Many types of vehicles have cargo spaces which are open towards passenger spaces, for example stationwagons, combination vans, and the like. Usually, a division is provided formed in the lower portion of the back of the rearmost seats. The region between the upper edge of the rearmost seats and the roof is usually free. The danger, thus, arises that in a head-on collision, loose objects from the cargo space can be flung forwardly into the passenger space and cause severe injuries in the passenger space. The referenced German Patent DE-A 40 10 209, Ament, assigned to the assignee of the present application, describes a safety-net arrangement which, in a region adjacent the upper edge of the back seat includes a housing retaining a rotatable roller on which an essentially trapeze-shaped safety net is secured. An edge of the safety net, parallel to the roller, is secured to a cross rod or cross bar which can be hooked into a suitable engagement hook underneath the roof of the vehicle. The rod is formed with mushroom-shaped extended ends which fit into suitable reception pockets or reception hooks beneath the roof, and can be hung into these reception pockets when the net is to be extended between the passenger and the cargo compartments. The net is held stretched between the upper edge of the rearmost seat back and the roof. Damping elements are provided in the rods retaining the net, to absorb energy from objects which may be flung forwardly from the cargo space, and to prevent tearing of the safety net under the impact forces.
It has been found that in a number of collisions or accidents, the body of the vehicle or the attachment arrangement of the net will cause peaks of stress applied against the net, particularly at the edges thereof which cause the net to tear, especially at the sides and where the net is attached to the cross rod or the roller, respectively, or to sever the net from its attachment from the roller and rod. If the net severs from its attachment elements, the safety afforded by the net is lost.