Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Gary M Ray

Lawrence J Verellen

Robert J Rumpf

Carl M Petersen, Iii

Kathleen K Stawara

Gene L Scofield

Robert F Rogers

An apparatus (10) includes a vehicle seat (12) with an upper frame (28) supported to tilt on a lower frame (18). An emergency locking mechanism (60) is supported on the upper frame (28). The apparatus (10) further includes an orientation mechanism (106) including an elongated flexible driving member (114). The orientation mechanism (106) moves the driving member (114) longitudinally in one direction upon tilting of the upper frame (28), and moves the driving member (114) longitudinally in an opposite direction upon opposite tilting of the upper frame (28). The orientation mechanism (106) tilts the emergency locking mechanism (60) a controlled amount relative to the upper frame (28) in response to longitudinal movement of the driving member (114).

Emergency locking mechanism with orientation control

A seat belt webbing retractor (10) includes a belt webbing spool (50) and a length of belt webbing (16) wound on the belt webbing spool. A spring (82) biases the belt webbing spool (50) for rotation in a belt retraction direction. A pair of rotatable cable spools (90, 100) and a cable (110) transmit the biasing force of the spring (82) to the belt webbing spool (50) to apply a retraction force to the belt webbing (116). Each of the cable spools (90, 100) has a predetermined configuration to provide a desired retraction force curve (230).

Seat belt webbing retractor

A seat belt retractor (10) includes a vehicle deceleration sensing assembly (40) which is operable at a plurality of different inclined orientations to block withdrawal of belt webbing (32) from a spool (110). The spool (110) is rotatable about a first axis (62) of the retractor. The sensing assembly (40) includes a first inertia member (222) supported for movement on a second inertia member (224). The second inertia member is supported for pivotal movement about an axis (260) which extends parallel to an adjustment axis (30) of a vehicle seat back (22) in which the retractor (10) is mounted. The first inertia member (222) is movable to move a pawl (180, 200) into engagement with a ratchet (114-116, 130) rotatable about the first axis (62) to block rotation of the spool (110) in a belt withdrawal direction (124).

Inertia sensitive seat belt retractor

A seat belt retractor (10) includes a seat belt webbing storage spool (14) that is rotatable in winding (retraction) and unwinding (withdrawal) directions. First and second springs (50 and 52) bias the spool (14) in the retraction direction and are stressed upon rotation of the spool in the belt withdrawal direction. A connector (54) interconnects the first and second springs (50 and 52). The connector has first and second portions (66 and 64) which are movable relative to each other. The first portion (66) is connected to the first spring (50), and the second portion (64) is connected to the second spring (52). An actuatable mechanism (56), when actuated, blocks rotation of the second portion (64) of the connector (54) in the belt retraction direction to block the spring force of the first spring (50) from acting through the second spring (52) and on the spool (14). The actuatable mechanism (56), when deactivated, releases the second portion (64) of the connector (54) to permit the first spring (50) to apply force through the connector (54) and the second spring (52) to the spool (14). The connector (54) includes a mechanism which acts between the first and second portions (66 and 64) for damping the force applied to the second spring (52) by the first spring (50) upon deactivation of the actuatable mechanism (56).

Tension reducing retractor with an energy absorbing device

A seat belt retractor (10) stores belt webbing (16) which is used as a restraint for a vehicle occupant. The retractor (10) includes a rotatable webbing storage spool (14) and two springs (50, 52) for biasing rotation of the spool (14). A rotatable ratchet wheel (54) is connected between the springs (50, 52) to permit the spring force from one spring (50) to be blocked from acting on the spool (14) when the ratchet wheel (54) is prevented from rotating. A movable pawl (56) selectively engages the ratchet wheel (54) to prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel (54) in a belt retraction direction (A). The pawl (56) is both pivotable and movable transversely relative to a pawl axis (90). An actuator (60) selectively pivots the pawl (56) towards engagement with the ratchet wheel (54). A rotatable clutch (64) moves the pawl (56) transversely relative to the pawl axis (90) and away from the ratchet wheel (54), independently of the actuator (60), during rotation of the spool (14) in a belt withdrawal direction (B) to reduce noise.

Silent seat belt comfort retractor

A height adjuster (10) for a shoulder belt (26) includes a base (20) which is mountable on a vehicle body and has a plurality of apertures (58). A carriage mechanism (80) is slidable along the base (20) and carries a belt guide (82). A latch mechanism (84) also is carried on the carriage mechanism (80). The latch mechanism (84) includes a latch member (190) which is pivotable about a first axis (210) relative to the carriage mechanism (80). The latch member (190) has an end portion (196) receivable in one of the apertures (58) for blocking movement of the carriage mechanism (80) relative to the base (20). At least one manually engageable release lever (240) is carried on the carriage mechanism (80) and is pivotable about a second axis (264) transverse to the first axis (210). The release lever (240) has a first portion (254) engageable with the latch member ( 190) for pivoting the latch member (190) about the first axis (210) to remove the end portion (196) of the latch member (190) from the one of the apertures (58) to release the carriage mechanism (80) for sliding movement relative to the base (20). The release lever (240) has a manually engageable second portion (248) for pivoting the release lever (240) about the second axis (264).

Height adjuster for seat belt shoulder strap

An apparatus (10) for adjusting the position of a D-ring (12) for seat belt webbing (14) comprises a track (40) and a slider (18). The slider (18) is supported for movement along the track (40) and has a thread passage (58) for connection with the D-ring (12) to move the D-ring (12) along the track (40) with the slider (18). The apparatus (10) also includes a rotatable member (140), an elongate driving member (84) and a rotating motor assembly (86) for rotating the rotatable member (140). The rotatable member (140) is spaced from the slider (18). The driving member (84) extends longitudinally from the rotatable member (140) to the slider (18), and is engaged with the rotatable member (140) to move longitudinally upon rotation of the rotatable member (140). The driving member (84) is also engaged with the slider (18) to move the slider (18) along the track (40) relative to the rotatable member (140) when the driving member (84) moves upon rotation of the rotatable member (140). The motor assembly (86) rotates the rotatable member (140) to enable the slider (18) to be positioned at any one of a plurality of locations between the opposite ends of the track (40).

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Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Gary M Ray