Abstract: In a pretensioner for safety belt systems in vehicles a mechanical drive having a pretensioned spring is provided. The spring is held by a trigger mechanism in its pretensioned state. For initiating a tightening operation the spring is released by the trigger mechanism. The vehicle-sensitive sensor mass of said trigger mechanism is formed substantially by the mass of the spring itself, that of a piston and a detent lever and the smaller mass of a guide tube which receives the spring and is guided translationally displaceably relatively to a common support structure of the pretensioner drive and of a fitting of the safety belt system.

Abstract: A filtering system is disclosed for receiving and bandpass filtering free space optical signals. The filtering system includes a plurality of optical fibers for accepting an optical signal. The fibers are implanted in an embedding material, having an index of refraction which is less than the optical fiber, for collimating the optical signal. The signal is further passed through a narrow, bandpass filter before detection by a photodetector device. In an alternative embodiment, the optical fibers are enclosed in a cladding, having a surface roughness at the interface of the cladding and the fiber, for enhancing the collimation of the optical signal.

Abstract: A reflector for coupling light from a light source into an optical waveguide includes input and output ends, a central axis and a reflecting surface disposed around the central axis. A light source, such as an arc lamp, is positioned on the central axis at the input end of the reflector. An input end of an optical waveguide is positioned on the central axis at the output end of the reflector. The reflecting surface has a first section adjacent to the input end with a first curvature that is concave toward the central axis, a second section adjacent to the output end with a second curvature that is concave away from the central axis, and an inflection section between the first and second sections. The first and second curvatures are selected to reflect light through the output end of the reflector within a prescribed range of angles that corresponds to the acceptance angle of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: In a pretensioner for safety belt systems in vehicles a mechanical drive having a pretensioned spring is provided. The spring is held in its pretensioned state by a trigger mechanism. For initiating a pretensioning operation the spring is released by the trigger mechanism. The vehicle-sensitive sensor mass of said trigger mechanism is provided substantially by the mass of the spring itself and the smaller mass of a guide tube which receives the spring and is pivotal relatively to the bearing housing of the belt retractor against the force of a spring.

Abstract: A belt pretensioner in a safety belt system for vehicles is equipped with a piston/cylinder linear drive which is activatable by a pyrotechnical gas generator and which is arranged in a support housing pivotally between a rest position and a triggering position. The piston/cylinder linear drive forms a vehicle-sensitive inertial mass which is loaded by spring bias in the direction of the rest position and movable by deceleration-induced inertial forces into the triggering position. The gas generator is provided with a percussion ignitor. Mounted on the support housing is a spring-loaded striking member which has an anvil for striking against the percussion ignitor and is held in a readiness position by engagement on a holding surface of the piston/cylinder linear drive.

Abstract: The safety belt restraining system for vehicles is provided with a vehicle-sensitive and/or webbing-sensitive locking belt retractor and a webbing clamping means following said retractor. To achieve fast activation of the webbing clamping means with minimum webbing withdrawal but nevertheless to protect the webbing from damage by the clamping operation, the inhibiting force exerted by the webbing clamping means on the webbing is limited by dimensioning and configuration of the system to a predetermined value at which the webbing clamping means does not cause any appreciable weakening of the webbing. The belt retractor is in turn dimensioned at least for absorbing the forces which are to be expected in the evolution of an accident and are introduced via the webbing after the predetermined value is exceeded. When said value is exceeded and, e.g. the webbing slips between the webbing clamping means, the retractor can absorb the remaining blocking load.

Abstract: A percussion igniter for a pyrotechnical gas generator in a safety belt pretensioner is provided. The gas generator has a housing with a guide opening. An impact transmission member such as a ball or pin is received in the guide opening and has an inner end facing an impact face of a priming cap in said gas generator and an outer end projecting from the guide opening.

Abstract: The sinkers (15) which are used together with the needles of a two-bed flat knitting machine and which are located opposite one another in the needle beds (1, 2) have an upper projection (17) and a lower projection (18) which, in one of their positions, both have a retaining effect on the stitches or stitch rows made.

Abstract: In a buckle for safety belt systems in vehicles which are provided with a belt pretensioner acting on the bucket an unintentional release of the insert tongue is prevented by a two-armed lever which is pivotally mounted on the loadbearing housing. On each actuation of the release button the lever is pivoted out of its rest position into a deflected position. At the end of a pretensioning stroke one of the arms of the lever projects into the path of movement of the release button to prevent the further movement thereof in the actuating direction.

Abstract: For triggering of a pretensioner or a gas-bag restraining system in vehicles a vehicle-sensitive inertia mass pivotally mounted in a housing is provided. A strike piece pivotally mounted in the housing and spring-loaded in the direction of a firing pin bears via a roller on a cam face of the inertia mass. The configuration of the cam face, the path of movement of the roller on a pivot movement of the spring-loaded strike piece and the direction of movement of the inertia mass are adapted to each other in such a manner that the triggering criteria of an electronic trigger circuit integrating the deceleration values above a predetermined threshold with respect to time are simulated.

Abstract: The vehicle-sensitive inertia mass of a control mechanism for a pretensioner in a safety belt restraining system is secured in a safety position by a blocking means engaging on the inertia mass to inhibit operation of said pretensioner. A sensing pin senses the approach of the housing of the control mechanism to a part of the vehicle bodywork in the mounting of the housing on said part of the vehicle bodywork and converts said approach to an actuating travel which causes the blocking means to release the inertia mass.

Abstract: For controlling a pretensioner of a gas-bag restraining system in vehicles a vehicle-sensitive inertia mass is pivotally mounted in a housing. A strike piece pivotally mounted in the housing and spring-loaded in the direction of a firing pin bears via a roller mounted easily movably thereon on a cam face of the inertia mass. The configuration of the cam face, the path of movement of the roller on a pivot movement of the spring-loaded strike piece and the direction of movement of the inertia mass are adapted to each other in such a manner that the triggering criteria of an electronic trigger circuit integrating the deceleration values above a predetermined threshold with respect to time are simulated. By employing rolling bearings and by the hermetic sealing of the housing the triggering parameters remain unchanged for a long time.

Abstract: The mechanical sensor of a pretensioner in a safety belt restraining system is secured against unintentional release in the unassembled state by a pin which engages a vehicle-sensitive inertia mass and which blocks movement of the inertia mass. The pin is connected via a cable to a rotatable member which is received in a bearing housing. The rotatable member has the form of an annular disc with a central bore through which a mounting screw can be inserted. On tightening the mounting screw the rotatable member is also turned so that via the pulling cable the pin is withdrawn and the securing of the inertia mass is cancelled.

Abstract: A narrow passband, reflective optical filter at a wavelength L, has a container filled with a pressurized gas, the pressurized gas having a ground state transition corresponding to the wavelength L and transparent to all other wavelengths. The container has at least one optically transparent major planar surface serving as the face thereof, whereby incoming broadband light is absorbed by the gas, except at its resonance wavelength L, which is specularly reflected. The optically transparent face of the container optionally has a broadband anti-reflective coating to improve its out-of-band rejection of unwanted wavelengths of the light signal.

Abstract: The buckle for safety belts in vehicles provided with a pretensioner engaging said buckle is provided with a compensating mass which at the end of the pretensioning travel prevents a mass-inertia-induced movement of the release button in the actuating direction. The compensating mass is formed by a lever which is pivotally mounted on the housing and which comprises a gear element which is in permanent meshing engagement with a rack on the release button. On each actuation of the release button the lever is pivoted, the easy mobility thereof thereby being ensured even after a longer period of use of the buckle.

Abstract: An electrodeless lamp may be formed with a capsule having a radiant energy transmissive material defining an approximately cylindrical enclosed volume having an external length less than 20.0 millimeters, and an outer diameter less than 8.0 millimeters. The enclosed volume is filled with a lamp fill excitable by a high frequency electromagnetic field to produce radiant energy. The small size capsule produces a particularly efficient, orientation tolerant arc discharge. The arc is then highly stable as to position, yielding a good optical source to design for. The temperature gradient is small, thereby yielding little thermal stress on the capsule. An electrodeless HID headlamp system may be formed with the efficient capsule from a radio frequency source operating from the power supply of a typical automobile. The headlamp system includes a high frequency power source, a transmission line, a coupler, an excitable lamp fill captured in a lamp capsule, a reflector and a lens.

Abstract: The firing mechanism for a pyrotechnical gas generator in the tightening means of a safety belt restraining system includes a pivotally mounted vehicle-sensitive inertia mass, a spring-loaded pivotally mounted strike piece, a firing pin which is arranged with its free end lying opposite the impact fuse of the gas generator and with its other end lying opposite the strike piece, and a roller blocking mechanism which in the readiness state holds the strike piece at a distance from the opposite end of the firing pin and on vehicle-sensitive pivoting of the inertia mass after over-coming an inhibition threshold releases the strike piece which then under the action of the spring biasing is driven to the oppositely disposed end of the firing pin, strikes the latter and via the firing pin effects firing of the gas generator.

Abstract: The tightening means for safety belt restraining systems is equipped with a pyrotechnical piston/cylinder tightening drive which is inserted via fitting parts engaging the piston on the one hand and the cylinder on the other hand into the force flow path of the safety belt system. The cylinder is formed in a cylinder block which is guided displaceably parallel to the axis of the cylinder on a bodywork-fixed or vehicle-seat-fixed guide member. The piston is formed at the one end of a shear-stressable piston rod and in the readiness position of the tightening means is inserted with the piston rod into the cylinder. At its other end the piston rod is supported at the guide part. The release is by means of a vehicle-sensitive mechanical trigger mechanism. Instead of a return blocking mechanism is return brake is provided which reduces the stress peaks in the belt system.

Abstract: A buckle for a safety belt system provided with a belt pretensioner is secured by a blocking pawl against unintentional opening at the end of the pretensioning stroke. By the locking pawl the release button is arrested at the housing before it has reached the end of its lost motion path. The driving of the locking pawl is by the inertia forces acting with a certain leverage at the center of gravity thereof at the end of the pretensioning stroke.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor includes a webbing sensitive blocking mechanism for blocking rotation of the belt spool in the belt withdrawal direction. The blocking mechanism includes an inertia disc connected via a coupling pawl and an externally toothed coupling wheel to the control wheel. Relative rotation between the inertia disc and the control wheel results in actuation of the blocking mechanism. When a predetermined centrifugal force is exceeded the coupling pawl comes out of engagement with the external toothing of the coupling wheel. The mass disc is uncoupled from the control wheel, preventing actuation of the blocking mechanism.