Abstract: A safety-belt arrangement for use in a motor vehicle has a safety-belt (5), one end of which is connected to a retractor (8), a sensor (11) generates a signal representative of the amount of safety-belt paid-out from the retractor. A force limiter (10) is associated with the retractor to permit safety-belt to be paid-out with a variable force limiting effect. A control arrangement (12) changes the level of force applied by the force limiter (10) in dependence upon the length of safety-belt paid-out from the retractor.

Abstract: A triggering unit is disclosed for use in triggering a safety device in a motor vehicle to protect an occupant of the vehicle in an impact situation in which the vehicle impacts with an impacting object. The triggering unit is configured to actuate the safety device only for total stiffness between the vehicle and the impacting object exceeds a predetermined stiffness value. The unit incorporates a calculating arrangement to calculate stiffness from two or more sensed parameters.

Abstract: An air-bag is disclosed which has a vent hole formed therein. The periphery of the vent hole has first and second opposed part, wherein a tuck is formed in the air-bag. The tuck is formed in the region of the first part of the vent hole periphery such that the second part of the vent hole periphery extends past the first part in a direction extending substantially outwards from the interior volume of the air-bag, when the air-bag is inflated.

Abstract: An airbag system for jointly supporting at least two vehicle occupants inside a motor vehicle in case of an accident with at least two separate airbags inflatable with a gas supplied by a gas generator. The airbag system has at least two airbags (14, 15) folded into a common housing (10) to be arranged in the dashboard of the motor vehicle. The airbags are connected to a common gas generator (11) having at least two outflow areas (13, 18, 19) assigned to the at least two airbags (14, 15). Each airbag (14, 15) is sealed by a deflector (16, 17) inserted therein against the respectively other airbag (14, 15), and the airbags are fixed inside the housing (10).

Abstract: A one-piece woven air-bag in the form of an inflatable curtain has two inflatable regions separated by an uninflatable region which incorporates an expansion panel to relieve excessive tension that may arise within the inflatable curtain. The expansion panel comprises a region where there are two outer layers of fabric interconnected by an intermediate or third layer extending from the first layer to the second layer. Slit lines are provided in the outer layers so that the expansion panel may expand when subjected to tension.

Abstract: A vehicle safety arrangement having a sensor unit (7) comprising at least one sensor (8, 9) responsive to acceleration; an actuator (13) for activating a safety device, the actuator being located remotely from the sensor unit; and a control unit (2) located remotely from the sensor unit and from the actuator, the control unit having no sensors responsive to acceleration and being operable to receive information from the sensor unit and to transmit an actuating command to the actuator to activate the safety device.

Abstract: An air-bag arrangement provides protection for the occupant of a motor vehicle. The air-bag arrangement incorporates an airbag (50) formed by two layers (51, 52) interconnected to form a first set of chambers (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58), having a plurality of elongated substantially parallel chambers. A further fabric layer (61) is connected to one of the two layers (52) forming the main part of the inflatable element to define a second chamber set including two chambers (62, 63). The chambers are off-set from the adjacent chambers (54, 55, 56) defined by the first two layers (51, 52). Apertures (59, 60) provided in the layer (52) allow for the inflation of the second set of chambers (62, 63).

Abstract: Safety belt winder with a locking system for the belt shaft as support for the belt webbing wound upon said belt shaft, which reacts to the vehicle or the safety belt. The safety belt winder has an integrated force limiting device for the safety belt force occurring in the belt webbing on locking the safety belt winder. The belt webbing has a breaking strain of less than 20 kN, with less than 35 warp threads per 10 mm, running in the longitudinal direction thereof and the twill-woven weft yarn is in the form of monofilament threads.

Abstract: An airbag module with a gas generator, a gas bag, a housing containing an exit opening for the deploying gas bag, and a holder. The gas generator and holder are located inside the gas bag, and the gas generator is fixed to the housing. The holder (19) has a support area (20) and at least one deflector segment (21, 22) directed toward the exit opening (13). The holder is placed between the gas generator (14) and the housing (10). The deflector segment at least partially surrounds the gas generator (14) and directs the gas generated by the gas generator (14) into at least one of a plurality of fold packets (16, 17, 18) of the gas bag (15) placed on both sides of the deflector segment (21, 22).

Abstract: An inflator (1) is disclosed for use in a safety device within a motor vehicle, for example, for inflating an air-bag. The inflator comprises at least one gas outlet (23) having an initial predetermined gas flow area. The or each gas outlet incorporates a deformable part (41) which is configured to deform, in response to a predetermined gas pressure, so as to increase the gas flow area of the gas outlet. The deformable part (41) may be surrounded by a slot (40) which initially constitutes the outlet. The deformable part includes a neck (42) which bends so that the deformable part (41) opens like a flap. The invention is particularly suited for incorporating in a hybrid multi-stage gas generator comprising two or more pyrotechnic charges that can be actuated in combination or independently. The variable-area gas flow outlet provides an arrangement to vary the cross-section or area of a gas flow passage in response to a high pressure of gas.

Abstract: A safety arrangement in a motor vehicle includes a sensor (10) and a component (17) of the suspension of the vehicle of adjustable length between a front wheel (16) and a fixed part (14) of the vehicle. The component of adjustable length (17) is associated with a chamber (20) to be filled with fluid, there being a fluid outlet (26) which includes a pilot operated diaphragm valve (36).

Abstract: A vehicle seat (1) as a head-rest (5) which is mounted for movement about a horizontal axis defined by a bar (7) depending arms (12) extend downwardly into the back of the seat and carry a pressure plate (13) at a position behind the torso of the occupant of the seat so that pressure applied to the pressure plate (13) will cause the head-rest (5) to move forwardly. The pressure plate (13) is pivotally connected (14, 15, 16, 17) to the arms (12) to enable the arrangement to pivot to the maximum extent in a situation where the rear part of the seat is rigid, for example if the seat is a rear seat in a motor vehicle.

Abstract: An air-bag arrangement incorporating an air-bag (6) and means adapted to inflate the air-bag, so that the air-bag occupies a position generally in front of an occupant (2) of a front seat of the vehicle, and between the occupant (2) of the front seat of the vehicle and the windscreen or windshield (5) of the vehicle, that part of the air-bag (6) located to contact the interior of the windshield (5), when the air-bag (6) is inflated being provided with gas outlet means to inject gas, under pressure, between part of the air-bag and the inside surface of the windscreen or windshield (5).

Abstract: A child safety seat is disclosed which is incorporated into the squab of a vehicle seat in which part of the squab can be moved to an elevated position. The child safety seat incorporates at least one latch to maintain two components of the seat in a predetermined relative position. One of those components carries the latch and the other component carries a latch pin configured to co-operate with the latch. The latch defines a channel between two side walls, the side walls being provided with recesses. The channel contains a pivotally-mounted latch element which defines a recess. The latch element is movable pivotally between a first position in which the recess therein defines a mount accessible by the latch pin to enable the latch pin to be inserted into the recess in the latch element and being movable to a retaining position in which the latch pin, retained in the recess in the latch element, is retained in the recesses formed in the side walls of the channel.

Abstract: An air-bag is adapted to be positioned on the floor pan of a vehicle in the foot-well, to be located beneath the feet of an occupant of the vehicle. The air-bag unit is an upper cover located above an air-bag. On inflation of the air-bag, the cover is lifted from its initial position to an elevated position. The cover includes two sections inter-connected by a hinge-line. On inflation of the air-bag, part of the cover adjacent the hinge-line is elevated to a greater extent than the portions of the cover which are remote from the hinge-line.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle with an airbag device covered by part of an interior fitting, comprising an airbag disposed behind the interior fitting part and a gas generator which is pyrotechnically connected to the airbag. A cord-type gas generator (20) is used as a gas generator and is disposed inside the airbag (18). The cord-type gas generator (20) is placed lengthways within a U-shaped recess in the interior fitting which opens upon inflation of the airbag device.

Abstract: A vehicle seat has a back-rest (1) carrying a head-rest (2). A mechanism is provided to move the head-rest (2) forwardly relative to the back-rest (1) in response to a rear impact situation. An element (9) is operatively located between the head-rest (2) and the mechanism (6) which is adapted to yield when exposed to a force in excess of a predetermined force. Thus the force that can be applied by the head-rest (2) to a head (8) of an occupant of the seat, is limited to be a maximum of 200 Newtons, with the preferred value being 100 Newtons.

Abstract: In manufacturing an air-bag (1) which is formed from two super-imposed layers of fabric (2) interconnected by a plurality of seams (3), a sealant material is applied to the interior of the air-bag. The sealant material is applied by introducing a mandrel (10) carrying a parison of the sealant material (11) into the air-bag, and injecting air into the mandrel.

Abstract: A head-rest arrangement for a vehicle seat includes a head-rest mounted in position on a vehicle seat so that it can move forwardly from an initial position to a final position. A spring mechanism is provided to move the head-rest. A release mechanism is actuated by movement of a pressure responsive element within the back of the seat to initially prevent operation of the spring mechanism, and to release the spring mechanism when pressure is applied during a rear impact.

Abstract: An airbag module having a gas generator (14), an airbag (13), a housing (10), and a retaining part (20) for fixing the airbag fabric against the housing (10), whereby the gas generator (14), which is positionally fixed to the housing (10), and the retaining part (20) are arranged inside the airbag (13). The retaining part (20) is arranged without a force-absorbing fixation between the gas generator (14) and the housing (10) and, during deployment of the airbag (13), is pressed against the gas generator (14) by the airbag fabric extending between the retaining part (20) and the housing (10).