Patents by Inventor Ralf Strobel

Ralf Strobel 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: 7364201
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a safety belt arrangement with a belt webbing, a belt buckle and one of an end- and deflection fitting. The restraint system further comprises two tracks with which a vehicle seat is connected and which, for displacement of the vehicle seat, are constructed for engagement into counter-tracks fixed to a floor of the vehicle. An elongated, rigid fastening element is provided which extends beneath the seat between the tracks and which is connected with both of the tracks. At least one belt tensioner is mounted to the fastening element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Lutz, Ralf Strobel
  • Patent number: 7055774
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a belt spool (12) rotatably mounted in a frame (10) and a coupling disc (32) rotatably mounted relative to the belt spool. With a rotation relative to the belt spool, the coupling disc can bring about a locking of the rotation of the belt spool in unwinding direction of the safety belt. The belt spool has a first friction element (22) and the coupling disc has a second friction element (66). The first and second friction elements are positioned such that they are able to connect the belt spool and the coupling disc with each other with a friction fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Strobel
  • Publication number: 20050140132
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a safety belt arrangement with a belt webbing, a belt buckle and one of an end- and deflection fitting. The restraint system further comprises two tracks with which a vehicle seat is connected and which, for displacement of the vehicle seat, are constructed for engagement into counter-tracks fixed to a floor of the vehicle. An elongated, rigid fastening element is provided which extends beneath the seat between the tracks and which is connected with both of the tracks. At least one belt tensioner is mounted to the fastening element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Jurgen Lutz, Ralf Strobel
  • Publication number: 20040095010
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a belt spool (12) rotatably mounted in a frame (10) and a coupling disc (32) rotatably mounted relative to the belt spool. With a rotation relative to the belt spool, the coupling disc can bring about a locking of the rotation of the belt spool in unwinding direction of the safety belt. The belt spool has a first friction element (22) and the coupling disc has a second friction element (66). The first and second friction elements are positioned such that they are able to connect the belt spool and the coupling disc with each other with a friction fit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Strobel
  • Publication number: 20030137140
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a safety belt arrangement with a belt webbing, a belt buckle and one of an end- and deflection fitting. The restraint system further comprises two tracks with which a vehicle seat is connected and which, for displacement of the vehicle seat, are constructed for engagement into counter-tracks fixed to a floor of the vehicle. An elongated, rigid fastening element is provided which extends beneath the seat between the tracks and which is connected with both of the tracks. At least one belt tensioner is mounted to the fastening element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. Kg
    Inventors: Jurgen Lutz, Ralf Strobel
  • Patent number: 6454201
    Abstract: A belt retractor comprises a belt spool rotatably mounted in a frame, a locking mechanism for the belt spool with at least one locking disc connected to the belt spool, and a torque limiting member arranged in a force flow path between the belt spool and the locking disc. The torque limiting member is constructed as a friction clutch comprising two clutch faces lying opposite each other and a friction member arranged between the clutch faces. The friction member is constructed as a flat spring part having shaped sections. The shaped sections lie at least partially against at least one of the clutch faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Strobel, Hermann-Karl Weller
  • Patent number: 6425541
    Abstract: In a belt retractor the absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel is sensed by an incremental counter. The incremental counter is calibrated by sensing the angle of rotation of a control disc coupled to the belt reel by a reduction gear unit. The count of the incremental counter represents the absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel with high accuracy. Various components of a restraint system are controlled as a function of the thus measured absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Strobel
  • Patent number: 6290160
    Abstract: A belt retractor has a frame (1; 101), a belt reel rotatably mounted about an axis in the frame, a control disc (10; 110) coaxial with the belt reel and a reduction gear unit (7, 15, 16) which translates rotation the belt reel into a reduced rotation of the control disc. The control disc has a cutout window (11; 111) between a pair of detector elements. The first (8; 108) of these detector elements is connected to the belt reel for joint rotation and the second (12; 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) is arranged as fixed relative to the frame. The window is located on the same radius as said detector elements relative to the axis. The arrangement provides a precise measurement of the absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Strobel