Abstract: The process of the invention consists in assembling a correction stub axle 2 comprising a correction angle &ggr;c on the receiving surface 3 of a suspension system 1. The stub axle is positioned along a correction azimuth &dgr;c as a function of an error azimuth &dgr;d of the orientation of the receiving surface 3 relative to the nominal orientation intended.

Abstract: A head-protection bag in which stress to be applied to circular connected portions during the inflation of the bag can be absorbed so as to prevent gas leakage at the circular connected portions is provided. The head-protection bag includes a window-side sheet, a cabin-side sheet, and a chamber which is formed between the sheets and by superposing the sheets on each other and sewing the sheets together. The sheets are connected to each other by line-shaped connected portions extending around their peripheries, line-shaped connected portions for subdividing the chamber, and circular connected portions for reinforcing areas around ends of the line-shaped connected portions. Each of the circular connected portions has a circular opening formed at the center thereof by cutting out the sheets.

Abstract: A saddle type vehicle for attaining an appropriate weight distribution and a low centroid position. Suspension mechanisms are each composed of an upper arm and lower arms, the upper and lower arms being disposed in vertically spaced positions. A shock absorber is interposed between the upper arm and a body frame. A stabilizer is disposed between both suspension mechanisms. A lower end of the shock absorber is pivotably connected to the front-side lower arm, while an upper end of the shock absorber is pivotably connected to an inside position in the vehicular transverse direction of the body frame.

Abstract: An all terrain vehicle includes an engine located under a hingably mounted seat, the seat providing ready access to the engine for maintenance and repair. The vehicle includes an engine having a clutch housing and a clutch cover sealably connected to the clutch housing. At least one of the clutch housing and the clutch cover include a bottom wall having at least one coolant-fillable cooling channel within the thickness of the bottom wall provided to cool oil above the clutch housing and the clutch cover. The vehicle also includes a frame having a plurality of engine mounting points. The engine is supportable by the frame and includes a crankcase and a plurality of mounting points adapted to engage the plurality of engine mounting points on the frame. The plurality of mounting points include at least one uppermost mounting point, wherein the at least one uppermost mounting point is positioned on the crankcase.

Abstract: A steering column having a composite steering column support housing formed from a fiber reinforced matrix material. By layering the fibers within the matrix material of the support housing to a specific orientation, controlling fiber length, and controlling fiber and polymer type, the performance of the steering column can be manipulated to optimize NVH, structural stiffness, load path, crash energy management, mass balance, and cost. The column support housing contains at least one mounting hole for coupling to either an instrument panel or engine compartment wall. The column support housing may have a protruding region for stabilizing the steering column to the instrument panel when the support housing is mounted to the engine compartment wall. The mounting hole can also contain an elastomeric washer or a filler material for improving dampening characteristics, and further may have a circular fiber orientation immediately surrounding the mounting hole to further improve performance characteristics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety device (12), comprising a seat belt (14) with a strap (16), an intermediate part (32, 34) of which can be in a stored position and in an operating position in which it extends along a part of the body of the passenger, and a bag (40) which can be inflated to hold back a passenger in case of collision. The bag is held by a support (42) which can be moved between a stored position and an operating position in which the support (42) and the inflated bag (40) extend along a part of the body of the passenger. The invention is characterized in that the support (42) of the inflatable bag (40) is embodied as a flexible strip which is independent of the strap (16) of the seat belt (14) and an intermediate part of which extends along a part of the body of the passenger when the airbag is in the operating position.

Abstract: A load distribution panel retention apparatus which effectively secures a knee bolster airbag to a load distribution panel. The apparatus includes a flat, rectangular piece of textile material attached to a knee bolster airbag to form a panel retainer which is open on both ends. A load distribution panel, also called a knee bolster panel, is secured to the airbag by positioning the load distribution panel between the panel retainer and the airbag. The apparatus includes a housing secured to the instrument panel or to a firewall of a vehicle. The conventional inflatable knee airbag is stored within the housing and in communication with an inflator. The inflator is stored within the housing and inflates the knee airbag in an accident situation. A trim cover panel is attached to the load distribution panel to provide a decorative covering of the airbag module.

Abstract: A bearing system for a first vehicle part, e.g., a driver's cab of a truck, on a second vehicle part, e.g., a vehicle frame, the first vehicle part being movable from a first position relative to the second vehicle part into a second position, includes a shaft about which the first vehicle part is rotatable from the first position relative to the second vehicle part into the second position, a first flexible bearing element disposed in a first shaft section of the shaft and a second flexible bearing element disposed in a second shaft section of the shaft. The first vehicle part is supported on the shaft in the first shaft section via a first supporting element and in the second shaft section via the flexible second bearing element. The shaft is supported in its first shaft section on the second vehicle part via the first flexible bearing element and in its second shaft section via a second supporting element.

Abstract: An airbag system for seatbelts including a housing and an elongated one-piece tubular inflatable structure disposed within the housing, where the housing and inflatable structure include a seatbelt passageway so that a seatbelt may pass therethrough unhindered and unaffected during normal seatbelt use, while the inflatable structure remains in an uninflated state. In a collision event, an inflator causes the inflatable structure to unfold, or preferably unroll, and extend from the housing along the seatbelt, so that the inflatable structure surrounds the seatbelt over an extended length thereof to provide a cushion between the seatbelt and an occupant. Such an arrangement may be easily applied to existing seatbelt systems.

Abstract: A cover for an airbag module, consisting of a plastic base structure (1) which is provided with a decorative material (2), preferably fabric, leather or imitation leather, and has at least one covering region (3), circumscribed by a predetermined breaking line (4) and a bending line (5), for the airbag.

Abstract: A gas generator for an air bag, in which conduction of heat generated by combustion of a gas generating agent is restricted to effectively reduce or inhibit a temperature increase of a diffuser side on an outer shell container, is provided and thus, reduces the maximum surface temperature of the diffuser. The gas generator includes a housing which has a diffuser shell with at least one gas discharge port and a closure shell for forming an accommodating space together with the diffuser shell and the gas generating agent, installed in the housing, ignited and burnt by an igniting unit to generate a combustion gas, wherein the gas generator further includes a heat transfer restricting member for making a conduction of heat generated by a combustion of the gas generating agent to the diffuser shell side smaller than that to the closure shell side.

Abstract: A suspension for and a method for suspending a vehicle having a body is provided. The suspension includes a first wheel assembly suspension and a second wheel assembly suspension. The first wheel assembly suspension extends between a first wheel assembly and the body. The first wheel assembly suspension includes an instant center. The second wheel assembly suspension extends between a second wheel assembly and the body. The second wheel assembly suspension includes an instant center. The first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are aligned so that a vertical centerline of each wheel assembly lies within a vertical plane that extends therebetween. In one embodiment, the instant center of each wheel assembly suspension is located within the vertical plane, below a roll center located within the vertical plane.

Abstract: A motor vehicle arrangement having a control device for controlling the vehicle. The control device is at least adjustable in the vertical direction. The control device has a parking position in which the vehicle cannot be driven and there is no operative connection for starting, accelerating or braking the vehicle etc. from the operating controls of the vehicle. The control device is releasable from the parking position to a driving position using an authorization verification element which adjusts the driving position. In the driving position, an operative connection is established between the operating control elements of the vehicle and corresponding actuating elements.

Abstract: So that, given a desired deactivation of an airbag, a triggering cannot take place under any circumstances, a firing device of the airbag is bypassed using an electrically controllable switch. This switch short-circuits the electric circuit of the firing device during the deactivation time.

Abstract: An air bag cover assembly is provided comprising a retainer panel having an aperture during the deployment of an inflatable air bag for the airbag to pass through. The aperture has a cross-sectional area during air bag inflation greater than the cross-sectional area of the aperture when the air bag is deflated after being inflated. A method of providing an air bag deployment aperture for an air bag cover assembly is also provided. The method comprises providing a retainer panel, forming an aperture in the retainer panel for the deployment of an inflating air bag from an air bag module, increasing the cross-sectional area of the aperture during inflation of the air bag, and decreasing the cross-sectional area of the aperture after the air bag has at least partially passed through the aperture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag restraint device including a gas bag module which has a gas bag wall. The gas bag wall has a front wall upon which an occupant to be restrained can impact in a case of restraint and has a depression defined by a ring-shaped gas bag wall portion. The depression is generated in that a center portion of the front wall is attached to the module and is prevented from movement when the gas bag is inflated. A holder is provided at the ring-shaped gas bag wall portion that keep parts of the ring-shaped gas bag wall portion, which get in contact with each other when the gas bag is inflated, in contact with each other in a fully inflated condition of the gas bag, and at least partly close the depression.

Abstract: A dual roof rail air bag is provided with an integrated fill system. The air bag system has an inflatable curtain attached to the roof rail of the vehicle, and an inflatable tube structure attached to the bottom end of the inflatable curtain. A single manifold simultaneously provides gas from an inflator to the inflatable curtain and the inflatable tube structure in an integrated manner.

Abstract: An all terrain vehicle includes an engine located under a hingably mounted seat, the seat providing ready access to the engine for maintenance and repair. The vehicle includes an engine having a clutch housing and a clutch cover sealably connected to the clutch housing. At least one of the clutch housing and the clutch cover include a bottom wall having at least one coolant-fillable cooling channel within the thickness of the bottom wall provided to cool oil above the clutch housing and the clutch cover. The vehicle also includes a frame having a plurality of engine mounting points. The engine is supportable by the frame and includes a crankcase and a plurality of mounting points adapted to engage the plurality of engine mounting points on the frame. The plurality of mounting points include at least one uppermost mounting point, wherein the at least one uppermost mounting point is positioned on the crankcase.

Abstract: In a head-protecting airbag apparatus where an airbag body inflated in a curtain configuration is mounted in a folded state along a roof side rail across at least a center pillar, the airbag body includes an upper portion folded in a bellows, and a lower portion subjected to one of turning-back performed toward an occupant compartment inner side and rolling-up performed towards the occupant compartment inner side. Accordingly, even when there is a vehicle occupant compartment inner side protrusion such as a slip joint in a vehicle, the airbag body is inflated and expanded so as to cover the vehicle occupant compartment inner side protrusion from the above or ride on the same. As a result, the lower portion of the airbag body is hard to be caught up by the vehicle occupant compartment inner side protrusion, thereby improving a expanding performance of the airbag body.

Abstract: An airbag arrangement in a motor vehicle, the air bag arrangement comprising an inflatable element including fabric and a gas generator component adapted to inflate the inflatable element in response to the sensing of predetermined conditions. The inflatable element is initially stored in a non-linear recess, channel or housing provided in the motor vehicle extending above a door opening of the motor vehicle. The inflatable element includes an upper edge provided with anchoring means connected to points within the recess, channel or housing, the inflatable element having a first chamber adjacent to the upper edge thereof adapted to be inflated, and also having a second discrete chamber adjacent to a lower edge thereof. The second chamber is of elongate form and associated with anchoring means to anchor opposite ends of the second chamber to fixed points in the motor vehicle.