Patents by Inventor Wolf-Dieter Honl

Wolf-Dieter Honl 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: 7887095
    Abstract: A belt tensioner for a safety belt system includes a pinion (16) rotatably mounted in a housing (12), a drive unit (26), and a toothed rack (18) whose toothing (20) is directly engaged or enters into direct engagement with the pinion (16) and which can be driven by means of the drive unit (26). The toothed rack (18) has the shape of a circular arc and moves on a circular path (K) upon activation of the drive unit (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Bieg, Michael Vogeltanz, Wolf-Dieter Hönl, Thomas Mödinger, Tanja Rau
  • Publication number: 20090261567
    Abstract: A belt tensioner for a safety belt system includes a pinion (16) rotatably mounted in a housing (12), a drive unit (26), and a toothed rack (18) whose toothing (20) is directly engaged or enters into direct engagement with the pinion (16) and which can be driven by means of the drive unit (26). The toothed rack (18) has the shape of a circular arc and moves on a circular path (K) upon activation of the drive unit (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Wilfried Bieg, Michael Vogeltanz, Wolf-Dieter Honl, Thomas Modinger, Tanja Rau
  • Patent number: 6840474
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, a belt reel axle with an external toothing, and a pawl. The belt retractor has a sliding clutch by means of which the pawl can be brought to engage in the external toothing, in order to rotate the belt reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolf-Dieter Hönl, Thomas Modinger
  • Patent number: 6712394
    Abstract: A tensioner for a safety belt includes a cylinder, a piston which is slidably arranged within the cylinder, and a traction transfer element which is connected with the piston to transfer a movement of the piston to the safety belt. The tensioner further includes a drive which may exert a driving force on the piston to tension the safety belt. The piston is provided with a deformation element which the traction transfer element engages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Wolf-Dieter Hönl
  • Publication number: 20030052209
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, a belt reel axle with an external toothing, and a pawl. The belt retractor has a sliding clutch by means of which the pawl can be brought to engage in the external toothing, in order to rotate the belt reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Wolf-Dieter Honl, Thomas Modinger
  • Publication number: 20020113425
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tensioner for a safety belt, the tensioner comprising a cylinder, a piston which is slidably arranged within the cylinder, and a traction transfer means which is connected with the piston to transfer a movement of the piston to the safety belt. The tensioner further comprises a drive which may exert a driving force on the piston to tension the safety belt. The piston is provided with a deformation element which the traction transfer means engages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Betz, Wolf-Dieter Honl
  • Patent number: 5344096
    Abstract: The invention relates to a safety belt restraining system for vehicles comprising a belt retractor 10 and a webbing clamping means 12 arranged downstream of the retractor 10 and having two clamping wedges 46, 48 which are arranged opposite each other in a housing on either side of the webbing 22. The belt retractor 10 blockable in vehicle-sensitive and/or webbing-sensitive manner and the webbing clamping means 12 are connected together by connecting means 60, 62. With plastic deformation they yield and permit a limited moving of the webbing clamping means 12 away from the belt retractor 10 when the force exerted on the webbing 22 exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: TRW Repa GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Frei, Uwe Hirzel, Martin Rohrle, Wolf-Dieter Honl
  • Patent number: 5323977
    Abstract: This invention relates to a safety belt system for vehicles comprising a belt retractor 10 and a webbing clamping mechanisms 12 arranged downstream of the retractor 10 and having two clamping wedges 46 and 48 which are arranged opposite each other in a housing on either side of the webbing. When the slide faces 54, 56 bear on the support surfaces 42, 44 the clamping faces 50, 52 of the clamping wedges 46, 48 form an angle of about one degree with each other which is open in the direction G of the belt withdrawal. Holding devices 402, 404; 410, 414 are provided for holding said clamping wedges 46, 48 in said rest position with their slide faces 54, 56 inclined to said support surfaces 42, 44 and their clamping faces parallel to the webbing. The holding devices become ineffective under load so that the slide faces 54, 56 make a surface contact with said support surfaces 42, 44 and the clamping faces 50, 52 form an angle of about one degree with each other which is open in the direction (G) of belt withdrawal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: TRW Repa GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Frei, Uwe Hirzel, Martin Rohrle, Wolf-Dieter Honl
  • Patent number: 5176335
    Abstract: When required a quasi-static blocking function is achieved in a fundamentally conventional belt retractor with vehicle-sensitive and/or webbing-sensitive blocking mechanism comprising a control disc (16) which is provided at its outer periphery with a control toothing (18) and by the movement of which relatively to the belt spool (12) the blocking mechanism is activatable. For this purpose a feeler (26) is held in spring-resilient engagement with the outer periphery of the belt coil. An actuating arm (34) of a control pawl (24) pivotally mounted on the housing (10) cooperates with control faces of said feeler (26). The control pawl (24) is movable between a first stable position in which it engages with its pawl tip (30) into the control toothing (18) and a second stable position in which it is moved out of the region of the control toothing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: TRW Repa GmbH
    Inventors: Wolf-Dieter Honl, Hermann Weller
  • Patent number: 4925123
    Abstract: A safety belt retractor is associated with a belt retightener which comprises a coupling mechanism provided between a pulley and the belt spool of the retractor. After a tightening operation the belt spool is disengaged from the pulley. The coupling mechanism consists of a clamping roller mechanism and a coupling pawl functionally in series therewith to combine the fast and reliable response of the clamping roller mechanism with the easy releasability of the coupling pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: TRW Repa GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Frei, Wolf-Dieter Honl
  • Patent number: 4553716
    Abstract: Mechanism in roll-up devices for safety belts in motor vehicles, where the safety belt which, addressed by one or more danger sensors, can be blocked via a belt shaft, is stressed in tension by a spring force in the winding-up direction of the belt shaft, and where, within a short range of rotation of the belt shaft in the pull direction of the safety belt, a locking device for the belt shaft, acting against the elastic winding-up spring force, is made effective by control gates of plate cams. The locking wheel of the locking device, connected to the belt shaft secured against rotation is arranged within a first ring-shaped plate cam which can be swung freely between two stops within a recess and is equipped with a control recess within a control gate. The first plate cam is in frictional contact via a friction element with a second plate cam which is arranged axially next to the first plate cam and the locking wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: REPA Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventor: Wolf-Dieter Honl
  • Patent number: 4483495
    Abstract: Mechanism for blocking a belt shaft of a roll-up device for a safety belt in a vehicle characterized by the features that the control pawl is pivoted in the stationary roll-up housing of the mechanism in the tangential direction range to the pitch circle of the teeth, can be swung with the detent tip of the control pawl by positioning means of the danger sensor into the range of the teeth of the control disc, can be swung further upon rotation of the control disc toward the tooth base by a pulling force on the safety belt against the detent tip with the latter, taking along the blocking pawl into the area of the ratchet wheel teeth and can be moved, at least in the range of its tip, against an elastic force by a pulling force on the safety belt transmitted via the cam of the control disc where if a tooth of the control disc is struck by the tip of the control pawl, a distance between the next tooth of the ratchet wheel is provided by mechanical design to ensure engagement of the blocking pawl with the teeth o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: Repa Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventor: Wolf-Dieter Honl
  • Patent number: 4422594
    Abstract: Automatic roll-up device for a safety belt in vehicles, with means for blocking the belt roller in the case of danger, consisting of a detent locking mechanism which is automatically operated by a vehicle-sensitive and/or belt-sensitive activating mechanism. A locking detent is provided which can lock with locking teeth of locking wheels fixed to the belt shaft. A control part which is freely rotatably supported on the belt shaft serves to operate the locking detent. The control part can be moved to its locking position by a support member, which is fixed to the belt shaft and has locking teeth, by the action of a sensor pawl lever which is supported at the control part and can be directly positioned by means of a vehicle-sensitive inertia sensor. And/or a belt-sensitive inertia sensor which is attached to the support member can lock-in with the control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: Repa Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventor: Wolf-Dieter Honl
  • Patent number: 4369932
    Abstract: Automatic wind-up roller for a safety belt with means to block the belt roller in case of danger. The wind-up roller has an automatic release mechanism which is activated when the vehicle exceeds a predetermined acceleration or deceleration. The automatic release mechanism when activated in turn activates a control element, wherein at least two locking pawls, preferably arranged at opposite sides of the belt shaft, are caused to interact with locking tooth means to block the belt roller. Means are provided to obtain simultaneous operation of both pawls by a single control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: Repa Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Seifert, Wolf-Dieter Honl, Johannes Schmid, Bernhard Frei
  • Patent number: 4366934
    Abstract: Roll-up device for a safety belt with a provision to block the belt shaft in case of danger by locking pawl means with locking teeth and locking pawl, in which an automatically triggered release mechanism is triggered when the vehicle exceeds a permissible acceleration or deceleration and through a control element activates the locking pawl means. The locking teeth as well as the locking pawl are disposed within a cutout through which the belt shaft passes. The cutout is located in at least one of the side plates of the basic frame of the roll-up device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1983
    Assignee: Repa Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Seifert, Wolf-Dieter Honl, Johannes Schmid, Bernhard Frey
  • Patent number: 4307852
    Abstract: Roll-up device for a safety belt with a mechanism for blocking the belt shaft in case of a crash. Blocking is effected by locking pawl means coupled with the belt shaft and activated by release mechanism. The belt shaft has two sets of bearings (a) the belt shaft is supported by bearings with little play and little friction and which are elastically yielding to high pull forces which occur in case of a crash, and (b) the belt shaft is simultaneously centered in stable load bearings of the basic frame with radial bearing play on all sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Assignee: REPA Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Seifert, Wolf-Dieter Honl, Johannes Schmid, Bernhard Frey
  • Patent number: 4277036
    Abstract: Automatic wind-up roller for a safety belt with means to block the belt roller in case of danger. The wind-up roller has an automatic release mechanism which is activated when the vehicle exceeds a predetermined acceleration or deceleration. The automatic release mechanism when activated in turn activates a control element, wherein at least two locking pawls, preferably arranged at opposite sides of the belt shaft, are caused to interact with locking tooth means to block the belt roller. Means are provided to obtain simultaneous operation of both pawls by a single control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: Repa Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Seifert, Wolf-Dieter Honl, Johannes Schmid, Bernhard Frei
  • Patent number: 4258887
    Abstract: Safety belt roll-up device with a release mechanism which in case of danger activates a control disk and locking means which block the belt shaft. A cam having an actuating dog for actuating the locking means is associated coaxially with the control disk and rotatable relative thereto. A spring holds the dog in a predetermined starting position relative to the control disk, which spring can be deflected resiliently relative to the control disk in opposite directions of rotation. Because of its ability to be deflected in oppsite directions, a single type roll-up device will serve where previously right and left devices are needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1981
    Assignee: REPA Feinstanzwerk GmbH
    Inventors: Artur Fohl, Wolf-Dieter Honl, Helmut Seifert