Trw Automotive Gmbh

Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Michael Stegmeier

Kurt F Fischer

Douglas M Gould

Roy C Turnbull

Simon Schmid

Christof Werner

Frederic Michel

Axel Kamrath

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () having a seat (or) for receiving the occupant () includes an inflatable protection device () inflatable from a stored condition in the vehicle () adjacent a reaction surface () to a deployed condition between the reaction surface and the vehicle occupant (). The protection device () includes a front portion () presented toward the seat () and an inflatable volume for receiving a penetrating occupant (') when the protection device () is in the deployed condition. A rear portion () connected to the front portion () has an inflatable volume spaced from the front portion () by a space (). The front portion () is positioned between the vehicle occupant () and the rear portion () when the protection device () is in the deployed condition. The inflated front portion () is movable in a fore-aft direction relative to the rear portion () to engage the occupant () regardless of the distance between the reaction surface () and the occupant ().

Self-conforming rearseat air bag

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

Front airbag for vehicle occupants

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.

Belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt

A belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt includes 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 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 ().

Growing community of inventors

Schwaebisch Gmuend, Germany

Michael Stegmeier