Patents Assigned to TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 6926221
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, and an energy converter coil having at least one metal strip. The energy converter coil has a plurality of metal strips which are disposed symmetrically with respect to the middle axis of the belt reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Röhrle, Wolfgang Holbein
  • Patent number: 6923471
    Abstract: A side gas bag module for a vehicle occupant protection system comprises an elongated housing that has first and second side pieces which are joined by means of a back and have edges as well as inner faces lying opposite each other. The module further comprises a gas bag arranged folded in the housing as well as at least one flap provided on the edge of the first side piece remote from the back, which flap is pivotally connected via a hinge with the first side piece. At least a major part of the flap, before an activation of the gas bag module, is arranged inside the housing and adjoins the inner face of the second side piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Günther Sälzle
  • Patent number: 6921041
    Abstract: A seat-belt retractor is provided wherein no further belt retraction is necessary to unlock the belt spool following a tensioning of the belt webbing. Specifically, the seat-belt retractor has a belt spool that is rotatably mounted in a frame and a coupling pawl that is pivotally mounted on one face of the belt spool. The drive wheel is mounted in the frame co-axially with the belt spool. The drive wheel has an annular internal toothing extending around the coupling pawl. The coupling pawl has a free end shaped with a coupling tooth or a pair of coupling teeth and is movable, in a tension-released condition of belt webbing, from an engagement position where the coupling tooth or teeth is or are engaged in a tooth gap or two adjacent tooth gaps of the internal toothing, to a release position disengaged from the internal toothing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dieter Biller
  • Patent number: 6921039
    Abstract: A belt spool (10) for a belt retractor comprises a spool body (14) which has at least one flange (18), a locking disc (12) which is arranged at an axial end of the spool body, and a torsion rod (2) having two ends. One of the ends is non-rotatably fastened to said spool body (14), and the other end is non-rotatably fastened to the locking disc (12). A holding ring (22) is provided which encompasses the flange (18) and an outer rim of the locking disc (12), thereby securing the locking disc (12) in axial direction on the spool body (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Johannes Schmid
  • Patent number: 6840474
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, a belt reel axle with an external toothing, and a pawl. The belt retractor has a sliding clutch by means of which the pawl can be brought to engage in the external toothing, in order to rotate the belt reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolf-Dieter Hönl, Thomas Modinger
  • Patent number: 6827369
    Abstract: An instrument panel for a motor vehicle comprises an ejection channel for a gas bag of a gas bag module. The ejection channel is constructed in one piece with the instrument panel. A mounting plate is provided on the instrument panel, the gas bag module being adapted to be fastened to the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Freisler, Dirk Schultz, Gerd Zischka
  • Patent number: 6820901
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, at least a first and a second energy-absorbing element, which each has a connecting end and a locking end, wherein the locking ends each are provided with a locking disc and adapted to be selectively connected with the frame. The belt retractor further comprises a first and a second locking pawl which by means of at least one actuating device can each selectively be brought into engagement in one of the locking discs, wherein at least one switching device is provided which can selectively prevent the engagement action of at least one locking pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz Wier
  • Patent number: 6802532
    Abstract: A gas bag module comprises a gas generator and a rigid housing in which the gas generator is arranged. The housing has at least two gas outflow channels with one port each, the ports adjoining each other and being directed towards the gas generator and separated from each other by a wall. The gas generator has a continuous gas outflow zone with at least two sections, each of the sections of the gas outflow zone being associated with one of the ports. The housing is constructed such that gas emerging from the sections of the gas outflow zone can only flow into the one of the gas outflow channels which is associated with the respective section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Heigl, Hans-Joachim Tietze, Jürgen Worsch
  • Patent number: 6796582
    Abstract: An assembly consisting of a cylindrical inflator , a housing and a retainer by means of which the inflator can be fixed in the housing. The inflator has a longitudinal centerline and a cirumferential surface area and the retainer comprises a circular opening with an edge. Protruding from the edge into the opening are tabs which engage the circumferential surface area of the inflator to fix the latter in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Scholz
  • Patent number: 6793245
    Abstract: The invention relates to an airbag for a vehicle occupant restraint system. The airbag comprises an airbag wall which has a front wall facing the occupant to be restrained, a back wall and a side wall. The front wall and the back wall are connected to each other by means of a detachable connection. This connection between the front wall and the back wall is severed by the unfolding of the side wall when the airbag is inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Lüders, Norbert Ellerbrok
  • Publication number: 20040169357
    Abstract: A detent connection piece (10) includes a clip hook (18) which can be pressed into a first bore (24) while being deformed until the detent connection piece snaps in and engages behind a bearing edge framing the first bore (24). The detent connection piece (10) additionally includes an end section which is adapted to be inserted into a second bore (26). Further proposed is a gas bag module including at least one such detent connection piece (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Anton Fischer, Hans-Joachim Tietze
  • Patent number: 6779562
    Abstract: A gas conduit pipe for a gas bag module, the gas conduit pipe comprising an inflow opening defining a direction of gas flow, a peripheral wall limiting an interior of the pipe, at least one outflow opening arranged in the peripheral wall of the pipe, an edge of the outflow opening being defined by an upstream section and a downstream section of the peripheral wall, which sections both project into the interior of the pipe, the downstream section projecting further into the interior of the pipe than the upstream section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hans-Joachim Tietze
  • Publication number: 20040149852
    Abstract: A belt spool (12) for a safety belt retractor with a frame has a bearing (18) for a blocking catch (16) which can be moved from an initial position in which the belt spool is freely rotatable, into a blocking position in which it blocks the belt spool. The belt spool further has a support surface (20) for the blocking catch (16). The support surface (20) is provided with a projection (22; 26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Herbert Blum, Hermann-Karl Weller
  • Publication number: 20040150199
    Abstract: A gas bag for a side impact protection device includes at least two inflatable chambers (28, 30) separated from each other in a gas-tight manner. The gas bag (10) is formed from two covering layers (12, 14) lying one over the other, which define an inflatable region and an inflation opening (16) of the gas bag (10), and from a fabric layer (18) arranged between the two covering layers (12, 14). The fabric layer (18) has an outer edge which in the inflatable region of the gas bag (10) is connected only with one of the two covering layers (12, 14) to divide the gas bag (10) into the two chambers (28, 30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Sven Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6755369
    Abstract: A belt retractor has a locking pawl actuated by an electromagnet. The electromagnet is operated with a holding power that is reduced in comparison to its actuation power. The holding power may be provided by a series device in the current supply of the electromagnet. The series device may generate a holding voltage that is limited to a predefined value, or it may provide a pulse duration modulated d.c. supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holbein
  • Patent number: 6745970
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicular seat belt comprises a belt reel rotatably mounted in a frame, two locking discs for blocking the belt reel and two energy absorbing elements. The energy absorbing elements are each connected at an axial end to a locking disc and one of which is non-rotatably connected at an axial end to the belt reel. The belt retractor further comprises two locking pawls that are capable of cooperating with the locking discs. At least one of said locking pawls is releasably connected in a starting position to the frame by a connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz Wier
  • Patent number: 6746042
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a vehicle interior lining, especially a dashboard having a carrier part and, attached to the carrier part, a gas bag module containing a gas bag carrier and a gas bag that has a folded package section. The gas bag, together with its package section, is placed into a gas bag receptacle that is formed on the gas bag carrier and that has an outlet opening for the gas bag. The outlet opening is at least partially closed in the area of the package section by a rigid part. An outside surface of the carrier part is foam-encapsulated with a plastic layer in a state in which the gas bag module is connected to the carrier part. Moreover, the invention relates to a vehicle interior lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Reiner Dannenhauer, Jens Debler, Bernd Hägele, Norbert Lang, Philipp Ritter
  • Patent number: 6743162
    Abstract: A machine for folding a side gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a guide channel in which a gas bag to be folded can be disposed, and first and second folding tongues. The folding tongues have teeth and the guide channel has a first side part and a second side part in each of which several recesses are provided. The teeth of the folding tongues are able to engage into the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hieber, Jürgen Berger, Wilfried Strnad, Jürgen Heigl, Karl Kienzle, Philipp Ritter
  • Patent number: 6739657
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat portion, a seat pan integrated in the seat portion, and a viscous mass arranged within the seat pan, wherein the viscous mass is actuatable to form a ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexander Heilig, Thomas Herpich
  • Publication number: 20040095010
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a belt spool (12) rotatably mounted in a frame (10) and a coupling disc (32) rotatably mounted relative to the belt spool. With a rotation relative to the belt spool, the coupling disc can bring about a locking of the rotation of the belt spool in unwinding direction of the safety belt. The belt spool has a first friction element (22) and the coupling disc has a second friction element (66). The first and second friction elements are positioned such that they are able to connect the belt spool and the coupling disc with each other with a friction fit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Strobel