Abstract: A main controlling section of a controlling unit (13), when judging a collision risk, drives a motor (12) in a direction of retracting a seat belt (3) and raises tension of the seat belt (3). The main controlling section, when tension of the seat belt (3) reaches a predetermined value, judges that a locking signal is input and has the motor (12) continue retracting driving of the seat belt (3) for a predetermined time and, when a locking signal is not input, decreases a driving power of the motor (12) and lowers tension of the seat belt (3). Even when a collision risk signal is erroneously output from a collision risk judging section (11) and, so long as a locking signal is not output from the locking signal producing section (18), since control is immediately exerted so that tension of the seat belt (3) is lowered, it is possible to avoid an unpleasant feeling to a vehicle occupant (A) caused by comparative long-duration and useless restraining using the seat belt (3).

Abstract: A self stopping seat belt retractor is provided with a belt shaft for winding a seat belt thereonto and unwinding a wound seat belt therefrom and a housing rotatably supporting the belt shaft and having a locking device that includes a locking means for the belt shaft that can be controlled in a vehicle sensitive and/or belt sensitive manner into engagement with a toothed gearing system on that side of the housing. A tightening device operating on the belt shaft includes a drive wheel, which is, prior to the release of the tightening device, secured in a force-transmitting manner on the housing, is connectable upon release of the tightening device with the belt shaft, whereby the drive wheel of the tightening device is connectable via the locking device with the belt shaft for the transmission of force to the belt shaft.

Abstract: An input device including a keypad, the keypad comprising wrist support means and curved key area. The wrist support means of each keypad comprises a generally flat portion having a plurality of soft cushioned pads protruding from the upper surface of the flat portion. The key area is contiguous to the wrist support means such that the key area has a negative convex curve. Thus in use a portion of the key area remote the wrist support means is positioned at a lower spatial position than the portion of the key area contiguous with the wrist support means. The key area has a plurality of keys positioned on the upper surface. The keys are arranged in a series of curved rows so that a central key in each row is further from the users wrist relative to at least one of the end keys in each row.

Abstract: A tubular gas guide element for a side curtain airbag for guiding gas coming from a gas generator comprising at least two layers of fabric. With the use of such a gas guide, thrust of the gas inflowing into an airbag can be balanced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an airbag and a process for manufacturing an airbag. The airbag includes a distribution element for the gas of a gas generator, to which at least one multi-layer chamber is fluidly connected through outflow openings of the distribution element. The distribution element includes an acceptance device for the gas generator and is cut out of an airbag material and is sewn to form a hollow body At least two connecting seams are provided to connect the layers of the chambers separately with one layer each of the distribution element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-locking safety belt retractor comprising a blocking element which can be triggered in a belt band-sensitive and/or vehicle-sensitive manner and blocks the rotation of the belt shaft in the unwinding direction of the belt, and a tensioning drive which acts upon the belt shaft and rotates said belt shaft in the winding direction of the safety belt when being triggered. The inventive safety belt retractor is characterized by the fact that the tensioning drive which is provided with two parts (14, 15; 26, 32) that move relative to each other when said tensioning drive is triggered, is disposed on the belt shaft without being connected to the housing (10) of the belt retractor and rotates along with the belt shaft before being triggered. Furthermore, one part of the tensioning drive is fixed by means of the blocking element (17) as an abutment for the tensioning movement of the second part of the tensioning drive when the tensioning drive is triggered.

Abstract: An airbag for use in motor vehicles having two or more chambers, which is simple to manufacture, low-cost and not susceptible to disturbances. The airbag is configured such that the chambers can have different internal pressures in case of airbag activation since a dividing seam between the chambers of the airbag is configured to act as a gas stream divider and direct differing quantities of gas into the chambers.

Abstract: An air-bag comprising an inflatable element having an inflatable region and a gas inlet throat extending from the inflatable region, a gusset of excess fabric being present in the region proximate to the junction between the gas inlet throat and the inflatable region.

Abstract: An air-bag (10) is disclosed which defines at least one inflatable region (14). The air-bag (10) is provided with a gas supply duct (22) which extends into the air-bag (10). The gas supply duct (22) is formed of fabric and is provided with at least one outlet aperture (24) therein through which gas may flow into the said at least one inflatable region (14) of the air-bag (10). The outlet aperture (24) is provided with a reinforcement to reinforce the periphery of the aperture (24) in order to prevent undesirable fraying of the fabric around the periphery of the aperture (24), or undesirable deformation characteristics of the fabric around the periphery of the aperture (24), as the air-bag (10) is inflated.

Abstract: An air-bag (1) having an inflatable region forming two chambers (3,4) divided by a seam (5). The seam extends towards a back part (6) of the air-bag. A gas generator unit (14,15) is located between the end of the seam (5) and the back part (6) of the air-bag. A strap (21) passes through an aperture (8) formed in a terminal part of the seam (5) to draw the terminal part of the seam to the gas generator unit (14,15) thus effectively sealing the two chambers (3,4). The chambers (3,4) may be inflated to different pressures.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for triggering a vehicle safety device. A proximity sensor (1) provides an output related to a distance to an object and/or the relative speed between the object and the sensor. A main accelerometer (2) is sensitive to acceleration in a predetermined direction. A supplementary accelerometer (3) is also provided. A first processing arrangement (4) performs an algorithm with the main algorithm, and is connected to receive an input from the proximity sensor and from the main accelerometer and to provide an output to a triggering signal generator (5). There is a second processing arrangement (7) which receives a signal from the main accelerometer (2) and also from the supplementary accelerometer (3). The second processing arrangement also provides an output connected to the said signal generator (5) to generate the triggering signal.

Abstract: A seat belt for constraining an occupant to a seat is provided with both a tension varying means 16 allowing for providing a tension to the seat belt to vary, and a tension detecting means for detecting an actual tension on the seat belt. There is provided failure detecting means, which detects failures of at least one of the tension varying means and the tension detecting means by comparing the tension provided by the tension varying means to the actual tension detected by the tension detecting means the difference in tensions thereof exceeding a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method of making an air-bag is disclosed in which a selected plastics material is blow moulded within an appropriate mould to form a blow moulded air-bag. The mould is such that the blow moulded air-bag (1) has at least one indented region, such as a central oval region (10) of the upper part (7) of the air-bag, which, on inflation of the air-bag, becomes outwardly extending.

Abstract: A safety arrangement for use in a motor vehicle comprises at least one plastically-deformable element, defining an interior chamber, which will deform only when subjected to at least a first predetermined force. A source of gas is connected to inject gas into the chamber and a signal generator is provided to generate a signal representative of crash severity which is to be applied to the element during a crash situation or in an anticipated crash situation. The signal generator is connected to a control unit so as to provide the control unit with the signal. The control unit is connected to the source of gas in order to control the source of gas and to inject gas into the interior chamber of the deformable element so as to increase the gas pressure in the chamber when the crash severity signal is substantially in excess of a predetermined threshold. The arrangement provides a structure whose energy absorption characteristics can be varied according to the severity of a crash situation.

Abstract: A guide loop for a safety belt on motor vehicles, including a guide element provided with a guide slit for the safety belt, which is fixed to a vehicle by means of a fixing screw, and an adapter with a displacement body for limiting the slit width of the guide slit. The adapter is coupled to the inside of the fixing hole of the guide element and includes an opening penetrated by the fixing screw inserted through the fixing hole. The fixing hole of is formed by a boring, with a cross-section slightly larger than the external diameter of the screw in order to maximize the overlap between a bearing surface of the guide element and a head of the fixing screw. In addition, a number of grooves are distributed around the boring's circumference. When the adapter is mounted, the grooves accept fixing arms of the adapter.

Abstract: An air-bag is provided with a controllable vent, for example a tube, which is normally maintained in a closed condition by being retained by a clamp. The clamp is opened in response to a signal from a sensor. The clamp may be opened when it is desired for the air-bag to have a “soft” inflation, thus permitting a relatively high rate of flow of gas exiting from the air-bag.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an air bag system comprises an air bag having an impact surface which in a non-inflated state is arranged in a housing located below the upper edge of a windowsill of a vehicle door. In an inflated state, at least part of the impact surface is positioned above the windowsill. There is a supporting surface for the air bag below the upper edge of the windowsill. The air bag defines a main chamber and a supporting chamber. The impact surface forms part of the main chamber. The supporting chamber, in an inflated state, is situated between the main chamber and the supporting surface and is supported at least in part by the supporting surface.

Abstract: A seat belt apparatus is provided which includes a retractor having an electric motor to retract or draw out a seat belt, a motor information detecting means to detect an amount of rotation and a current value of the electric motor, a first condition detecting means to detect that an ignition switch is in an OFF state, a second condition detecting to detect that a getting on/off door located nearest to a seat to which a seat belt is attached is opened, a failure diagnosis timing judging means to start a failure diagnosing operation when a detecting signal is output from both the condition detecting means, and a failure diagnosing means to apply a driving current to the electric motor when the failure diagnosing operation is stated and to carry out a failure diagnosis of a driving system including a electric motor based on an output, in response to the application of a current, from the motor information detecting means.

Abstract: An air bag formed from two layers of fabric using a one-piece weaving technique has a peripheral seam at the edge of a region adapted to be inflated. Beyond the seam there are a plurality of chambers and gas escaping from the inflated region through the seam must inflate these chambers thus creating a back pressure to reduce the flow of escaping gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides in particular a device for reinforcing a hollow motor vehicle bodywork element (1) of closed right section, the device being characterized by the fact that said element (1) has means (2; 3; 5) suitable for subjecting its inside space (E) to a shock wave or pressure wave on detecting an impact, such that the energy generated by said wave is sufficient to deform the element by increasing its section.