Abstract: The invention relates to a restraint system for a vehicle occupant (26) in a motor vehicle, comprising a front airbag (28), in particular a driver's airbag, and a side airbag (14), in particular a curtain airbag. In the inflated state, the side airbag (14) is arranged and shaped in such a way that, in the event of a glancing impact of the vehicle occupant (26) on the front airbag (28), the side airbag (14) provides no significant support for the front airbag (28) in the vehicle transverse direction (y) in a front open region (20), relative to the direction of travel (x) of the vehicle, of the vehicle side below the A-pillar (12).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) having a seat (16 or 22) for receiving the occupant (20) includes an inflatable protection device (14) inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle (12) adjacent a reaction surface (19, 23, 36) to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant (20). The protection device (14) includes a front portion (62) presented toward the seat (22) and an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant (20?) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition. A rear portion (64) connected to the front portion (62) has an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion (62) by a space (110). The front portion (62) is positioned between the vehicle occupant (20) and the rear portion (64) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition.

Abstract: A front airbag for vehicle occupants, comprising a front face (16) facing the vehicle occupant in the inflated state, a rear panel (14) facing the vehicle front end and a chamber defining the interior of the inflated airbag (10) is characterized in that, relating to the front face (16), a central sub-chamber starting from the front face (16) is provided which is defined by a central front panel (20) forming part of the front face (16) and a circumferential central side panel (22), wherein the circumferential side panel (22) protrudes into the envelope of the inflated airbag (10), and in that at least one outer chamber (30) laterally adjacent to the central sub-chamber (18) and surrounding the sub-chamber (18) at least partially on the outside is provided which includes an outer front panel (32) forming part of the front face (16) and a side panel (34) which is adjacent to the central side panel (22).

Abstract: A method for operating a seat belt system (10) for an occupant (12) in a vehicle (14) comprises a belt webbing for restraining the occupant (12), a belt buckle (26) and a sensor (28) for sensing the webbing extension. The method initiates a reaction when the webbing extension exceeds a threshold which takes the minimum webbing extension after the closing of the belt buckle (26) into account.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) having a seat (16 or 22) for receiving the occupant (20) includes an inflatable protection device (14) inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle (12) adjacent a reaction surface (19, 23, 36) to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant (20). The protection device (14) includes a front portion (62) presented toward the seat (22) and an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant (20?) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition. A rear portion (64) connected to the front portion (62) has an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion (62) by a space (110). The front portion (62) is positioned between the vehicle occupant (20) and the rear portion (64) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) having a seat (16 or 22) for receiving the occupant (20) includes an inflatable protection device (14) inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle (12) adjacent a reaction surface (19, 23, 36) to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant (20). The protection device (14) includes a front portion (62) presented toward the seat (22) and an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant (20?) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition. A rear portion (64) connected to the front portion (62) has an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion (62) by a space (110). The front portion (62) is positioned between the vehicle occupant (20) and the rear portion (64) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition.

Abstract: A front airbag for vehicle occupants, comprising a front face (16) facing the vehicle occupant in the inflated state, a rear panel (14) facing the vehicle front end and a chamber defining the interior of the inflated airbag (10) is characterized in that, relating to the front face (16), a central sub-chamber starting from the front face (16) is provided which is defined by a central front panel (20) forming part of the front face (16) and a circumferential central side panel (22), wherein the circumferential side panel (22) protrudes into the envelope of the inflated airbag (10), and in that at least one outer chamber (30) laterally adjacent to the central sub-chamber (18) and surrounding the sub-chamber (18) at least partially on the outside is provided which includes an outer front panel (32) forming part of the front face (16) and a side panel (34) which is adjacent to the central side panel (22).

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt comprises a rotatably supported belt reel from which webbing can be unwound, a force limiting means which in a force limiting phase permits controlled webbing extension in the webbing extension direction when the belt reel is blocked and a particular force threshold is exceeded, and a change-over device for performing a change-over operation during which it is changed between a low force limitation level and a high force limitation level. In accordance with the invention, the change-over device includes a control means which in response to the identification of an installed child safety seat suppresses a change-over operation from the low force limitation level to the high force limitation level and/or triggers a change-over operation from the high force limitation level to the low force limitation level.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) having a seat (16 or 22) for receiving the occupant (20) includes an inflatable protection device (14) inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle (12) adjacent a reaction surface (19, 23, 36) to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant (20). The protection device (14) includes a front portion (62) presented toward the seat (22) and an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant (20?) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition. A rear portion (64) connected to the front portion (62) has an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion (62) by a space (110). The front portion (62) is positioned between the vehicle occupant (20) and the rear portion (64) when the protection device (14) is in the deployed condition.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt includes a rotatably supported belt reel (12) from which webbing can be unwound, a force limiting means which in a force limiting phase permits controlled webbing extension in the webbing extension direction when the belt reel (12) is blocked and a particular force threshold is exceeded, and a change-over device for carrying out a change-over operation before and/or during the force limiting phase in which it is changed from a first force level to a second force level. The change-over device includes a control means adapted to trigger or inhibit the change-over operation at least in response to the recognition of an installed child safety seat (34).

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt includes a rotatably supported belt reel (12) from which webbing can be unwound, a force limiting means which in a force limiting phase permits controlled webbing extension in the webbing extension direction when the belt reel (12) is blocked and a particular force threshold is exceeded, and a change-over device for carrying out a change-over operation before and/or during the force limiting phase in which it is changed from a first force level to a second force level. The change-over device includes a control means adapted to trigger or inhibit the change-over operation at least in response to the recognition of an installed child safety seat (34).

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt comprises a rotatably supported belt reel from which webbing can be unwound, a force limiting means which in a force limiting phase permits controlled webbing extension in the webbing extension direction when the belt reel is blocked and a particular force threshold is exceeded, and a change-over device for performing a change-over operation during which it is changed between a low force limitation level and a high force limitation level. In accordance with the invention, the change-over device includes a control means which in response to the identification of an installed child safety seat suppresses a change-over operation from the low force limitation level to the high force limitation level and/or triggers a change-over operation from the high force limitation level to the low force limitation level.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle occupant seat belt, comprising a belt reel (14) rotatably mounted in a housing (12), a torsion bar (21) extending in the interior of said belt reel (14) and connected by its first axial end (22) non-rotatably to said belt reel (14) and by its second axial end (26) non-rotatably to a ratchet disk (18) provided with a ratchet toothing (16), and a load-bearing ratchet pawl (42) capable of being brought into engagement with said ratchet toothing (16) to block said belt reel (14), is characterized in that said torsion bar comprises a first section (28) as well as a second section (30), the cross-section of which is smaller than that of said first section (28), that an arresting portion (24) is configured between said first and second sections (28, 30) and that a bypass element (34) is provided which can be transposed from a starting position connecting said arresting portion (24) non-rotatably to said second end (26) of said torsion bar (21) into a release position in which said arre