Abstract: A motor vehicle brake or clutch pedal comprising a two part blade with a first blade part (1) adapted at one end to carry a foot pad, and a second blade part (2) adapted to be connected to a push rod of an operating mechanism of either a brake booster or a clutch, with means to disconnect, or to render ineffective, the connection between the second blade part (2) and the push rod in a frontal crash situation of sufficient magnitude. The invention also includes a motor vehicle incorporating at least one such pedal.

Abstract: A buckle pretensioner for a vehicle safety restraint comprising a buckle head (1) for receiving a buckle tongue to secure safety restraint webbing about a vehicle occupant in a three-point belt system, a cable (2) connected to the buckle head (1); and means (7) for rapidly withdrawing the cable in a belt tightening direction, the withdrawing means (7) comprising a force reservoir (8), and driving means (6), and being of a compact construction through the use of step-up gearing (3, 4) to magnify linear movement produced by the force reservoir (8) which may be a pyrotechnic gas generator or a spring. The driving means (8) may be a piston-cylinder (6, 8) or a rack and pinion. The gearing may comprise a pulley arrangement (3, 4). Alternatively a roots motor or a gear pump could be used.

Abstract: A motor vehicle brake or clutch pedal comprising a two part blade with a first blade part (1) adapted at one end to carry a foot pad, and a second blade part (2) adapted to be connected to a push rod of an operating mechanism of either a brake booster or a clutch, with means to disconnect, or to render ineffective, the connection between the second blade part (2) and the push rod in a frontal crash situation of sufficient magnitude. The invention also includes a motor vehicle incorporating at least one such pedal.

Abstract: A buckle pretensioner for a vehicle safety restraint comprising a buckle head (1) for receiving a buckle tongue to secure safety restraint webbing about a vehicle occupant in a three-point belt system; a cable (2) connected to the buckle head (1); and device (7) for rapidly withdrawing the cable in a belt tightening direction, the withdrawing device (7) comprising a force reservoir (8), and driving mechanism (6), and being of a compact construction through the use of set-up gearing (3,4) to magnify linear movement produced by the force reservoir (8) which may be a pyrotechnic gas generator or a spring. The driving mechanism (8) may be a piston-cylinder (6,8) or a rack and pinion. The gearing may comprise a pulley arrangement (3,4). Alternatively a roots motor or a gear pump could be used.

Abstract: A pretensioner for a vehicle safety restraint, for rapidly reducing slack in a safety restraint belt in the event of a crash situation, the pretensioner comprising a cable (1) connected at one end to a piston (3) at its other end to a belt rewinding mechanism, the piston (3) being slidably moveable in a cylinder (4) under action of pressure from a gas generator (15) sensitive to a crash indicator, wherein means (5) are provided for controlling the rate of acceleration of the cable (1) in the pretensioning direction, in dependence upon the condition of tension in the safety restraint belt which is to be pretensioned. This can be effected by blocking holes in a dividing plate or by using a continuously variable throttle arrangement such as a profiled throttle pin or a hollow space in the piston with a restrictable opening.

Abstract: The buckle of the invention comprises a housing, a buckle part connected to one end of a seat belt and having a passage for receiving an interlocking tongue part connected to another end of a seat belt, a pivoting carrier element carrying a latching element arranged to engage with the tongue part to lock the tongue part in the passage, a release button operatively coupled via a ramp surface to move the latching element from an engaging position in which the buckle is fastened to the tongue, to a release position in which the buckle is unfastened, a counterbalance mass slidably mounted in the housing so that its inertia acts on the latching element to keep the latching element in the tongue engaging position under forces of acceleration and of deceleration acting on the buckle, the inertia acting in a first direction under acceleration and in a second direction under deceleration thereby substantially to counteract the effects of button inertia on the operation of the buckle.

Abstract: A pretensioner-proof buckle comprises a buckle for a vehicle safety restraint mechanism, the buckle comprising: a housing (3) having a rectilinear channel for receving a fastening member (2); a latching element (4) mounted within the housing and moveable between a first position in which it engages the fastening member and a second position in which the fastening member is released; a release button (10) operatively connected to the latching element for effecting movement thereof between the first and second positions; a blocking member (5) for engaging the latching element under predetermined conditions to prevent movement of the latching element towards the release position; and an inertial mass (14) pivotally mounted to, and contained within side walls of, the release button (10), the mass being arranged to act on the blocking member under said predetermined conditions to move the blocking member into engagement with the latching element.

Abstract: A vehicle safety apparatus has a 3-point seatbelt, with a buckle head, and a crash sensor. A pretensioner is connected at the buckle head of the seatbelt for pulling in a length of seatbelt webbing in response to the crash sensor detecting a crash. The pretensioner has a force reservoir and a piston located within and for movement along a pretensioner cylinder under the force of gas from a gas generator. The piston is connected by a cable to the buckle head of the seatbelt. A cable bracket has an inner and outer guide, and wherein the pretensioner cylinder is attached to the inner guide and the buckle mounting is connected to the outer guide.

Abstract: A buckle mechanism for use in vehicle safety restraint systems which is substantially shock proof against forces in many directions in a crash situation and also against forces generated by buckle pretensioners used to take up the slack in the belt webbing.The buckle mechanism has a movable button and a resiliently biased locking member guided by a rocking support member and movable transversely to the plane of movement of the button to engage or disengage a locking surface of a co-operating tongue. Mutually co-operating abutments are provided respectively on the button and on the locking member or on the rocking support member to lock the button against the buckle disengaging forces of a crash situation. Preferably an overlocking member is also provided to further resist spurious disengagement of the buckle.