Patents Assigned to TRW Automotive GmbH
  • Patent number: 9610970
    Abstract: A steering gear mechanism has a steering housing and a steering input shaft. The steering housing is sealed and has a receptacle through which the steering input shaft passes into the steering housing. The receptacle is sealed against the steering input shaft. A first opening is provided on the steering input shaft within the steering housing, and a second opening is provided outside of the steering housing. The first and second openings are in fluid communication with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Jörg Merker, Christian Wutzler
  • Patent number: 9604595
    Abstract: An end fitting tensioner (10) for a seat belt system includes a rotatable belt shaft (12) to which one end (14) of a webbing (16) is fixed, a belt shaft housing (18) in which the belt shaft (12) is supported, a rope reel (36) which is arranged at an axial end of the belt shaft (12) and is connected to the belt shaft (12) in a rotationally fixed manner, as well as a pull rope (41) which is secured by one rope end (45) on the rope reel (36) and can at least partly be wound onto the rope reel (36). The rope reel (36) includes a winding surface (62) for the pull rope (41) that is conically tapered in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer, Karl Ruediger
  • Patent number: 9573615
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rack-and-pinion steering, including a toothed rack having a longitudinal axis, a toothed rack housing in which the toothed rack is guided for axial displacement between two end stops, and an end stop damping assembly which includes at least one stop ring and at least one elastic compression body, the compression body surrounding the toothed rack, and its spring/damping section having an axial length in a non-loaded condition. The stop ring has a continuously surrounding axial guide extension which is located radially inside in relation to the compression body and which has an axial length that is smaller than the axial length of the spring/damping section of the compression body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Lothar Schaumann
  • Patent number: 9566932
    Abstract: The invention describes a mounting device (10) for a folded side airbag comprising a receiving portion (12) encompassing the folded part of the airbag (46) in a substantially ring-shaped manner which receiving portion can adopt an inserting state for inserting the airbag (40) and a mounted state in which the mounting device (10) retains the airbag (40) by encompassing the same. The mounting device (10) further includes a flange portion (14) for arranging the mounting device (10) on the car body side which comprises a base plate (26) and a fixing plate (28) being coupled to each other in the mounted state. Moreover, the mounting device (10) includes a partition panel (20) for separating at least one outer layer (44) of the airbag package (46) from the residual airbag package (46) and for clamping the at least one outer layer (44) which between an outer wall (16) of the receiving portion (12) and the separating wall (20) projects into the receiving area (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Tietze, Tobias Klenk
  • Patent number: 9566936
    Abstract: An actuator, especially for a vehicle protection system, comprises at least one wire (14) variable in shape depending on temperature made from a shape memory alloy and an elongate pyrotechnical element (12) connected to the shape-variable wire (14) so that upon ignition of the pyrotechnical element (12) the wire (14) is heated and experiences a change of length. The vehicle protection system is, for example, an airbag system comprising an airbag and a regulating mechanism for the internal airbag pressure, wherein the wire (14) of the actuator (10) is connected to the regulating mechanism so that a change of shape of the wire (14) exerts a force on the regulating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Biller, Silvia Feifel, Karl-Heinz Koeppel, Senra Oezkan
  • Publication number: 20170030448
    Abstract: In a recirculating ball nut for a ball screw drive, having a base body which includes at least one recirculating ball track, the base body is a forged component and the recirculating ball track is manufactured by a cutting manufacturing method. A further subject matter of the invention is an assembly for a ball screw drive of a power steering, having a belt pulley and a recirculating ball nut according to the invention, the belt pulley being connected to the recirculating ball nut so as to be non-rotatable relative thereto. A further subject matter of the invention is a method of manufacturing a recirculating ball nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Urban
  • Patent number: 9555767
    Abstract: A drive wheel for a belt tensioner is adapted to be coupled to a belt reel and includes an external tooth system including plural teeth distributed along the circumference. The teeth are inclined in a first circumferential direction and/or the teeth have at least one end face facing away from the central axis of the drive wheel and being inclined in a first circumferential direction and/or the clearances between neighboring teeth are not symmetrical with respect to planes defined by radial and axial directions. The teeth have no symmetry with respect to planes extending tangentially relative to the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Gentner, Thomas Moedinger, Andreas Pregitzer
  • Patent number: 9559618
    Abstract: A control (18) for a seat belt positioning device (10) includes a motor (12) for positioning a seat belt component (16). A locking tongue sensor (20) generates a locking tongue signal (S) depending on whether a locking tongue is inserted in a belt buckle (16). A trigger circuit (22) connected to the locking tongue sensor (20) generates a trigger signal (TR, TR1, TR2, VT, TM) in response to the locking tongue signal (S) A timer (32) or a motor load circuit (33) connected to the trigger circuit (22) generates a motor signal (M) having a predetermined period or depending on a motor load in response to the trigger signal (TR, TR1, TR2, VT, TM). A motor control circuit (34) connected to the timer (32) and the trigger circuit (22) turns the motor on and off in response to the motor signal (M). The direction of motion of the motor (12) is selected depending on the trigger signal (TR, TR1, TR2, VT, TM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Prokscha, Wolfgang Holbein
  • Patent number: 9539982
    Abstract: A belt buckle including locking status detection, having a switching contact and a mating contact, wherein the switching contact and the mating contact are electrically conducting parts of a switch. The switching contact contacts the mating contact in an intermediate position of the switch in a first contact area at the mating contact and in an end position of the switch in a second contact area at the mating contact distant from the first contact area by a displacing distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Klaassen
  • Patent number: 9533650
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag for vehicles, having a flat, two-dimensional shape when being in an uninflated, vented condition and a three-dimensional shape in an inflated condition, the gas bag having a main piece with opposite end portions, each of the end portions having an end contour, and two minor pieces which each have a connecting portion with a contour with corresponds to the end contour of the main piece, and which each have a filling portion, the two filling portions having similar shapes and similar dimensions. The invention also relates to a method of sewing this gas bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Yohann Le Norcy, Jean-Christophe Peyre, Ramon Ramos
  • Patent number: 9527475
    Abstract: A belt retractor (10) includes a frame (12) provided with locking teeth (36). A belt reel (14) is rotatably supported in the frame (12) and provided on at least one axial end with ratchet teeth (38) adapted to engage in the locking teeth (36), when the belt reel (14) is shifted from a home position into a locked position. A locking bearing (32) interacts with the belt reel (14) on the side where the ratchet teeth (38) are arranged and keeps the belt reel in the home position up to a first load threshold. A load bearing (34) interacts with the belt reel on the opposite side and keeps the latter in the home position up to a second load threshold. The first load threshold is lower than the second load threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Nizam Bedak, Thomas Kielwein, Frederic Michel, Juergen Rink, Demal Sehic
  • Patent number: 9499123
    Abstract: An assembly for a belt retractor includes a vehicle-sensitive sensor and a holding fixture (10) for the sensor. The sensor and the holding fixture (10) have geometric designs that interact and are adjusted to each other so that the sensor can be mounted at various spatial orientations in the holding fixture (10). In a belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt comprising such assembly the holding fixture (10) is coupled with the sensor at a fixed position to the frame of the belt retractor in which a belt reel of the belt retractor is rotatably supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Boris Siebeck, Demal Sehic, Julius Adomeit
  • Patent number: 9487176
    Abstract: An airbag (2) of an airbag module for a vehicle comprising an airbag shell (6) including an inserting orifice (8) for an inflator (4) has at least one reinforcing layer (14) which completely covers the inserting orifice (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Loos, Dominique Acker, Stojan Bogdanovic
  • Patent number: 9475454
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt tensioner (10) for a seat belt system comprising a belt shaft housing (18), a belt shaft (12) pivoted about an axis (A) in the belt shaft housing (18) as well as a belt shaft inserting element (20) at which one end (14) of the webbing (16) is fixed, wherein the belt shaft (12) includes a recess (22) for receiving the belt shaft inserting element (20) and wherein the belt shaft inserting element (20) is adapted to be introduced substantially radially into the recess (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer, Karl Ruediger
  • Patent number: 9428147
    Abstract: A linear drive, especially for a belt tensioner, includes a housing (10) including a piston seat (12), a piston element (16) accommodated in the piston seat (12) and a pyrotechnical drive element adapted to supply gas for displacing the piston element (16). The inner wall of the piston seat (12) includes a groove (30) extending in the displacing direction (R) of the piston element (16) through which gas can flow off the piston seat (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Simon Schreiber, Hermann Grau, Krzysztof Krukowski
  • Patent number: 9409545
    Abstract: A belt retractor (10) for a vehicle seat belt includes a frame (12) provided with plural blocking teeth (22), a belt reel (14) which is rotatably supported in the frame (12) and includes a blocking tooth system (24), and a control mechanism by which the belt reel (14) can be moved from a home position in which it can freely rotate in the frame (12) into a blocking position in which its blocking tooth system (24) engages in the blocking teeth (22) of the frame. The control mechanism includes a locking lever (80) adjustable between a release position and a locked position in which it locks rotation of the belt reel (14) relative to the control mechanism so that the belt reel (14) can be moved into the blocking position by a tensile force acting in the webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Frederic Michel, Pawel Patyk
  • Patent number: 9402446
    Abstract: A belt buckle (10) for a seat belt includes a buckle housing (16), a locking mechanism for locking a plug-in tongue inserted in the buckle housing (16), a release button (22) which is movable in a first direction relative to the buckle housing (16) for unlocking the plug-in tongue, and a safety mechanism for preventing automatic displacement of the release button (22) in the first direction. The safety mechanism includes a mass body (36) movable in the first direction relative to the buckle housing (16) and a movably supported coupling lever (24) including an axis of rotation which is stationary relative to the buckle housing (16). The coupling lever (24) is coupled to the mass body (36) and to the release button (22) so that, upon acceleration of the belt buckle (10) in a second direction opposed to the first direction, it transmits an inertia force acting on the mass body (36) in the first direction to the release button (22) in the opposite second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Haas
  • Patent number: 9381887
    Abstract: A pyrotechnic pretensioner (10) for a safety system in a vehicle has an inflator (22) including a propelling charge (26) and an igniter (32) and including a housing (12) in which a pressure chamber (14) is provided into which gas can flow and in which a piston can be displaced by the gas, an end piece (16) which closes the pressure chamber (14) and in which a chamber (24) is formed into which the propelling charge (26) is filled and whose wall constitutes the wall of the propellant is provided on the housing (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer, Ruediger Karl
  • Publication number: 20160176379
    Abstract: An airbag, especially for a vehicle occupant restraint system, in the inflated condition includes a front side (112) forming the occupant impact surface and an opposite rear side (114), wherein the cover portions (102a, 102b, 102c) forming the front side (112) and the rear side (114) are interconnected at their longitudinal edges (110). Along a center line (M) of the respective side extending in the longitudinal direction of the airbag (100) the front side (112) is longer than the rear side (114) so that in the inflated condition the airbag (100) takes a curved shape. The front side (112) and, resp., the rear side (114) includes at least one connecting line (108) substantially extending transversely to the center line (M) at which two cover portions (102a, 102c) are interconnected, wherein at least one of the cover portions (102a) in the cut includes a boundary contour (104) concavely or convexly extending transversely to the center line (M).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Freisler, Tomasz Pys
  • Patent number: 9365180
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection system comprises an airbag (20) which in the folded state is accommodated in a backrest (14) of a vehicle seat (12) and in the deployed state extends between two seats (12, 52) of the vehicle. The airbag (20) includes a thorax zone (36) for laterally covering the thorax of a vehicle occupant (40) and a head zone (38) for laterally covering the head (42) of the vehicle occupant (40). The head zone (38) extends against the longitudinal vehicle direction (R) up to behind a headrest (18) of the vehicle seat (12) and completely covers the headrest (18) on the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Marco Wahl