Patent ID: 6296278
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
Rollover protection apparatus for motor vehicles with a protection system assigned to each vehicle seat comprising:a cassette adapted to be fixed to a vehicle,a rollover unit in the form of a profile bar unit substantially spanning the entire width of the cassette extendably supported and guided within the cassette,a pawl/ratchet mechanism for automatic locking of the profile bar unit, anda spring drive mechanism for extending the profile bar unit with a pretensioned pressure spring engaging with the profile bar unit and with a mechanical locking mechanism for keeping the pressure spring in a pretensioned state, which is associated with a release mechanism which unlocks the mechanical locking mechanism if the vehicle is overturned, wherein the profile bar unit is box shaped and rigidified against bending, wherein the cassette is a box shaped profile guide unit rigidified against bending, wherein on narrow sides of the profile bar unit and the guide unit cassette mutually complementary guide elements are formed, wherein the spring drive mechanism has a single pressure spring centrally disposed in the profile bar unit,wherein the pawl/ratchet mechanism is disposed parallel to a width of the profile bar unit,wherein the upper part of the profile bar unit is covered with foamed plastic, andwherein the release mechanism and locking mechanism are disposed in a floor area of the guide unit cassette and a counter element of the locking mechanism is disposed in a lower area of the profile bar unit.