Abstract: A belt tongue (1) having a tongue body (3) extending in an insertion direction (2), a clamping element (4) in the tongue body such that a belt strap (7) guided through a cavity (5) in the tongue body (3) and running through a gap (6) can be moved through the tongue body (3) in an unstressed free-running position and, in a stressed position brought about by a tensile force in the belt strap (7), is clamped on a clamping edge (8) of the cavity (5) by the clamping element (4) that is pivotally mounted in the tongue body (3). A pre-tensioning device exerts a retractive force on the clamping element (4), at least in the stressed position, the force being oriented in the direction of the free-running position of the clamping element (4). The pre-tensioning device is a torsion bar (13) that is non-rotatably secured in the tongue body (3) and non-rotatably connected to the clamping element (4).

Abstract: An airbag device which contributes to reducing an impact on an occupant, while minimizing a loss in inflation gas. The airbag includes first and second inner tethers each having a front panel coupled to a stationary portion around the inflator and a rear panel coupled to an occupant side of the airbag to control a shape into which the airbag is deployed. First and second vent holes are formed on left and right sides of the airbag, first and second opening/closing members capable of opening/closing the first and second vent holes, a first opening/closing tether having an opening/closing end portion coupled to the first opening/closing member and a coupled end portion coupled between the front panel and the rear panel of the first inner tether. A second opening/closing tether having an opening/closing end portion coupled to the second opening/closing member and a coupled end portion coupled between the front panel and the rear panel of the second inner tether.

Abstract: A curtain airbag device capable of preventing a cushion from damaging a front pillar trim or being caught by the front pillar trim upon deployed. A cushion 102 of a curtain airbag device 100 is inflated and deployed at a side wall of a vehicle interior to restrain an occupant. The curtain airbag device 100 includes: a cushion 102 having a bag shape and inflated and deployed on the vehicle front side of a passenger seat; and a first strap 148. The first strap 148 has one end 156 attached to a front pillar 104 and the other end 162 attached on the vehicle inner side of the cushion 102 in an elongate stored form. The first strap 148 moves to the vehicle inner side and is strained by inflation and deployment of the cushion 102 pushing out a front pillar trim 184 that covers the front pillar 104 to the vehicle inner side.

Abstract: A restraining device for an occupant (0) seated in a vehicle seat including a carrier (20) extending over the lap of the seated occupant (0) when the restraining device is in use, an airbag (32) having an airbag main body (40) enclosing a main gas space and extending from a lower end (40a) to an upper end (40b) being located above the lower end (40a) when the airbag main body (40) is in its deployed state, and an inflating device for filling the main gas space. The airbag main body (40) is connected to the carrier (20) via a connection section at the lower end (40a) of the airbag main body (40) and has an impact wall (42). In order to be independent of a support from another part of the vehicle the airbag main body (40) tapers from its lower end (40a) to its upper end (40b).

Abstract: A pyrotechnic circuit breaker includes a housing with at least one cutting chamber, at least one electrical conductor, at least one punch designed to section the at least one electrical conductor, at least one pyrotechnical actuator, and an insert moulded on the at least one electrical conductor. The housing includes a first housing part and a second housing part with at least one sealing means between the insert and one of the first housing part and/or of the second housing part in order to ensure a seal of this at least one cutting chamber.

Abstract: A cushion 108 of an airbag device 100 includes: an inner inflating section 158 which convexly inflates toward the rear of a vehicle and which restrains the head 146 of an occupant 144 from the front of the vehicle; protrusions 124 and 126 which are provided to the sides of the inner inflating section 158 in a vehicle width direction and which are capable of inflating so as to protrude further toward the rear of the vehicle than the inner inflating section 158; and outer inflating sections 160 and 162 which are provided between the inner inflating section 158 and the protrusions 124 and 126 and which temporarily convexly inflate toward the rear of the vehicle within a smaller range than the expansion range of the inner inflating section 158 and the protrusions 124 and 126.

Abstract: A self-locking belt retractor for a seat belt device of a motor vehicle with a belt shaft body and a profile head, and a blocking device with a blocking catch mounted on the profile head. When activated, the blocking device engages in a blocked position with a vehicle-affixed interlock for the purpose of blocking the belt shaft in the belt extension direction. A force-limiting device is disposed in the force transmission path from the belt shaft body to the blocking catch. The profile head is made as two parts, with a carrier component and an insert component which are affixed together. The insert component exhibits a higher resistance to deformation than the carrier component and, when the belt shaft is blocked, forms part of the force transmission path between the blocking catch and the force-limiting device.

Abstract: A power transmission mechanism (19) for transmitting power from a motor (34) to a spindle (12) having a clutch housing (50), a pawl (41) engageable with the clutch housing (50), a gear wheel (57) which holds the pawl (41) and rotates with the rotation of the motor (34), an outer gear cover (26), and a friction ring (42) engaging with the pawl (41) and held on the outer gear cover (26) by frictional force. The friction ring (42) is provided with a protruding portion (42a) which engages with an engagement groove (41b) of the pawl (41), and a plurality of contact pieces (42b) in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a small diameter ring portion (26c) of the outer gear cover (26) and press radially against the outer peripheral surface towards an inner side The friction ring can be easily coupled to the outer gear cover.

Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel structure which, while having a configuration in which small damper masses are arranged in a distributed manner, can secure the same highly efficient vibration reducing effect as when a large damper mass is arranged, without increasing the required installation space and the cost. The vehicle steering wheel structure includes a plurality of damper masses arranged so as to be distributed in an inner region of a rim portion of a steering wheel; a connection member that connects these damper masses; and a damper module disposed in the inner region of the rim portion.

Abstract: A vehicle seat having an airbag unit for protecting a passenger sitting rear of the vehicle seat. The deployed airbag (30) extends from the rear side of the backrest of the vehicle seat into the vehicle rear direction. A support surface (32) of the airbag (30) is positioned above the attachment between the airbag unit (20) and the backrest and an impact surface (34) of the airbag (30) is located in front of a rear seated passenger. The airbag is relatively small and high positioned such that the impact surface (34) is positioned to exclusively contact the head of the passenger. In the state in which the airbag (30) is fully deployed but free of outer forces, the impact surface (34) defines an impact plane (IP) and a support surface (32) defines a support plane (SP). The impact plane (IP) and the support plane (SP) enclose a first angle (a) between 5° and 90°.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating a horn actuation signal. A load cell is placed inside a steering wheel, which changes its resistance when being stressed or deformed by a force transmitting part of the steering wheel. An actual voltage (Va) depending on the resistance of the load cell is measured and the horn actuation signal is generated based on the measurement of the actual voltage (Va). The actual voltage (Va) depends additionally to the resistance of the load cell and on an adjustable voltage (Vad) generated by an adjustable voltage generation unit. Additionally, the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (Va) is permanently compared to a defined value, and the adjustable voltage (Vad) is adjusted in response to the difference between the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (Va) and the defined value at least as long as no horn actuation signal is generated, such that closed circuit for controlling the actual voltage (Va) is provided.

Abstract: An illuminated belt buckle for a seat belt device of a motor vehicle including a housing (1), a push button (2) displaceable in the housing (1), an insertion slot (12) delimited by an edge section (23) of the housing (1) and the push button (2) for insertion of a belt tongue that can be locked in the belt buckle, and at least one light-emitting surface (13,14). The light-emitting surface (13,14) having a linear contour, the shape of which matches the shaping of a laterally positioned edge side (24) of the push button (2) when viewed toward the insertion slot (12).

Abstract: A cover member (18) is formed of a pliable fabric material having a plurality of polymer fibers, and is configured to maintain the shape of the airbag by mutual fusion of at least part of the polymer fibers. The cover member (18) is configured to have a high stiffness portion (25) of higher stiffness than other portions of the cover member, as a result of partial overlaying of the pliable fabric material in more folds than at other portions.

Abstract: A knee airbag module for a motor vehicle. The airbag module has a housing which is preferably composed of plastic and has a housing base (12) and a wall extending from the housing base (12), forming an outlet opening. A receptacle is provided in a first wall section. An airbag is folded into the housing, an air generator (30) which has outflow openings located within the airbag, and a covering element which closes the outlet opening. This covering element has a main section (54) which lies substantially in one plane, at least one first end section (52) accommodated in the at least one receptacle, and a second end section (56) situated opposite the first end section (52), extends out of the plane of the main section (54) and is connected to the housing (10). The covering element (50) is produced from a blank.

Abstract: An occupant restraint device including: right and left airbags stored inside right and left sides of a seat back of a vehicle seat, respectively; right and left tension cloths connected to outer surfaces of the right and left airbags, respectively; and a lower tension cloth disposed inside a seat cushion of a vehicle seat, the lower tension cloth being continuously connected between lower parts of the right and left tension cloths. The lower tension cloth is movable in right and left directions with respect to an occupant sitting in the vehicle seat. When the right and left airbags are expanded and deployed, the right tension cloth, the left tension cloth, and the lower tension cloth are configured to push the expanded and deployed right and left airbags toward the occupant.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus which is capable of restraining an occupant in a stable position even during an oblique collision, and which is capable of suppressing an injury value of the occupant. An airbag apparatus 100 restrains an occupant 132 of a vehicle. The airbag apparatus 100 is provided with: a main bag 112 which is bag-shaped and inflates and deploys in front of a front passenger seat 104 of the vehicle; and a center bag 114 which is bag-shaped and inflates and deploys on an inner side of the main bag 112 in a vehicle width direction. The center bag 114 has a rear region 160 which extends further towards a rear of the vehicle than the main bag 112, and a curved surface 164, which projects towards a main bag 112 side in the vehicle width direction, is formed on the rear region 160.

Abstract: A side airbag for enhancing protection of a shoulder area of a vehicle occupant having an airbag (10) which deploys beside an occupant toward the vehicle front, and an inflator (20). Before deploying, the airbag (10) is in a state having: an overlapping part (12) formed by overlapping a portion near an end part by accordion-folding or rolling; a folded-back part (14) on an inner side of the overlapping part (12) in a vehicle width direction and extended toward the front of the vehicle and folded back toward the rear of the vehicle; and a bent part (16) formed by bending a portion of the folded-back part (14), protruding from the overlapping part (12) toward the front of the vehicle toward an outer side in the vehicle width direction and covering at least part of the overlapping part (12).

Abstract: A side airbag device stored in a side support of a vehicle seat includes an airbag module having an airbag with first and second chambers and an inflator and a webbing partially covering the airbag module. The first chamber is deployed toward a front side of the side support and the second chamber accommodates the inflator therein and is deployed at an inner side with respect to the first chamber. The webbing extends from a rear side of the airbag module along an inner side surface of the airbag module, passes through a pad of the side support along a first path so as to reach an outside of the side support, and further extend along an outer surface of the side support and reach proximately a front edge of the side support when viewed in horizontal cross section of the airbag module from above.

Abstract: A belt buckle (1) for a seatbelt system including a spring-loaded lock mechanism (3) having a securing pin (2) for locking a belt tongue (5) inserted into a buckle housing (4), a pushbutton (7), a frame (6) which is displaceably guided on the buckle housing (4) under spring effect to impact upon the lock mechanism (3) for unlocking of the belt buckle (1). In the frame (6) a recess (9) including at least one contact region (8) is formed for guiding and/or retaining the securing pin (2) contacting the contact region (8) upon an actuation of the belt buckle (1). At least one contact region (8) of the recess (9) formed on the pushbutton (7) having a noise-damping element (10, 11) for reducing noise emission in the region where the securing pin (2) abuts against the pushbutton (7).

Abstract: An airbag device capable of restraining an occupant in a stable position even upon an oblique collision and lowering an injury value related to the occupant. The airbag device (100) includes a main bag (112) inflated and deployed in front of a passenger seat (104) in the vehicle, a center bag (114) inflated and deployed on the inner side of the main bag (112) in the vehicle width direction, and upper side joining means (120) that is provided above a valley (128) formed between the main bag (112) and the center bag (114) and that joins the center bag (114) to the main bag (112) for a prescribed range in the vehicle front-back direction.