft in the extension direction. The blocking device includes a rotatably mounted blocking lever which can be displaced into a release position for the sensor by a control lever that is coupled to the belt shaft by a friction coupling when the belt shaft rotates in a retraction direction.

Abstract: A seatbelt buckle for receiving and locking an insert tongue, said seatbelt buckle comprising a housing, a bolt which locks the insert tongue, and a slide button which acts upon the bolt, wherein an inertial mass is provided for shockproofing of the seatbelt buckle. The inertial mass is mounted and guided on a guide disposed on the slide button and/or the housing. The slide button including a catch which is located apart from guide and opposite the bearing axis of the coupling lever. The bearing axis being fixed to the housing, wherein two arms of the coupling lever directly engage the inertial mass and the catch of the slide button.

Abstract: Described is a gas generator unit comprising of a cylindrical gas generator (10), the lateral surface (10a) of which demonstrates emission holes (12) arranged in a thrust-neutral manner within a ring-shaped area (10b), and a deflector element (20), which is rigidly connected to the gas generator (10) and is made of a heat resistant material and at least surrounds the ring-shaped area (10b) at least partially. To make the gas generator harmless in the event of a fire, the deflector element (20) demonstrates, in an inflow area (20a) opposite the ring-shaped area (10b), borings (22), which are sealed by at least one blocking element (24, 32) made of a meltable or combustible material, the borings being arranged in such a manner that the gas generator unit is thrust-neutral in the absence of the blocking element (24).

Abstract: The invention relates to an airbag arrangement in a motor vehicle comprising an airbag and a gas generator, which fills the airbag with gas after being activated, the airbag being arranged between two neighboring seating positions for vehicle occupants. The airbag is arranged in an openable lid of a center console or in an openable armrest.

Abstract: An air-bag arrangement is disclosed, which preferably takes the form of an inflatable curtain. The arrangement comprises a single inflatable element (2) and a gas generator (10), which is configured to inflate the inflatable element (2). The inflatable element (2) defines at least two inflatable chambers (5,6). A gas-supply duct (11) is provided which has an end outlet aperture (19) formed through an end wall 18 of the gas-supply duct (11) so as to have a diameter smaller than the bore of the gas-supply duct (11). The gas-supply duct (11) also has at least one side outlet aperture (20) formed through the side wall of the gas-supply duct (11) at a position generally adjacent the end outlet aperture (19). The side outlet aperture (20) is configured to direct gas out of the gas-supply duct (11) in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of gas directed to the end outlet aperture (19).

Abstract: In a seat belt apparatus, a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion which are capable of being brought into abutment with each other so that a switch lever is shifted from a switch OFF position to a switch ON position are provided on a side of a drive gear and a side of a first gear, respectively. A third projecting portion and a fourth projecting portion, which are capable of being brought into abutment with each other so that the switch lever is shifted from the switch ON position to the switch OFF position, are provided on the side of the first gear and a side of a second gear. An abutment position between the first and second projecting portions and an abutment position between the third and fourth projecting portions differ from each other in an axial direction of a spindle.

Abstract: A fastening arrangement for a safety belt is provided and includes a holder for securement to a vehicle. The holder has a T-shaped head with laterally extending arms. A connector is moveably disposed, against spring action on the holder and is connected to a belt buckle strap loop. A magnet and magnetic field sensor are disposed on the holder and connector. Relative movement between them, caused by displacement of the connector relative to the holder, is converted into a signal that corresponds to acting belt force. First springs are provided on outer longitudinal sides of the holder and connector and respectively extend between the arms of the holder and an oppositely disposed abutment of the connector to counteract tension force of the safety belt or buckle. The compensation spring is disposed between the holder and connector and, without a tension force acting on the connector, prestresses the connector relative to the holder against nearly relaxed first springs with a low spring force.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electropyrotechnic initiator whose circuit board (15) supports on a first face (18) a resistance element (21) for heating a pyrotechnic charge (22, 23). According to the invention, the second face (19) of the circuit board (15), opposite the first face (18), supports means (30) of protection against the electrostatic discharges, housed between the two electrodes (10, 11) powering the element (21) in a recess (91) of an insulating structure (9) through which the electrodes (10, 11) pass.

Abstract: A knee airbag is described which is located in front of a front seat (S) in the footwell, whereby this footwell is limited on a first side by the vehicle inner structure (F) and on the side lying opposite the first side is limited by a centre console (M). When it is completely filled and free from external forces, this knee airbag (10) exhibits a certain maximum width (b) horizontally and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle (f). In order to improve the safety of the vehicle occupants in case of a laterally-offset frontal collision, knee airbag (10) is arranged in the footwell in such a way that its maximum width (b) in inflated state is greater than the separation (a) between vehicle inner structure (F) and centre console (M).

Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided with a squab, backrest and a headrest. The headrest is supported by one or more support elements. Each support element is connected by a connection to a respective drive element which is connected to a pressure plate located within the backrest. The drive element is guided for rearward movement by a guide which is formed fast with the frame of the seat. A pivot surface is provided located adjacent the support element such that, on rearward movement of the drive element, the support element engages the pivot surface to cause the headrest to move forwardly in a pivotal manner.

Abstract: An airbag module having a gas generator mounted on a carrier using at least one vibration-damping mounting. The gas generator has radially projecting flange sections for connecting one end of the vibration-damping mounting and a diffusor, which is pot-shaped in configuration, overlaps the gas generator, including its flange sections, and wherein the surrounding side wall of the pot-shaped diffusor is bent at a right angle. One end of the vibration-dampening mounting (16) is provided with a head (17), which acts as a limit stop for the gas generator (10) for lateral movements of the gas generator (10) that occur in the plane of the flange sections (15).

Abstract: A supplemental inflation part is formed in a portion of an upper-end side inflation section of an airbag, the portion overlapping a B-pillar garnish. The supplemental inflation part has a semicircular shape that forms a push-out part. Folding the push-out part allows the upper-end side inflation section to be inflated largely at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag. Thus, the airbag is pushed toward the passenger compartment with greater force upon its deployment. Therefore, a terminal part of a headliner that covers the folded airbag is largely opened so that the airbag deploys smoothly downward along the side of the vehicle body in the passenger compartment without interference from the top end of the B-pillar garnish.

Abstract: An airbag having an airbag fabric skin (10) enclosing an interior gas space with a first edge (11) extending from a first end (11a) to a second end (11b), whereby an accommodation area (A) for a gas generator (20) is located at the first edge outside the gas spaced extending parallel the first edge (11), which exhibits an area (32) of a deflector element 930) which accommodates the gas generator. In order to ensure that the airbag unit consisting of gas generator and airbag halves in a thrust-neutral manner in case of a fire, deflector element (30) consists of a tubular, flexible element, whereby the deflector element (30) exhibits an upper and lower area (32, 36) whose lower area (36) is located inside the gas space (G). The deflector element is connected with the airbag skin in an intermediate area (34) which is located between upper and lower areas.

Abstract: A vertical cell is formed in a forward inflation section of an airbag. The vertical cell extends in a vehicle height direction at the rear of a pillar, and communicates through a bottom end of the vertical cell with a horizontal cell. When the inflation section is deployed, the folded horizontal cell or the lower side part of the airbag is pulled back toward the passenger compartment with respect to the side window opening. Accordingly, the horizontal cell deploys to an area below a bottom edge of the side window opening or a beltline in the passenger compartment on the inner side of a front side door.

Abstract: An inflator for an air-bag comprises a single gas bottle (1) containing the pressurised gas. The pressurised gas is a mixture including at least one oxidisable gas and at least one oxidising gas. The inflator incorporates a mechanism (20) to open the gas bottle to enable gas to flow from the gas bottle to the interior of an air-bag (13). There is an initiating device (30) within the air-bag in the form of a spark generator which generates a spark across electrodes (31) to ignite the mixture of gas from the gas bottle.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide infrared camera techniques that may improve image quality or infrared camera performance over a range of varying conditions. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a system is disclosed that transforms data provided by an infrared camera based upon environmental conditions at the time the data was obtained. As an example, the image quality provided by the infrared camera may be improved over a range of environmental conditions by the proper transformation of the data based upon the sensor's information.

Abstract: A novel safety device for the driver's cabin of a vehicle, wherein the driver's cabin demonstrates at least one driver seat with a first side facing a side window and a second side opposite the first side. The safety device comprises a safety net, which is spread next to the second side of the driver seat. The safety net can be permanently spread next to the driver seat. The safety net may prevent the person sitting on the driver seat from falling to the opposite inner structure of the driver's cabin the driver's cabin rolls over.

Abstract: A combination of belt retractor and belt pre-tensioner in which the pre-tensioning device is coupled to the belt shaft by means of the vehicle-sensitive or belt strap sensitive locking system of the belt retractor, is characterised in that a lever (16) entrained by the drive wheel (10) on its rotation in the pre-tensioning direction is mounted pivotally on the housing and on its pivoting movement effected by the rotation of the drive wheel (10) its free end (18) comes into engagement with the control disc (12) and in so doing, over part of its pivoting movement, drives the control disc (12) for its relative rotation relatively to the belt shaft and after the lever (16) has passed through its pivoting path serving to drive the control disc (12) it is released from the control disc (12) and the drive wheel (10).

Abstract: A camera system exhibiting reduced effects from temperature changes. The camera system includes an IR sensor; an optical arrangement adapted to focus incoming light onto the sensor; a processing arrangement adapted to process signals produced by the sensor; a heatsink in thermal contact with and is adapted to transfer heat energy away from, the processing arrangement; and a thermal equalizer. The thermal equalizer at least partially surrounds and is in thermal contact with the optics/sensor unit and is formed at least partially from a material having a high thermal conductivity. The thermal equalizer conducts heat energy from warmer to cooler parts of the optics/sensor unit. The thermal equalizer is also thermally insulated from ambient air surrounding the camera system and from the heatsink.