Abstract: A rotary drive for a belt tensioner comprises a housing having at least two cylindrical recesses with adjacent wall parts of the housing limiting the recesses. The recesses have at least approximately the form of circle sectors. The rotary drive further comprises a pinion mounted rotatably in the housing, and at least two rotary pistons arranged opposite one another in a respective one of the recesses. The pistons are designed as cylindrical bodies having the form of circle sectors. Each piston extends over a circle arc which is significantly less than the circle arc over which each of the recesses extends, each of the pistons having side faces limiting the circle arc. Each piston is provided with external teeth adapted to engage the pinion. A pressure space is formed between one of the side faces of each of the pistons and the wall parts delimiting the corresponding one of the recesses. The pressure space is adapted to be supplied with a pressurized gas for driving the pistons.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a back rest with a headrest. A flexible traction element extends through the interior of the back rest and is adapted to respond to the movement of an inertial mass shifted in a rear end impact and to cause a displacement of an attachment means of the traction element on the headrest. The displacement is converted in a mechanical setting mechanism, coupled with the traction element, into a movement of the headrest toward the head of the occupant to reduce the distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant.

Abstract: A retractor for a vehicle safety belt is provided, comprising a housing, a load bearing ratchet pawl supported in the housing, and a belt drum rotatably mounted in the housing. The belt drum is provided with ratchet disks at its axial ends. The ratchet disks are coaxial with the belt drum and are provided with a ratchet toothing at its outer circumference, into which the ratchet pawl can be engaged for locking the belt drum in the direction of pay-off of belt webbing coiled on the belt drum. The belt drum is further provided with energy take-up means arranged in the power transmission path between the belt drum and the ratchet disks. This energy take-up means are adapted to allow rotation of the belt drum in relation to the ratchet disks in the pay-off direction under heavy strain.

Abstract: A headrest for a vehicle seat having a backrest comprises a frame securable to the backrest of the vehicle seat, a pad part swivably secured to the frame and a device engaging the pad part which swivels the pad part in the direction of the head of a vehicle occupant in a rear end collision. The device comprise at least one tensioned spring for storing energy. The spring is integrated in the headrest, is relaxed in the case of a rear end collision and results in a swivel movement of the pad part due to the stored energy being liberated.

Abstract: A device for attaching a steering wheel on a steering shaft by a connecting sleeve, which is attached to the hub of the steering wheel. At its end, the steering shaft has a section with exterior splines, which are complementary to interior splines in the connecting sleeve. The connecting sleeve has an axial slot and is clamped by a clamping screw against the section of the steering shaft which has the splines. The steering wheel constitutes a sub-assembly with an integrated air bag module and may be supplied for the final assembly of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a knee restraining device for vehicles which comprises a knee protector plate adapted to be moved toward the knees of a vehicle occupant. The knee restraining device comprises a base plate adapted to be mounted against the outline of the bottom part of a dashboard. The base plate has at least one opening for connection with a gas source arranged in the dashboard. Furthermore, the knee restraining device has a wall, of flexible material, folded up between the base plate and the knee restraining plate in the inactive position thereof. This wall is connected along a first closed rim with the base plate and along a second closed rim with the knee restraining plate.

Abstract: A gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a flexible wall which defines several sides of the gas bag. The flexible wall has on at least one of its sides at least one fold in the inflated state of the gas bag, the fold being defined by permanently connected adjacent sections of the wall. The wall further comprises at least one seam for the connection of the adjacent sections so that the flexible wall is shortened on the side and, therefore, the geometrical shape of the gas bag is modified compared with the gas bag of similar configuration but without the seam.

Abstract: A gas bag lateral impact protective device for vehicle occupants is integrated in the back of a vehicle seat and comprises a compressed gas source, a thorax protecting gas bag and a head protecting gas bag. Both gas bags are to be inflated by the compressed gas source and are adapted to deploy on inflation in a space to the side of the seat back, the head protecting gas bag, upon inflation, deploying above the thorax protecting gas bag.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag cover for a vehicle occupant restraining system wherein said cover has a tear line extending from the inner side thereof as far as a predetermined residual wall thickness and to a method for the production thereof. The cover is characterized in that as a main component thereof it comprises one or more layers in a composite structure of a material selected from the group consisting of elastomer alloys of a thermoplastic polymer with a non-cross linked, partly cross-linked or completely cross-linked EPDM terpolymer, of block copolymers of alternating polyester and polyether blocks and of block copolymers of polystyrene and polyolefines, in that the residual wall thickness amounts to between 0.3 and 1 mm along the major part of the course of the tear line, and in that the tear line, starting from an inner side of the cover, steadily tapers toward an outer side thereof. The tear line is produced with the aid of a laser from the inner side of the cover.

Abstract: A gas bag (5) for a vehicle occupant protection system, which when inflated is three-dimensional in shape, is folded from a deflated, flattened and spread-out condition. The gas bag (5) has a rear wall with a securing section (SS) featuring an inflation port (20), a front wall section (OS) opposite thereto and a junction section (JS) between the two wall sections. The gas bag (5) is folded into a shape adapted to the interior space of a receiving compartment (RC). The folding of the gas bag (5) is done substantially by rotating the junction section (JS) relative to the securing section (SS).

Abstract: A knee guard device for vehicle occupants comprises a gas bag arranged in the vehicle in a knee well for the vehicle occupant. In its non-inflated state, the gas bag has a length along an imaginary center axis in the axial direction which enables the gas bag to be installed substantially bow-shaped around the knee well in the vehicle. Upon inflation, the length of the gas bag is so reduced that it is tightened between its axial ends to be able to bear radial forces exerted to it by the knees of the occupant.

Abstract: In the context of a belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt system comprising a locking device for a belt drum (14) and a rotary belt pretensioner drive (20), said drive being able to be connected drivingly with a drive pinion for the belt drum (14) via a coupling having pawls (34) able to be shifted between a rest position out of engagement with the drive pinion (16) and a working position in engagement with the drive pinion (16), it is desired to provide reliable interruption of the driving connection of the coupling when tensioning by the belt pretensioner drive is completed. For this purpose there is the provision that the coupling pawls (34) are able to be moved positively both out of the rest position into the working position and furthermore from the working position into the rest position by running against cam surfaces rotating in relation to them.

Abstract: A belt retractor comprises a belt reel rotatably mounted in a frame, a locking mechanism for selective blocking of belt reel rotation and an activating mechanism for the locking mechanism with a control disk restrictedly rotatable with respect to the belt reel. The locking mechanism is activated by rotation of the control disk relative to the belt reel. A planetary gear is provided which includes a sun wheel connected to the belt reel for joint rotation, an annular gear secured to the frame and at least one planet wheel having an external toothing mating with the sun wheel and the annular gear. The planet wheel has at least one switching cam. A switching toggle is mounted to swivel between a normal position and a locking position. The switching toggle is moveable into the locking position by the switching cam of the planet wheel to inhibit the activating mechanism.

Abstract: A gas bag module for a vehicle steering wheel is provided, which comprises a gas bag, a gas bag cover and a switching foil located in the gas bag cover. The switching foil is mounted in the gas bag cover in such a way that it is detachable and replaceable without the gas bag cover having to be dismantled.

Abstract: A method of folding a gas bag (5) for a vehicle occupant restraining system which when inflated is three-dimensional in shape and is folded from a deflated, flattened and spread-out condition, in which its wall comprises a securing section featuring an inflation port (20), a section opposite thereto and a junction section between said two wall sections, into a shape adapted to the interior space of a receiving compartment is characterized in that folding the gas bag is done substantially by turning at least two wall sections relative to each other.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor with a belt tensioner acting on a belt reel via a first coupling mechanism includes a housing, a vehicle and/or belt webbing-sensitive automatic blocking device for the belt reel and a second coupling mechanism which establishes a force flow between the housing and the belt reel after the belt has been tensioned and upon movement of the belt reel in the direction of belt unwinding in the event of the belt reel. The first coupling mechanism is connected on the power output side and the second coupling mechanism is connected on the power input side to the first end of a torsion bar whose second end is connected to the belt reel. A deactivation device connected to the second coupling mechanism is provided for the automatic blocking device.

Abstract: An assembly for a gas bag restraint system is provided. This assembly comprises an elongate housing provided with open axial ends. Within the housing a gas generator is accomodated which is held axially between two covers closing said open ends of said housing.

Abstract: The cover for a gas bag module comprises as its main part two layers of a fully vulcanized polyolefinic material, which are formed into a composite structure. This material consists of fully cross-linked rubber particles, which are distributed in a continuous matrix of thermoplastic material. The first layer is relatively hard with a hardness of approximately 32 to 43 Shore D and is essentially responsible for providing the desired structural strength. The second layer is relatively soft with a hardness of approximately 45 to 80 Shore A and ensures a pleasant, soft feeling when touched. It bears a coating of a two-component urethane lacquer system having a high scratch and abrasion resistance.

Abstract: In a belt retractor for a safety belt comprising a housing (12) which possesses two parallel limbs (14), in each of which an opening (18) is formed, a belt drum (20), which is so mounted rotatably in the housing (12) that sets (22) of ratchet teeth provided at the drums's axial ends are arranged within the openings (18) with an allround clearance from the same, and a load bearing pawl (30), which for a selective locking of the belt drum (20) is able to be engaged with the ratchet teeth (22) thereof, the belt drum (20) being adapted to be shifted in a radial direction in relation to its axis (C) by a load applied to it in the locked condition until the ratchet teeth (22) thereof are supported in the openings (18) of the limbs (14), the intention is to reduce the maximum load acting on the pawl.

Abstract: A deflection fitting for vehicular safety belt systems comprises a yoke with a pair of parallel limbs interconnected by a rod and a roller rotatably mounted on the rod. The roller has a cylindrical main section between a pair of axial end sections. A substantially continuous and concavely curved transition is provided from the main section to each end section of the roller and from each end section to an adjacent limb surface portion.