Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Franklin L Kiiskila

Robert P Ellis

Steven G Corrion

Edgar H Schlaps

Russell L Hardy, Sr

Donald E Foxworth

A buckle ( ) for a vehicle seat belt system ( ) comprises a latch mechanism ( ) for connection with a tongue assembly ( ) of the seat belt system. The latch mechanism ( ) has a latched condition and a released condition. The buckle ( ) also comprises a manually engageable pushbutton ( ) connected with the latch mechanism ( ). The pushbutton ( ) is movable between a first position in which the latch mechanism is in the latched condition and a second position in which the latch mechanism is in the released condition. The buckle ( ) contains an illumination mechanism ( ) comprising an electroluminescent panel ( ) which may or may not be movable with the pushbutton when the pushbutton moves between the first and second positions.

Illuminated seat belt buckle

A seat belt retractor (10) includes a spool (70) which is rotatable about a first axis (52). An idler gear (270) is disposed in an opening (254) in a drive disc (240) which is rotatable about the first axis (52). The idler gear (270) rotates, in response to rotation of the spool (70), about a second axis (256) which is spaced from the first axis (52). As the idler gear (270) rotates about the second axis (256), it also orbits about the first axis (52) and causes the drive disc (240) to rotate about the first axis. The drive disc (240) moves a cinch lever (200) into a cinching position to block rotation of the spool (70) in a belt withdrawal direction (76) after a first predetermined amount of webbing (16) is withdrawn from the spool (70) and then a second predetermined amount of webbing is rewound on the spool.

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Leonard, MI, United States of America

Franklin L Kiiskila