Abstract: An inertial sensor for activating a vehicular passenger restraining system comprises a housing, a sensor body supported in the housing for a sliding translational movement under the action of inertial forces from a rest position to an activating position and a return spring preloading the sensor body towards the rest position. A striking pin is displaceably mounted in the housing for activation of an impact igniter. An additional spring is provided which preloads the striking pin towards the impact igniter in a direction transverse to translational movement of the sensor body. A ramp surface is provided on the housing which rises in a direction of sensor body movement towards the activating position. The striking pin has a lateral shoulder resting on the ramp surface and holding the striking pin in a rest position as long as the sensor body has not reached the activating position. The preloading force of the return spring is overcome by an acceleration as low as approximately 2 g.

Abstract: A gas generator for a vehicle occupant restraining system is provided with an ignitor with a propelling charge container containing two charges with different speeds of combustion. The container has a bottom with an aperture, which is normally closed by a blow-out diaphragm. The propelling charge with the lower speed of combustion is arranged in a first chamber exposed to the ignitor. A second chamber containing the propelling charge with the higher speed of combustion is partitioned off by an internal tubular blow-out wall, adapted to be consumed as combustion of the first charge progresses.

Abstract: In a safety belt for vehicles a belt webbing section is composed of two superposed belt webbing plies connected by a rippable seam. The rippable seam comprises seam sections which extend alternatingly transversely in relation to the center line of the belt webbing from one side of such center line to the opposite side and then at least approximately in the longitudinal direction and then back again. In the rippable seam two respective stitches in a seam section extending transversely in relation to the center line of the belt webbing are offset in relation to one another in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: The seat belt retractor has a belt reel (12) rotatably mounted in a frame (10). A vehicle-sensitive latching mechanism includes a control disk (64) connected to the belt reel (12), rotation of which is lockable by means of the vehicle-sensitive inertial sensor (71, 71a, 73a, 75a). A belt tensioning drive engages the first axial end of a torsion bar (30), the second end of which is drivingly coupled to the belt reel (12). After belt tensioning the first end of said torsion bar (30) is blocked on the frame (10). Under the load subsequently introduced via the belt webbing (14) the torsion bar (30) is twisted about its axis for conversion of energy. The control disk (64) is connected to the belt reel (12) via a torque-limiting coupling (60, 62, 68, 74, 78; 92 to 106).

Abstract: A belt retractor for vehicular seat belt restraining systems is equipped with a novel housing structure. The load-bearing part of this housing comprises a shell section (10) surrounding the locking toothings (26a, 28a) on the circumference of the flanges of the belt reel (18) and the end pieces of which are located one on the other and secured together to form a base plate. Under a high load only tensile forces occur substantially in the shell section (10), whereby the shell section (10) surrounding the locking toothings (26a, 28a) acts as a band brake, thereby relieving the load on the locking pawls (22, 24).

Abstract: A belt retractor (10) for vehicular seat belt systems has a rotational belt tensioner drive (12) engaging a belt reel (16). A speed-up planetary gearing (26, 28, 30) is inserted in the power flow between the belt tensioner drive (12) and the belt reel (16). The planetary gearing (26, 28, 30) includes a sun gear (26), planetary gears (28) and a ring gear (30).

Abstract: In a pyrotechnic linear piston and cylinder drive in a belt pretensioner, the cylinder (10) has a frustoconical free end (12) and the piston (14) is attached to the end of a cable (16). The piston (14) is tapered frustoconically at its end adjacent to the free end (12) of the cylinder (10). An annular piston member (22) is slipped over and frictionally engaged with the tapered end portion (20) of the piston (14). When the annular piston member (22) reaches the frustoconical free end (12) of the cylinder (10), the piston (14) is forced further into the annular piston member, deforming both parts and dissipating energy.

Abstract: For securing a generally cylindrical gas generator cartridge (14) in the housing block (10) of a belt tensioner drive unit the housing block is provided with a bore (12) in which the gas generator cartridge (14) is inserted. On the outer head portion (14a) of the gas generator cartridge incorporating an electric igniter a sleeve (18) is fitted which has at its axial end a radially inwards oriented flange (20) adjacent the end surface of the gas generator cartridge (14). At its opposite axial end the sleeve (20) is provided with rims (22) oriented radially outwards which permit insertion in the bore (12) by axial guide channels (12a, 12b) so that when the sleeve (18) is rotated in a prescribed sense of rotation the rims (22) engage in a groove (28) provided circumferentially in the bore, the guide channels (12a, 12b) merging in the groove (28).

Abstract: A piston and cylinder unit for use in a vehicle safety belt pretensioner is provided with a tubular cylinder and a piston slidably accomodated in the cylinder tube. The piston has a circumferential groove between a pair of axially spaced radial shoulders. A cable is connected to the piston. A pair of semi-annular disks are located in said the circumferential groove of the piston with circumferential ends bearing on each other. The semi-annular disks are held in positions with opposite oblique slope in relation to the central axis of the cylinder tube. An outer edge portion of each semi-annular disk is held in engagement with the inner wall surface of the cylinder tube. When the piston tends to move through the cylinder tube in a direction opposite to an operating stroke, the semi-annular disks are erected and jammed in the cylinder tube to block further movement of the piston.

Abstract: In an energy converter in a restraining system for vehicle occupants a particularly smooth profile of the force as a function of the travel is achieved in that only a few deformation members are provided which effect a plastic deformation of a tubular converter body (10). A plate (30) is pivotal between a rest position inclined to the axis of the converter body (10) and an erected operating position in which it brings the deformation members (30a) formed at its radially outer ends into engagement with the inner side of the converter body (10).

Abstract: The safety belt retractor comprises a frame, a belt drum rotatably supported in the frame, a locking mechanism for selectively locking the belt drum against rotation and a trip mechanism for activation of the locking mechanism. The trip mechanism has an externally toothed control disk mounted for limited relative rotation on the belt drum. A two-armed toggle lever is selectively pivotable on the frame between two stable positions. A planet wheel gearing has a sun wheel connected to the belt drum, an internally toothed ring gear fixed to the frame and a pair of planet wheels meshing with the sun wheel and the ring gear. The planet wheels have a peripheral toothing with an oversized tooth which extends radially beyond the toothing of the planet wheel. The toggle lever has one arm provided with an engagement member for engagement in the toothing on the control disk.

Abstract: The piston of a piston/cylinder unit of a belt pretensioner with a pyrotechnic gas generator is characterized in that the piston is made from a first metallic piston part (12) which is firmly connected with the cable (16) and at least one second piston part (14) made of a thermoplastic material, at least one section of which is arranged on the side of the first piston part (12) facing the gas generator and forms a sealing contact with the walls of the cylinder. This arrangement creates the constructional prerequisites for further advantageous developments of the piston as regards the safety of the belt pretensioner. In particular, the piston can be equipped with a sealing lip which releases itself from the inner walls of the cylinder of the piston/cylinder unit when the unit is heated, e.g. in a vehicle fire, and so offers an escape path for the gases in order to avoid the danger of explosion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a belt retractor for vehicular seat belt restraining systems having a spiral retraction spring (16) including a radially inner spring connection on the shaft (12) of the belt reel and a radially outer spring connection on a connecting part (18) firmly connected to the frame. A cylindrical part (141) of a cassette (14) surrounds the retraction spring (16). According to the invention the shaft (12) with the inner spring connection is eccentrically disposed with respect to the cylindrical part (141) of the cassette (14) in such a manner that, when the belt webbing is fully coiled, the outer circumference of the retraction spring (16) is disposed substantially concentrically in the cylindrical part (141) of the cassette (14).

Abstract: In a device for height adjustment of a vehicular seat belt fitting a load-supporting guide rail (10) equipped for securing to the vehicle has a plurality of latching members (21) spaced in its longitudinal direction. In this guide rail (10) a carrier (12) is shiftably mounted, to which the seat belt fitting is secured. A latch bar (22) selectively latchable to the latching members (21) in this guide rail is mounted on the carrier. By the actuation of a release member (26) the latch bar (22) is releasable from the corresponding latching member (21). The latch bar (22) is mounted on the carrier (12) so that it can be swivelled about a swivel axis (A) which is at least more or less horizontal and its center of gravity (S) is displaced in the direction of the guide rail (10) relative to a plane (E) oriented parallel to the guide rail (10) and passing through the swivel axis (A).

Abstract: An inflatable gas bag (10) for vehicle occupant restraining systems comprises only two textile parts (14, 16) shaped to be developed in a plane the edges (18, 20) of which are joined together by a continuous seam (28). Of these textile parts (14, 16) one is generally club-shaped and the other is generally butterfly-shaped.

Abstract: An assembly for fastening a belt webbing (10) to a shaft (12) of a seat bealt retractor is provided. The shaft has a radial slot (18) through which one end of said belt webbing (10) is inserted. The belt webbing has a first section (101) for insertion in the slot (18) and a second section (102) for wrapping around a rod (14, 16) oriented transversly to the longitudinal direction of the belt webbing (F). An end section (103) of the webbing is located parallel to the first section (101), and the rod (14, 16) is arranged in an expanded first part (181) of the slot (18) merging in a narrower second part (182) of the slot (18). The first section (101) and the end section (103) of the belt webbing (10) are held in the narrow part (182) of the slot (18) by being squeezed in the direction of the belt webbing thickness.

Abstract: A belt pretensioner for vehicle safety belt systems is provided with a drive unit which comprises a pyrotechnic gas generator (12) and a piston and cylinder unit (16, 20). The piston (20) is arranged at a first end (161) of the cylinder (16) and is connected with a cable (22). By means of the gas pressure produced by the gas generator (12) the piston is accelerated towards the second, tapered end (162) of the cylinder (16). A sleeve-like insert (18) is arranged in the tapered cylinder end. The insert (18) has ribs and grooves alternating in the peripheral direction to offer sufficient room for plastic deformation.

Abstract: The belt retractor with a belt pretensioner acting on the belt drum (12) has a pyrotechnical piston and cylinder linear drive (22). A rack (32) adapted to be subjected to thrust is connected with the piston (28) of such linear drive (22). The rack (32) is able to be drivingly coupled with the belt drum by the intermediary of a step-up gear wheel transmission (34, 36, 44). After tensioning of the belt, tensions in the safety belt system are limited by plastic deformation of a torsion rod (38), and peak strain values are decreased.The belt retractor is integrated with the belt pretensioner and the energy converter as a compact assembly.

Abstract: The gas bag (10) for a vehicular restraining system is formed by an annular hose (14). It is intended to protect against side impact and is characterized by fast inflation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a belt pretensioner for vehicle safety belt systems comprising a pyrotechnic gas generator (12) and a piston and cylinder unit (16, 20) mounted in a housing block (14). The piston (20) of the piston and cylinder unit (16, 20) is arranged on a first end (161) of the cylinder (16) as well as being connected with a cable (22) and it is accelerated towards the second end (162), which has a constriction, of the cylinder (16) by the gas pressure produced by the gas generator (12). The piston and cylinder unit (16, 20) with the housing block (14) and the gas generator (12) mounted therein constitute a pivotally bearinged vehicle-sensitive inertial mass. In accordance with the invention a deformable member (46) is arranged on the piston (20) and on acceleration of the piston (20) is entrained towards the second end (162) of the cylinder (16) by the piston (20) and on impingement on the wall parts of the cylinder (16) constituting the constriction is plastically deformed.