Patents by Inventor Hans-Peter Betz

Hans-Peter Betz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11930893
    Abstract: A plug-in tongue for a seatbelt includes a plug-in tongue component (10) and a clamping member (12) mounted thereto, wherein a belt guide passage (30) is delimited between the plug-in tongue component (10) and the clamping member (12), and the clamping member (12) comprises a center part (18) and two lateral parts (20) extending from the two ends of the center part (18) transversely to the latter. The plug-in tongue is characterized in that the center part (18) includes a central guide surface (32) located between the two lateral parts (20), and the two lateral parts (20) include lateral guide surfaces (34) facing each other, the guide surfaces (32, 34) constituting limitations of the belt guide passage (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf Knoedl, Dominik Seitzer, Hans-Peter Betz
  • Patent number: 11659897
    Abstract: The invention describes a belt buckle (10) for a motor vehicle comprising a belt buckle housing (12) as well as a lighting unit (20) present in the area of a tongue insertion opening (36) and including a lamp (22) and a light conductor (16). A front panel (14) surrounding the tongue insertion opening (36) is provided which limits the belt buckle (10) on the end face. The front panel (14) is coupled to the belt buckle housing (12) via at least one detent mechanism (24, 30) such that the light conductor (16) provided at least partially between the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing (12) is aligned. The invention further describes a method for manufacturing a belt buckle (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Haas, Andrea Schüch, Hans-Peter Betz, Jörg Meyer
  • Publication number: 20220388475
    Abstract: A seat belt system for a vehicle comprising a seat (16) that includes a seat frame (26) with a seat frame side part (28), a seat belt (18) associated with the seat (16) and having a webbing (40), and a belt tensioner associated with the seat belt (18). The seat frame side part (28) includes a lateral opening (36) facing the vehicle interior. The seat (16) includes a seat cross tube that opens into the vehicle interior via the opening (36). The belt tensioner is accommodated in the seat cross tube. The seat belt system further includes a belt guide (54) and a webbing deflector (56) for the webbing (40), the belt guide (54) being provided at the opening (36). Moreover, a vehicle comprising such a seat belt system is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Hans-Peter BETZ
  • Publication number: 20220132998
    Abstract: A plug-in tongue for a seatbelt includes a plug-in tongue component (10) and a clamping member (12) mounted thereto, wherein a belt guide passage (30) is delimited between the plug-in tongue component (10) and the clamping member (12), and the clamping member (12) comprises a center part (18) and two lateral parts (20) extending from the two ends of the center part (18) transversely to the latter. The plug-in tongue is characterized in that the center part (18) includes a central guide surface (32) located between the two lateral parts (20), and the two lateral parts (20) include lateral guide surfaces (34) facing each other, the guide surfaces (32, 34) constituting limitations of the belt guide passage (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Ralf KNOEDL, Dominik SEITZER, Hans-Peter BETZ
  • Publication number: 20220126782
    Abstract: A belt shaft housing (40) for a belt shaft of a seatbelt system comprises a shaft holder (42) for holding the belt shaft, a securing component (48) including a retaining portion (88), and at least one fixing element (74) that is configured to fasten the belt shaft within the shaft holder (42). The securing component (48) is fastened to the shaft holder (42) such that it can adopt an assembly position and a securing position, wherein the fixing element (74) is released in the assembly position and is secured to the shaft holder (42) in the securing position. Further, a belt shaft including a webbing, a belt pin and a sleeve-shaped axle is provided. There is moreover provided a belt tensioner, especially an end fitting tensioner, comprising such belt shaft housing (40) and such belt shaft as well as a method for assembling such belt tensioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventor: Hans-Peter BETZ
  • Publication number: 20220047044
    Abstract: The invention describes a belt buckle (10) for a motor vehicle comprising a belt buckle housing (12) as well as a lighting unit (20) present in the area of a tongue insertion opening (36) and including a lamp (22) and a light conductor (16). A front panel (14) surrounding the tongue insertion opening (36) is provided which limits the belt buckle (10) on the end face. The front panel (14) is coupled to the belt buckle housing (12) via at least one detent mechanism (24, 30) such that the light conductor (16) provided at least partially between the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing (12) is aligned. The invention further describes a method for manufacturing a belt buckle (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Peter HAAS, Andrea SCHÜCH, Hans-Peter BETZ, Jörg MEYER
  • Patent number: 11046284
    Abstract: A force limiting device (10) for a seat belt comprises a fitting (14), a tension transfer means (36) and a deformation member (12) directly abutting on the fitting (14), wherein the fitting (14, 114) comprises a deflection unit (20, 120) in the form of a deflection pulley for the tension transfer means (36, 136).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Betz
  • Patent number: 10631597
    Abstract: A belt buckle includes a casing (12) and an illumination system (24) present in the area of a locking tongue insertion opening (14). The illumination system (24) includes a lamp (32) and a light conductor (26; 26?) having a light emission area, and the light conductor (26; 26?) includes an annular portion (42; 42?) which surrounds at least a major part of the locking tongue insertion opening (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Peter Haas, Jörg Meyer, Ralf Knoedl
  • Publication number: 20190351866
    Abstract: A force limiting device (10) for a seat belt comprises a fitting (14), a tension transfer means (36) and a deformation member (12) directly abutting on the fitting (14), wherein the fitting (14, 114) comprises a deflection unit (20, 120) in the form of a deflection pulley for the tension transfer means (36, 136).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Betz
  • Patent number: 10343646
    Abstract: A reinforcing member (36) for a belt shaft (10) comprises an elongate central portion (46) and two hooking portions (48) provided at the ends of the central portion (46) adapted to be hung into a hooking slit of a belt shaft body (28) of a belt shaft (10), wherein the central portion (46) includes a retaining portion (50) adapted to be encompassed by the webbing (26) and a supporting portion (58) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) substantially over the entire central portion (46) and being offset relative to a plane (M) which is defined by the retaining portion (50), and wherein retaining lands (60) defining a passage window (62) for the webbing (26) extend between the supporting portion (58) and the retaining portion (50). The invention further provides a belt shaft (10) comprising a belt shaft body (28) as well as an end fitting tensioner (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer, Michal Kacprzak
  • Patent number: 10315616
    Abstract: In a locking tongue (10) for a seat belt comprising an inserting portion (12) adapted to be inserted in a belt buckle and a deflecting portion (14) for webbing, wherein the deflecting portion (14) includes a webbing passage (20) as well as a clamping element (22) for the webbing and the clamping element (22) is movable between a home position in which the webbing is freely movable and a blocking position in which the clamping element is moved against a wall of the webbing passage so that the webbing is clamped between the clamping element (22) and the wall of the webbing passage (20), and wherein at least one spring element (34) is provided for forcing the clamping element (22) into the home position, it is provided that the spring element (34) is formed integrally on the deflecting portion (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Ralf Knoedl
  • Patent number: 10279773
    Abstract: On a belt tensioner cable guide member (10) comprising a guide duct (42) for a cable of a belt tensioner and comprising a pressure duct (40) for fluid communication between an inflator and a pressure chamber to which a displacement body to be driven and being coupled to the cable is assigned, a first sealing element (44) sealing the guide duct (42) against the cable and especially enclosing the cable in the peripheral direction is provided within the guide duct (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer
  • Patent number: 10264856
    Abstract: A belt buckle for a vehicle seat belt. The belt buckle includes a frame in which at least one locking element adapted to lock a plug-in tongue insertable into the belt buckle and an ejection element adapted to eject the plug-in tongue are provided. Each of the ejection element and the locking element is adapted to adopt a locked position and a home position. The locking element is adjacent to a web of the ejection element in the home position and thus blocked in its home position. The front end of the web has a ramp-like bearing surface against which the locking element slidingly engages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Haas, Hans-Peter Betz
  • Patent number: 10172424
    Abstract: A casing shell (10) for a belt buckle is described including at least one sidewall (12, 14, 16) which has an outwardly facing lateral face (22, 24, 26). A groove (23) extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal orientation (L) of the casing shell (10) completely over the lateral face (22, 24, 26) is provided on the lateral face (22, 24, 26). Furthermore a casing for a belt buckle is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Haas, Hans-Peter Betz
  • Publication number: 20170355349
    Abstract: In a locking tongue (10) for a seat belt comprising an inserting portion (12) adapted to be inserted in a belt buckle and a deflecting portion (14) for webbing, wherein the deflecting portion (14) includes a webbing passage (20) as well as a damping element (22) for the webbing and the clamping element (22) is movable between a home position in which the webbing is freely movable and a blocking position in which the clamping element is moved against a wall of the webbing passage so that the webbing is clamped between the clamping element (22) and the wall of the webbing passage (20), and wherein at least one spring element (34) is provided for forcing the clamping element (22) into the home position, it is provided that the spring element (34) is formed integrally on the deflecting portion (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Hans-Peter BETZ, Ralf KNOEDL
  • Publication number: 20170240136
    Abstract: A reinforcing member (36) for a belt shaft (10) comprises an elongate central portion (46) and two hooking portions (48) provided at the ends of the central portion (46) adapted to be hung into a hooking slit of a belt shaft body (28) of a belt shaft (10), wherein the central portion (46) includes a retaining portion (50) adapted to be encompassed by the webbing (26) and a supporting portion (58) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) substantially over the entire central portion (46) and being offset relative to a plane (M) which is defined by the retaining portion (50), and wherein retaining lands (60) defining a passage window (62) for the webbing (26) extend between the supporting portion (58) and the retaining portion (50). The invention further provides a belt shaft (10) comprising a belt shaft body (28) as well as an end fitting tensioner (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer, Michal Kacprzak
  • Publication number: 20170127765
    Abstract: A belt buckle comprises a casing (12) and an illumination system (24) present in the area of a locking tongue insertion opening (14). The illumination system (24) comprises a lamp (32) and a light conductor (26; 26?) including a light emission area, and the light conductor (26; 26?) includes an annular portion (42; 42?) which surrounds at least a major part of the locking tongue insertion opening (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Peter Haas, Jörg Meyer, Ralf Knoedl
  • Patent number: 9630588
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt tensioner (10) for a seat belt system comprising a belt shaft housing (18) and a belt shaft (12) pivoted in the belt shaft housing (18) about an axis (A), wherein prior to activation of the belt tensioner (10) the belt shaft (12) is retained in a torsionally fixed manner relative to the belt shaft housing (18) in at least one direction of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer, Ruediger Karl
  • Patent number: 9604595
    Abstract: An end fitting tensioner (10) for a seat belt system includes a rotatable belt shaft (12) to which one end (14) of a webbing (16) is fixed, a belt shaft housing (18) in which the belt shaft (12) is supported, a rope reel (36) which is arranged at an axial end of the belt shaft (12) and is connected to the belt shaft (12) in a rotationally fixed manner, as well as a pull rope (41) which is secured by one rope end (45) on the rope reel (36) and can at least partly be wound onto the rope reel (36). The rope reel (36) includes a winding surface (62) for the pull rope (41) that is conically tapered in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer, Karl Ruediger
  • Publication number: 20170057460
    Abstract: On a belt tensioner cable guide member (10) comprising a guide duct (42) for a cable of a belt tensioner and comprising a pressure duct (40) for fluid communication between an inflator and a pressure chamber to which a displacement body to be driven and being coupled to the cable is assigned, a first sealing element (44) sealing the guide duct (42) against the cable and especially enclosing the cable in the peripheral direction is provided within the guide duct (42).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Dominik Seitzer