Patents Assigned to TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 6592144
    Abstract: An assembly consists of a backrest and an airbag module, the backrest having a frame, a padding and a covering part. The airbag module has an ejection channel that is attached to the frame. The covering part is designed so as to be rigid whereas the padding in an area of transition to the covering part is configured so as to be so pliant that by deformation of the padding a gap is produced between the covering part and the padding, for the airbag to come out of the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Andreas Loos
  • Publication number: 20030127838
    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: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Freisler, Dirk Schultz, Gerd Zischka
  • Patent number: 6585291
    Abstract: An assembly consists of a vehicle structure including a vehicle side wall and of a gas bag side impact protection system including a gas bag. The gas bag is adapted to be inflated by means of compressed gas furnished by a source of compressed gas and comprising an outer side facing the vehicle side wall and an inner side facing the vehicle interior. The section of the gas bag located above the inflation port is folded at least twice and forms a stack at the outer side of the gas bag, the folds running substantially horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Kai Bürkle, Jochen Gunst
  • Publication number: 20030111571
    Abstract: A locking pawl for a mechanism for blocking a belt retractor of a safety belt comprises a first locking pawl element made of a first material and adapted to block said belt retractor, and a second locking pawl element made of a second material and adapted to control a movement of said locking pawl. The first material is different from the second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hermann-Karl Weller
  • Patent number: 6572135
    Abstract: An assembly consists of a first component and of a second component. The first component is provided with at least one opening and with at least one holding projection which is associated with the opening The second component consists of sheet metal and is provided with at least one holding tongue which has a cross-piece and a head. The cross-piece extends through the opening in the first component and is bent around such that the head lies against the side of the holding projection facing away from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Norbert Lang
  • Patent number: 6568708
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system. The gas bag module comprises an inflatable gas bag has an interior, a compressed gas source and a fabric layer arranged in the interior of the gas bag. The fabric layer guides a stream of compressed gas emerging from the compressed gas source upon inflation of the gas bag. A guiding plate is provided in the interior of the gas bag as an additional gas guiding means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Miodek, Norbert Ellerbrok
  • Patent number: 6564895
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a belt spool, at least one locking member which at least largely prevents a belt spool rotation in the case of restraint, and a force limiter. The force limiter opposes a defined force to a rotation of the belt spool on unwinding of the safety belt. Furthermore, a blocking mechanism and an adjusting element for the blocking mechanism are provided. The blocking mechanism is able to be moved by the adjusting element at least partially toward a blocking position. In the blocking position, the blocking mechanism deactivates the force limiter. After a primary impact, a non-used force limiter is force transmitting, or the force limiter or force limiters are deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Böhmler
  • Publication number: 20030090092
    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: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Gunther Salzle
  • Patent number: 6561936
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt tensioner system comprising a belt, a piston/cylinder unit comprised of a piston and a cylinder, and a drive for the piston/cylinder unit. The system further comprises a power transmission device which is directly connected with the piston/cylinder unit and, at least in the case of restraint, with the belt and which on activation of the drive converts a movement brought about in the piston/cylinder unit into a displacement of the belt. The power transmission device is constructed as a push rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Remy Fliedner
  • Patent number: 6561007
    Abstract: A device for testing vehicle occupant restraint systems for a side impact, with a target carriage (10) which is provided with a structure (12) in which there are mounted a seat (14) for a test dummy (16), an imitation (18) of the lower region of a vehicle side structure and the side impact restraint system (20) to be tested, and with an impact carriage (22) which is provided with a pushing surface (24) associated with the imitation (18) of the lower region of the vehicle side structure, the impact carriage (22) and the target carriage (10) being movable relative to each other such that an impact of the pushing surface (24) and the imitation (18) of the lower region of the vehicle side structure onto each other can be brought about at a predetermined speed, is characterized in that the structure (12) is additionally provided with at least one imitation (28) of the upper region of a vehicle side structure and that the impact carriage (22) is provided with an upper pushing surface (36) arranged above the lower p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Heinz Bock, Thomas Herpich, Jürgen Hirth, Stein-Helge Mundal
  • Patent number: 6557892
    Abstract: In an automotive side-impact protection system an inflatable elongated cushioning bag is tensioned between two fixed points in a vehicle. One of the tensioning straps is branched at the one of its ends facing the cushioning bag into two tensioning strap sections, engaging the cushioning bag at two different levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Frank Herzog
  • Patent number: 6550112
    Abstract: A closure for a seat belt comprises a release button shiftably mounted on a frame and cooperating with a latch which can be swiveled between a locking position and an opening position around a swiveling axis, and a blocking element that can assume a blocking position in which it blocks the latch in the locking position. The blocking element is mounted on the frame so as to pivot around an axis that passes through a center of gravity of the blocking element, so that it can be swiveled by the release button out of the blocking position into a release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignees: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG, TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Röhrle, Bob McFalls
  • Publication number: 20030071453
    Abstract: A closure for a safety belt comprises a frame and at least one locking element which is pivotally mounted in its center of gravity to the frame such that it is movable between a locking position and a release position. The closure further comprises at least one spring which urges the locking element into the locking position. An actuating opening is provided which enables direct access to the locking element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Volker Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 6547175
    Abstract: An inertia sensor for vehicle-sensitive activation of a belt retractor blocking mechanism, has a mass body, a support for the mass body, and a sensor lever having a control pawl and being mounted on the support for swivelling motion about a swivel axis and resting on the mass body. The support is provided with a first circular cylindrical surface area with a axis which is parallel to the swivel axis and runs through the center of gravity of the mass body. An appendix is formed on the first circular cylindrical surface area of the support for mounting the support to the belt retractor. Further, a belt retractor with the inertia sensor and injection molds for molding the support and the sensor lever are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Thomas Kielwein, Juergen Rink, Johannes Schmid
  • Patent number: 6547276
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a compressed gas source, a gas bag inflatable with compressed gas furnished by the compressed gas source which generates a gas flow, and a valve through which the gas is able to escape from the restraint system. Thee valve is arranged such that it is impacted by the gas flow and the valve reduces its flow cross-section upon an increase in pressure of the gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alexander Heilig
  • Patent number: 6543804
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a gas supply means which has an outer housing with at least two outlet openings. The restraint system further comprises at least two inflatable elements to which different outlet openings are associated and which are filled in parallel via the associated outlet openings. The outlet openings are designed such that during inflation of the elements gas flow rates through the individual outlet openings to the inflatable elements are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Anton Fischer
  • Patent number: 6540253
    Abstract: An assembly consists of a vehicle door, an A-pillar of a vehicle and an inflatable gas bag. In the inflated condition, the gas bag is supported by the vehicle door and in the region of the A-pillar of the vehicle. The internal overpressure exceeds 105 Pa (14.5 psi) in at least one part of the inflated gas bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Jürgen Heigl, Alexander Heilig, Sven Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6536802
    Abstract: An instrument panel assembly (22) comprises a structural carrier member (30) which is formed as one piece and has a first section (40) defining a first chamber (54) for receiving and supporting a first component (110). The structural carrier member (30) has a second section (80) defining a second chamber (92) for receiving and supporting a second component (130). The first component (110) comprises a first inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (114) received in the first chamber (54). The structural carrier member (30) further defines a deployment opening (55) through which the first protection device (114) is inflatable from the first chamber (54). The second component (130) comprises an occupant knee protection device (132) received in the second chamber (92) for helping to protect the vehicle occupant's legs in the event of a vehicle collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignees: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG, TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Sutherland, Kevin M. Brown, Kirk W. Christiansen, Dirk Schultz, Bryan W. Shirk, Timothy A. Swann, Eric C. Erike, Vincent J. Mramor, Roy D. Van Wynsberghe
  • Publication number: 20030052209
    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: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Wolf-Dieter Honl, Thomas Modinger
  • Patent number: 6533321
    Abstract: The belt retractor of the occupant restraint system comprises a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, a locking mechanism for selectively blocking the belt reel and a vehicle-sensitive sensor. The locking mechanism is actuated by an actor. An electronic control unit is provided with an input interface and an output interface. The vehicle-sensitive sensor is connected to the input interface and the actor is connected to the output interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Uwe Class, Thomas Kielwein, Michael Lüders