Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Trw Limited

Dura Limited

Dura Automotive Hardware Division of Wickes Manufacturing Company

Barney J Bauer

Brian K Blackburn

Scott B Gentry

Louis R Brown

Arnold J Herberg

Kevin M Gillis

William Ernest Buehler

Charles E Steffens, Jr

Paul A Bowers

Wendell C Lane, Jr

Wallace C Higbee

Robert D Sayles

Roger H Garrell

William J Fleming

Charles M Hotary

Gregory A Wingate

A seat belt retractor ( ) comprises a frame ( ), a seat belt webbing spool ( ) rotatably mounted in the frame ( ), and an actuator ( ) for locking the seat belt webbing spool ( ) against rotation in at least one direction (B) in the frame ( ). The actuator ( ) is mounted to the frame ( ). An accelerometer ( ) provides an electrical output signal indicative of vehicle deceleration. The accelerometer ( ) is mounted on the frame ( ). A controller ( ) monitors the electrical output signal and causes the actuator ( ) to lock the seat belt webbing spool ( ) against rotation in the at least one direction (B) upon the occurrence of a predetermined amount of vehicle deceleration. The controller ( ) is mounted on the frame ( ).

Seat belt retractor

A seat belt retractor (,) including a seat belt webbing spool (,) supported for rotation in a belt withdrawal direction (,) and an opposite belt retraction direction (,). A member (,) is supported for rotation relative to the spool (,). The retractor (,) includes means for blocking rotation of the spool (,) in the belt withdrawal direction (,) in response to relative rotation of the member (,) and the spool. The retractor (,) also includes an electrically actuatable clamp (,) movable, upon application of an electric current, between a first condition not clamping the member (,) and a second condition clamping the member and thereby restraining rotation of the member.

Electric locking seat belt retractor

An apparatus includes a truck cab (,), a seat (,) for an occupant of the truck cab (,), and an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,). The seat (,) includes a seat back (,) with an upper end (,) adjacent to the rear wall (,) of the truck cab (,). The protection device (,) is inflatable to a deployed condition adjoining the rear wall (,) of the truck cab (,) above the upper end (,) of the seat back (,) so as to transmit crash forces from the occupant's head to the rear wall (,) of the truck cab (,). In this manner, the protection device (,) and the rear wall (,) of the truck cab (,) together provide crash reaction forces that restrain movement of the occupant's head toward the rear wall (,) of the truck cab (,).

Truck occupant restraint apparatus

An apparatus (40) pretensions seat belt webbing (16) which is extensible about an occupant of a vehicle seat (14). The apparatus (40) includes a movable first member (140), a connector (42) for connecting the first member (140) with the seat belt webbing (16), a movable second member (200), a pyrotechnic device (120) for applying a force to the second member (200) to move the second member, and force limiting coupling device (240). The force limiting coupling device (240) couples the first member (140) and the second member (200). The coupling device (240) moves the first member (140) with the second member (200) until a predetermined force is applied by the connector (42) to the first member (140) resisting movement of the first member with the second member. Thereafter, the coupling device (240) enables the second member to move relative to the first member.

Apparatus for pretensioning seat belt webbing

A seat belt buckle (12) has a light-transmitting portion (26) which is visible to a vehicle occupant. The buckle (12) includes a housing (60) containing a latch mechanism (20) which releasably locks a seat belt tongue (16) in the housing (60). The housing (60) further contains a light source (70) and optical fibers (72) for conducting light from the source (70) to the light-transmitting portion (26) of the buckle (12).

Illuminated seat belt buckle

An apparatus (40) for pretensioning seat belt webbing (16) which is extensible about an occupant of a vehicle seat (14) has at least two different output levels. Sensors (110, 120, 130) sense at least one characteristic of the occupant of the vehicle seat (14). A controller (100) is operatively connected to the sensors (110, 120, 130) for controlling the output level of the pretensioning apparatus (40) based on the characteristics of the occupant sensed by the sensors. The at least two output levels of the pretensioning apparatus (40) correspond to respective levels of force applied to the seat belt webbing (16) which in turn correspond to respective levels of force imposed on the vehicle occupant by the seat belt webbing.

An apparatus (40) for pretensioning seat belt webbing (16) which is extensible about an occupant of a vehicle seat (14) includes a housing (70) having a fluid chamber (90) and an actuatable pyrotechnic device (150) in fluid communication with the fluid chamber. An actuatable venting mechanism, such as a pyrotechnic plug (160), when actuated, opens a vent opening (96) to enable venting of fluid from the fluid chamber (90). A controller (190) is operatively connected to the pyrotechnic device (150) and to the venting mechanism (160) for controlling the actuation of the pyrotechnic device and of the venting mechanism. The controller (190) actuates only the pyrotechnic device (150) to provide a first pretensioning output level and, alternatively, actuates both the pyrotechnic device (150) and the venting mechanism (160) to provide a second pretensioning output level.

An apparatus (40) pretensions seat belt webbing (16) which is extensible about an occupant of a vehicle seat (14). The apparatus (40) includes a housing (50) defining a chamber (56), a piston (90) in the chamber (56), and a coupling member (42) for coupling the piston (90) to the seat belt webbing (16). The coupling member (42) transmits force acting on the piston (90) to the seat belt webbing (16). The apparatus (40) further includes a first pyrotechnic device (200) for applying a first force to the piston (90) to move the piston initially in a first direction (B) in the chamber (56) to remove slack in the seat belt webbing (16). A second pyrotechnic device (220) applies a second force to the piston (90) in the first direction (B) to tension the seat belt webbing (16) against the occupant after the slack has been removed from the seat belt webbing (16) by the first force.

A spool sleeve (78) is rotatable in webbing withdrawal and webbing retraction directions (A, B). A lock pawl (122) engageable with a ratchet wheel (114), stops rotation of the spool sleeve (78) in the webbing withdrawal direction (A). The spool sleeve (78) is rotatable relative to the ratchet wheel (114) upon the occurrence of tension in webbing (16) above a predetermined amount. A cutter (94) is located radially within the spool sleeve (78) for cutting the spool sleeve (78) when the spool sleeve (78) rotates relative to the stopped ratchet wheel (114). In one preferred embodiment, the cutter (220) includes a portion (226) which is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis (164) of the spool sleeve (192) to cause the cutter (220) to move axially relative to the spool sleeve. In another preferred embodiment, the spool sleeve (284, 286) is comprised of a plurality of pieces fitted together to extend around the axis (164). In another preferred embodiment, the rotation of the spool sleeve (396, 398) is resisted and the amount of resistance can be changed. Two cutters (472, 510) provide different amounts of resistance when they cut the spool sleeve (396, 398).

Seat belt retractor with energy management

An apparatus (40, 460) for tensioning a seat belt and tightening the seat belt against an occupant. The apparatus comprises a housing (42, 462) connectable to a component of a vehicle. A flexible member (102, 482) has a first end portion (104, 484) fixed against movement relative to the housing (42, 462). A second end portion (120, 500) of the flexible member (102, 482) is connectable with a seat belt. An intermediate portion (142, 502) of the flexible member (102, 482) is located between the first and second end portions (104, 120, 484, 500). A part (144, 504) of the intermediate portion (142, 502) is located in the housing (42, 462) and defines an expansible chamber (162, 518). An actuator (202, 562), upon actuation, creates a force which acts on the part (144, 504) of the intermediate portion (144, 502) to expand the chamber (162, 518) and move the second end portion (120, 500) of the flexible member (102, 484) in a direction to tension the seat belt and tighten the seat belt against the occupant.

Seat belt pretensioner including flexible strap

An apparatus (20, 220, 420) for tensioning a vehicle seat belt and tightening the seat belt against a vehicle occupant comprising a buckle (22) which is connectable with a tongue of a seat belt. An anchor (80, 280, 444) is connectable with a part of a vehicle. A tubular housing (42, 242, 442) is fixed to one of the buckle (22) and the anchor (80, 280, 444), has a rectangular inner periphery taken in a plane extending normal to a longitudinal axis (B) of the housing, and includes a first wall (64, 264, 446). A second wall (84, 284, 484) is fixed to the other of the buckle (22) and the anchor (80, 280, 444), has a rectangular outer periphery taken in the plane, and is received in the housing (42, 242, 442) opposite the first wall (64, 264, 446) to at least partially define a chamber (102, 302, 502) which is expansible. A connector (82, 282, 482) is fixed to the second wall (84, 284, 484) and to the other of the buckle (22) and the anchor (80, 280, 444). The connector (82, 282, 482) extends through the first wall (64, 264, 446). Actuatable means (66, 266, 488) is in fluid communication with the chamber (102, 302, 502) and applies a force, upon actuation, against the first wall (64, 264, 446) and the second wall (84, 284, 484) to expand the chamber (102, 302, 502) to tension the seat belt and tighten the seat belt against the occupant.

Seat belt pretensioner

An apparatus (20) controls the position of an occupant (32) in a vehicle passenger compartment by sensing physical characteristics of the occupant such as weight, height, girth, and leg length. A controller (36) controls seat motors (92, 94, 96) to move the occupant (32) to a position based on the sensed physical characteristics of the occupant. The occupant (32) can override the system using override controls (98). The controller (36) also adjusts the performance of an occupant restraint (22) in response to a selected occupant position.

Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle occupant position

An apparatus (40) includes a movable webbing guide (28) which guides seat belt webbing (26) extendable around an occupant (11) in a vehicle seat (12). A webbing guide stop (70) is movable between different stop positions for stopping movement of the guide (28). The stop (70) is moved between the different stop positions using a positioning screw (64) having one end connected to the stop (70) and the other end operatively connected with a motor (60). A first sensor (80, 84) senses at least one characteristic of an occupant (11) in the seat (12) and provides a signal (82, 86) indicative of the occupant characteristic. The webbing guide stop (70) moves to a stop position which is dependent upon the signal indicative of the occupant characteristic when the occupant (11) is seated in the seat (12) and the vehicle ignition is turned on. An actuator (32), when actuated, causes the guide (28) to move. A second sensor (76) senses vehicle deceleration of at least a predetermined magnitude which is indicative of a vehicle collision requiring actuation of the actuator (32). The actuator (32) actuates to cause the guide (28) and thus the seat belt webbing (26) to move towards the stop (70) at the stop position which is dependent upon the signal indicative of the occupant characteristic when the second sensor (76) senses vehicle deceleration of at least the predetermined magnitude which is indicative of a vehicle collision requiring actuation of the actuator (32).

Apparatus for use in a vehicle occupant restraint system

In a seat belt system (10), a plurality of sensors (76, 80, 84) sense characteristics of a vehicle occupant and of a vehicle collision. The vehicle occupant sensors (80, 84) cooperate with a controller (90) to control a motor (60) which sets the position of a movable D-ring stop (70). The position of the stop (70) determines the position to which a movable D-ring (28) is repositioned in the event of a vehicle collision. The system (10) also includes a retractor (30) supported for movement on the vehicle. A crushable energy absorbing material, preferably a honeycomb (230), is disposed in the path of movement of a crush plate (160) movable with the retractor (30). The crushable material (230) controls movement of the crush plate (160) and thus of the retractor (30). Together with the repositioning of the D-ring (28), this reduces the abruptness of the load on the vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision.

Vehicle seat belt system

A seat belt retractor (14) includes a spool (16) upon which vehicle seat belt webbing (12) is wound. The spool (16) is supported for unwinding rotation under the influence of tension in the webbing (12). An emergency locking mechanism (40) dissipates energy by resisting unwinding rotation of the spool (16), while permitting a limited amount of such rotation, when the level of the tension in the webbing (12) is greater than a predetermined elevated level. A sensor assembly (190) senses a vehicle occupant characteristic and/or a vehicle collision characteristic. A control assembly (180) varies the amount of dissipated energy in response to a signal from the sensor assembly (190).

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Fenton, MI, United States of America

Barney J Bauer