Patents Assigned to TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
  • Patent number: 6862807
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a skeleton for a steering wheel rim made of sheet metal, the method comprising the following steps: a flat metal blank is cut in such a way that it has a ring-shaped section, the ring-shaped section is deformed in such a way that it acquires a hollow profile which in cross-section encloses an angle of more than 180°, and the deformation is carried out at least partially in that the ring-shaped section is moved between two rotatable rollers. The invention further relates to a steering wheel produced by the method proposed. Such a steering wheel has a hollow steering wheel rim including a center channel for delivering cooling air. The channel is defined by the open hollow profile and by a shell part placed onto the profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Willi Wissel
  • Patent number: 6860508
    Abstract: A vehicle steering device comprises a steering wheel. A sensor is disposed at the steering wheel, this sensor being adapted to detect in a contactless way data related to a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Keutz
  • Patent number: 6854356
    Abstract: The steering wheel for motor vehicles has a hub, a steering wheel rim and a plurality of spokes connecting the steering wheel rim with the hub. The hub comprises a hub core for fastening to a steering shaft and a base body which surrounds the hub core and is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic material. The spokes are integrally and continuously molded with the base body of the hub from a fiber-reinforced plastic material. The steering wheel rim is integrally and continuously molded with the spokes from a fiber-reinforced plastic material. In this arrangement, the base body together with the spokes and the steering wheel rim forms a self-supporting shaped body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Drefahl
  • Patent number: 6849816
    Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel comprises a first switch (2) and a first actuating element (4) for actuating the first switch, and a second switch (132) and a second actuating element (110) for actuating the second switch. There is further provided a carrier (134) adapted to be displaced by the second actuating element (110) in an actuating direction (B) for actuating the second switch (132) and on which the first switch (2) is mounted. The steering wheel also has a base body (122), relative to which the carrier (134) is mounted so as to be displaceable in said actuating direction (B). The first actuating element (4) is provided with a stop element (9) which abuts against the base body (122) when the first actuating element (110) is displaced up to a complete actuation of the first switch (2). The stop element also prevents a displacement of the carrier (134), leading to the actuation of the second switch (132), by means of the first actuating element (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Rumpf
  • Patent number: 6848706
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module comprising a covering cap which is visible from the exterior in an installed state and covers an outlet opening for a gas bag. The module further comprises at least one display integrated in the covering cap and a lighting for the display provided on a rear face of the covering cap. The covering cap has a front wall visible from the exterior with a section covering the outlet opening, the section being connected in one piece with a display section lying over the lighting. In the display section, the covering is constructed so as to be transparent or translucent. The display section is made of a first material component of the covering cap and the covering cap includes a second material component which has a carrier layer in the form of a cup. The base of the cup forms the section closing the outlet opening and the peripheral wall of which laterally delimits an accommodation space for the gas bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Kreuzer, Udo Bieber, Ralph Neupert
  • Patent number: 6846011
    Abstract: An assembly unit has a first component with at least one first detent element and a second component with at least one second detent element. The first and second components are movable with respect to each other such that the first and second detent elements can form a detent connection. The assembly unit is able to assume a not correctly locked state in which the first and second detent elements are in immediate vicinity of each other, but have not yet formed a detent connection, and a correctly locked state in which the first and second detent elements have formed a detent connection. A checking device is provided so as to be integrated into the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Dominik Schütz, Frank Dietz
  • Publication number: 20040267422
    Abstract: In a vehicle safety system with a vehicle steering wheel, which has a steering wheel rim, and with at least one capacitive sensor which detects an alteration to an electric or electromagnetic field, the sensor is arranged in or on the steering wheel rim.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Bossler, Christian Bollinger, Guido Hirzmann, Heinz-Joerg Lefringhausen, Volker Stegmann
  • Publication number: 20040256846
    Abstract: A gas generator assembly comprises a gas generator having an outer housing and a diffuser provided as a separate unit outside the gas generator and having a wall with through-flow openings and a filter arranged on the wall. The wall does not have a through-flow opening in a region of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Karsten Kahler, Georg Schonhuber
  • Patent number: 6833093
    Abstract: A method of producing a vehicle steering wheel including a steering wheel rim comprises the following steps: A foaming mold with a top part and a bottom part is used; two different foam components, namely, a central carrier component as well as a soft component surrounding the latter, are injected into the bottom part which is not closed by the top part; the foaming mold is closed by closing the bottom part with the top part, and; the foaming mold is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Lorenz, Udo Bieber, Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20040227332
    Abstract: An assembly for fastening a gas bag module to a vehicle, in particular in a steering wheel, has a first and a second detent element in engagement with each other defining a detent connection in a closed state. The first detent element and the second detent element are movable relative to each other in a movement direction over a defined displacement path. The first detent element has an indentation in which a contact region is formed running obliquely to the movement direction. The second detent element has at least one detent section, which is able to be brought into abutment with the contact region, and the detent section lies against the contact region under prestressing (F) over the entire displacement path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Scherer
  • Patent number: 6817624
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module comprising a gas bag which has a gas bag wall with a front wall section. The module further comprises a cover which has a given annular section which closes an annular outlet opening for the gas bag and has a stationary central portion which is surrounded by the annular section. A section of the gas bag wall other than the front section has an outflow opening which in a folded state of the gas bag is arranged beneath the central portion in such a manner that on outlet of the gas bag, the central portion arrives via the outflow opening into an interior of the gas bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Lorenz, Ralph Neupert
  • Patent number: 6814369
    Abstract: The invention relates to an airbag module comprising a gas generator that is mounted in the airbag module by means of at least one elastic element. The elastic element is a hollow profile closed as seen in cross-section and has a circumferential wall a radial outer side of which lies against the gas generator on the one hand, and against a holding part on a module side on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Heindl
  • Publication number: 20040219333
    Abstract: In a method of producing an imitation wood component firstly a starting component is provided which has a surface area to be processed, onto which an adhesion layer is applied. After drying of the adhesion layer at least one coat of lacquer of wooden color is applied to the adhesion layer and spread by using a textile cloth in order to produce an optical structure looking like wood. After drying of the coat of lacquer, a protective layer is applied which again has to dry. A component is made by this method, the properties of which are remarkably like those of natural wood. Using natural wood parts can be dispensed with, leading to a reduced consumption of wood and, hence, to a sparing of natural resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Peter Baumann, Herbert Halbleib
  • Patent number: 6811181
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module comprising a gas generator and an elastic bearing element by means of which the gas generator is mounted so as to be neutralized with regard to vibrations in the gas bag module. The bearing element is electrically conductive and forms a part of an electrical earth lead for the gas generator. The invention further relates to a steering wheel comprising a gas bag module equipped with a gas generator. The gas bag module is mounted on the steering wheel so as to be neutralized with regard to vibrations by means of an elastic bearing element. The elastic bearing element is electrically conductive and forms a part of an earth lead of the gas generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Constantin Hauer
  • Publication number: 20040200310
    Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel comprises a steering wheel rim having a skeleton, whereon several predetermined deformation zones with predetermined deformation directions are defined. A rigid wood casing surrounds the skeleton. The wood casing has an inner side facing the skeleton, and a deformation space is provided in deformation direction between the inner side of the wood casing facing the skeleton and the skeleton in the predetermined deformation zones. The deformation space is greater than a space of the inner side of the wood casing to the skeleton in radial direction in other zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Gulseppe Cavalli, Michael Lehmann
  • Patent number: 6802534
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module comprising a gas bag, an outer contour of the gas bag being defined by a gas bag wall which has a front wall for the impact of an occupant and a depression starting from the front wall. The depression is formed in that during inflation of the gas bag a center portion of the gas bag wall is prevented from freely moving and is restrained. The gas bag has around the depression a ring-shaped chamber to be filled with gas. At least one limiting strap is provided which engages the gas bag wall at a transition from the front wall to the depression, substantially extends alongside the depression and determines a depth of the depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralph Neupert
  • Patent number: 6802531
    Abstract: A steering wheel has a skeleton with a foamed sheathing, a hub, spokes and a steering wheel rim. A gas bag module is inserted in a central recess of the steering wheel. The gas bag module has a cover cap at the side facing the driver. For actuating a horn switch, the module is movable in the direction of the steering wheel axis relative to the steering wheel. A movement gap is formed between the cover cap and the foamed sheathing. Mounting studs on the skeleton extend parallel to the steering wheel axis. The positioning of the mounting studs is defined by the foamed sheathing. The mounting studs have free ends which are slidingly accommodated in guide recesses provided in the cover cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Bohn, Ralph Frisch
  • Patent number: 6799774
    Abstract: An airbag module for occupant restraint systems in vehicles has a pot-like housing part (10) made of sheet metal to the base (14) of which a gas generator is attached and to the circumferential wall (16) of which, extending upwards from the base (14), an airbag (26) and a covering cap (12) made of plastic are attached. The covering cap (12) has a supporting wall (17) that is in contact with the outside of the circumferential wall (16) of the housing part (10). The supporting wall (17) is provided with cutouts (20). On the free edge of the circumferential wall (16) of the housing part (10) facing away from the base (14), there are arranged hook-shaped metal tabs (18) which pass through the cutouts (20) of the supporting wall (17) of the covering cap (12) and which are bent on their outside in the direction toward the base (14) of the housing part (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Udo Bieber, Matthias Helmstetter, Ralph Neupert
  • Publication number: 20040188992
    Abstract: A gas bag module comprises a gas bag with a gas bag wall having a front wall serving as an impact surface for an occupant, where, in an inflated state of said gas bag, the front wall has a centric orifice as a transition to an indentation. The indentation is formed by restraining a center section of the gas bag wall during inflation and preventing the center section from moving freely. The orifice is surrounded by a stabilizer defined by a closed ring in a region of the orifice and the stabilizer is a part separate from the gas bag wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Koch, Philipp Ritter
  • Publication number: 20040183288
    Abstract: A driver's gas bag module includes a gas bag (18) which in relation to an inflated state has a front wall (22) facing a driver (A), a central section (24) of the front wall in the inflated state having an indentation (26). The indentation is created by the central section (24) at least partially being prevented from a movement in the direction out from the gas bag module (10). The front wall (22), in relation to the center (28) of the indentation (26), has an upper region (30) and a lower region (32), an outer edge (36) of the upper region (30) having three substantially straight sections (36a, 36b, 36c).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Kadri Aygun, Stefan Bohn, Lutz Haese, Andreas Deisel