Abstract: A device for tightening a vehicle seatbelt has a piston-like drive member arranged in a guide tube. A propellant gas drives the drive member by expanding in a pressure chamber adjoining the drive member. A movement transmitting system connects the drive member and the seatbelt to be tightened. The drive member is a step piston which is provided with a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber. A propellant gas discharge system supplies the propellant gas to the pressure chambers. The propellant gas flows into the first pressure chamber and the step piston is set into motion by the propellant gas. The propellant gas acting in the first pressure chamber clears a discharge orifice in the second pressure chamber after covering a first distance so the propellant gas flowing into the second pressure chamber and acting therein additionally drives the step piston.

Abstract: A device senses movement of the front part of an airbag during deployment with a sensing element that is extended during inflation of the airbag and delivers a measured value for the movement of the airbag. Electrical connections are mechanically separated in a time sequence during the sensing of movement, the successive separation processes being detectable electrically and/or electronically.

Abstract: An airbag device for the passenger side of a motor vehicle includes a gas cushion that, in the folded state, is integrated in a unit comprising a reinforcing semi-shell and the instrument panel, and a gas generator that is supported separately on a component which is fixedly connected to the vehicle body. The gas generator communicates with the gas inlet opening of the gas cushion by means of a gas conduit that is preferably of flexible design.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of mowing meadows and the like, a method of composting cuttings, a mowing machine and a cuttings processing apparatus. A mowing machine according to the invention includes a driven rotating cutting member 4, a cuttings conveyor device 12 for transporting the cuttings into a compacting device 15, a chopping device 16 for the cuttings, a subsequent dehydrating device 17 and a liquid collecting and discharging device 19, 20 for the liquid extracted from the cuttings in the dehydration procedure.

Abstract: A device for protecting against a side impact in a motor vehicle has a gas cushion which in the undeployed state is arranged in the trim of a vehicle door and in the inflated state extends beyond the lower edge of the window of the door, whereby the gas cushion is supported by at least two inflatable supports on the vehicle door which extend beyond the lower edge of the window of the door.

Abstract: An air bag unit is provided to protect a vehicle passenger from impacting a member of the interior of a vehicle. The air bag unit includes one or more air bags attached as an integral unit to a clamping device for attachment to a portion of the interior vehicle frame. Since the air bag is intended to protect passengers from impact with an interior member of the vehicle frame, the air bag is adapted to the shape of such member. The clamping device includes an attachment part which slidably engages the interior of the vehicle frame. In addition, the air bag unit is inflated by a tube housed therein. The tube exerts a restraining action on the inflating gas and includes one or more breakage locations which are intended to rupture within the air bag at a predetermined pressure for inflation of the air bag.

Abstract: The invention relates to a belt tightening device for a seat belt having at least two pyrotechnically drivable drive units 10, 11 which can be moved in guides 14, 32 in a housing 1 and which, in a chronologically adapted succession, can be brought into a driving engagement with a winding shaft of a seat belt retractor and cause this shaft to carry out a rotating movement which tightens the belt. Furthermore a sun gear 2 is provided which can be rotationally coupled with the winding shaft, as well as a planet gear 7 which is guided on a circular-segment-shaped moving path around the sun gear 2, this planet gear 7 moving along a housing-fixed toothing 9 and simultaneously being in a rotation-transmitting engagement with an external toothing of the sun gear 2, and each drive unit 10, 11 for transmitting its driving movement onto the planet gear 7, being coupled with this planet gear 7 for a defined movement section of the planet gear 7.

Abstract: The present invention provides a knee restraining device for vehicles which comprises a knee protector plate adapted to be moved toward the knees of a vehicle occupant. The knee restraining device comprises a base plate adapted to be mounted against the outline of the bottom part of a dashboard. The base plate has at least one opening for connection with a gas source arranged in the dashboard. Furthermore, the knee restraining device has a wall, of flexible material, folded up between the base plate and the knee restraining plate in the inactive position thereof. This wall is connected along a first closed rim with the base plate and along a second closed rim with the knee restraining plate.

Abstract: An air bag unit is provided to protect a vehicle passenger from impacting a member of the interior of a vehicle. The air bag unit includes one or more air bags attached as an integral unit to a clamping device for attachment to a portion of the interior vehicle frame. Since the air bag is intended to protect passengers from impact with an interior member of the vehicle frame, the air bag is adapted to the shape of such member. The clamping device includes an attachment part which slidably engages the interior of the vehicle frame. In addition, the air bag unit is inflated by a tube housed therein. The tube exerts a restraining action on the inflating gas and includes one or more breakage locations which are intended to rupture within the air bag at a predetermined pressure for inflation of the air bag.

Abstract: A coupling for torque transfer from a drive operated by a propellant to a belt shaft 3 of a seat belt retractor for tensioning a seat belt includes a coupling element 2 maintained in the resting position in the uncoupled condition. The coupling element is supported by two different components 4, 5 with the aid of a carrier 1, a force having engaging effect being exerted by the carrier on the coupling element 2 due to the movement of the one component relative to the other.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a device for blocking the operation of a motor vehicle comprising a mechanical lock 5, by means of which the shifting operation of the transmission in the motor vehicle may be blocked, an actuating device 6 that is controlled by electrical signals and actuates the mechanical lock 5, and a coded transponder 7, by means of which the electrical signals that control the actuating device 6 are triggered once the code has been identified.

Abstract: An apparatus for the rotary drive of a winding shaft of a safety belt automatic winding device, including a rotary member 4 mounted rotatably in a casing 8 and caused to be rotated by a plurality of propellant gas charges 2, 5 which are ignited successively, with the drive movement of the rotary member 4 being transmitted to the winding shaft 10 via clutch members 14.

Abstract: A drive mechanism has a guide pipe, a piston which is guided in the guide pipe and is driven by a propellant that is generated by a gas generator, and a traction mechanism which connects the piston to the component to be driven.

Abstract: A device for lifting and/or lowering a load, in particular a two-wheeled vehicle such as a bicycle, onto or off of a load carrier connected to a motor vehicle, has an extension arm with which the load can be comfortably lifted and lowered.

Abstract: For a motor vehicle with at least one passenger seat which has attachment devices for a child's safety seat that can be attached to it and at least one air bag in the region of the passenger seat, the invention proposes that at least one attachment device for the child's safety seat be provided with a sensor for deactivating the air bag which reacts to the attachment of the child's safety seat. This assures that during the transportation of the child in the child's safety seat, the air bag in front of the child's safety seat is deactivated.

Abstract: A locking device for securing at least first and second members which are movable relative to each other in response to a force acting thereon, in a locked rest position, with a release mechanism for releasing the members from their locked position, includes a locking element providing at least first and second support locations at which respective ones of the first and second mutually relatively movable members bear against the locking element to hold them in a locked condition. The co-operation of the locking element and one of the mutually relatively movable members provides a pivot axis about which the locking element is pivotable under the effect of an unlocking moment, to provide a release action. The device further includes a stationary stop means against which, in the locked position, the locking element bears due to the unlocking moment applied thereto.

Abstract: A buckle for a safety belt of a vehicle, especially a motor vehicle, the locking member of which is designed as a cylindrical revolving body and which is located with its axis of rotation in the belt tongue entry path, the revolving body having a recess in alignment with the insertion paht and the locking member having a control arm operable by the ejector for the purpose of locking and which ensures that the locking membler has locked and unlocked position.

Abstract: A device for the tensioning of a safety belt of a vehicle, for eliminating belt slack, in the event of an accident hasa sensor (2, 28, 29, 30) which acts in the event of an extreme change in speed (shock load) by virtue of its inert mass, and a traction cable connected to the safety belt, cable being actuated by gas pressure released from a gas reservoir (2), gas reservoir forming part of said inertial mass.

Abstract: An automatic passenger seat safety belt reeling device, has a steel frame (31, 32, 33) and a reel rotatable in the frame about an axis (39) which is angularly moveable about a second axis (40) offset from the first axis to effect locking of the belt, the first axis being coupled by connecting links (48) to a pivot (46) of a clamping member (47), the clamping member being thereby moveable with the angular movement of the axis (46) of the reel about yet a further axis (45) displaced from the pivot (46), the clamping member having a curved clamping surface (47a) which thereby moves towards a paying-out seat belt (61) to lockingly clamp it against a clamping plate (50) located in the frame.

Abstract: In an automatic spring biassed seat belt retract for passenger seat belts in vehicle a winding reel (15) has a coil spring (17) which winds up as the belt webbing is pulled off the reel, the reel is mounted in a frame (1) with interval teeth (30,31) in apertures (34,35) on each side (22,23) of the frame and the reel assembly is rigidly rockable about a pivot axis (26-45) displaced from the reel periphery to achieve programmed synchronized meshing of teeth (20,21) of the reel with the teeth of the apertures to lock up the reel when excessive vehicle deceleration or excessive webbing pull-out acceleration is sensed by inertia sensing means and such synchronized movement being assured by the manner of the reel mounting on a U-shaped needle arrangement (14,26,31) in the frame.