Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Gary R Kurtti

Thomas B Blake

Hans J Borlinghaus

Gregory S Ches

John James Senopole

David T Brender

A seat adjuster has upper and lower tracks slidably inter-engaged with the seat carried by the upper track. A bar extends along side the upper track and has a rearward end pivotally mounted on the vehicle floor. A lock member which carries the seat belt is attached to the upper track and slides freely along the bar during normal fore and aft adjusting movement of the seat. The lower track is mounted on the vehicle floor by yieldable legs. Upon rapid vehicle deceleration, the forward momentum of the seat mass induces yielding of the yieldable legs and forward canting of the seat causing the lock member to be canted relative the bar and lock therewith so that the occupant restraint loads imposed on the seat belt are transmitted through the lock member and bar to the vehicle floor. In addition, when the seat is adjusted full rearwardly, the upper track is cantilevered rearwardly from the lower track so that the upper track yields and bends to further cant the lock member and contribute to the locking engagement of the lock member with the bar.

Seat belt anchor for vehicle seat

According to the present invention a seat belt reel is mounted on a housing by a reel shaft. A locking mechanism for the reel includes a housing of electrically conductive material mounted on the retractor housing and defining a closed cavity communicating with the end of the reel shaft. A disc shaped electrode is located in the cavity of the housing and is attached on the end of the reel shaft by an electrically insulating connector. An electro-rheological fluid fills the cavity to fill the space between the electrode and the housing. An electrical circuit including an inertia sensor and a high voltage source applies a voltage differential between the electrode and the housing upon the occurrence of a vehicle deceleration condition so that the electro-rheological fluid changes to a solid to fix the electrode to the housing and thereby lock the reel shaft against rotation to fix the length of the seat belt.

Retractor with electro-rheological lock

In a seat belt retractor winding prevention mechanism, the winding prevention pawl is mounted upon a collapsible support mechanism which is collapsed by an inertia sensor at the onset of a sensed vehicle deceleration condition. The collapsible support mechanism carries a cam which engages the pawl upon collapse and moves the pawl axially out of engagement with the ratchet teeth carried by the reel to thereby release the winding prevention mechanism so that the windup spring will rewind the belt to a taut condition about the occupant. The inertia sensor raises a pilot pawl into engagement with gear teeth carried by the reel so that reel rotation energizes a further movement of the pilot pawl and the pilot pawl movement both collapses the collapsible support mechanism of the winding prevention pawl and also moves a lock bar into engagement with the reel to lock the reel against belt unwinding rotation.

Inertia release for belt retractor winding prevention mechanism

A retractor mounted on the vehicle door in a passive belt system includes an inertia mass which lifts a pilot pawl into engagement with one of a plurality of gear teeth carried by the reel so that an initial unwinding rotation of the reel as the occupant is restrained by the belt causes the tooth to further lift the pilot pawl into engagement with the lock bar and then lift the lock bar into engagement with the reel. A blocking arm is friction drive coupled to the reel for rotation therewith and has an end which frictionally engages the pilot pawl during belt unwinding rotation induced by opening movement of the door to impose a frictional force on the pawl which substantially increases the level of acceleration force required to actuate the inertia mass and pilot pawl. As the door is closed, the belt is rewound upon the retractor and the blocking arm is friction driven away from engagement with the pilot pawl so that the pilot pawl is restored to its normal sensitivity condition in readiness for movement into engagement with the gear teeth by the inertia mass in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration.

Sensor sensitivity reducer for door mounted retractor

A restraint belt guide loop assembly for deflecting a belt from a retractor to a diagonal position across the occupant upper torso includes a mounting bracket pivotally mounted on the vehicle body and first and second belt clamping bars independently pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket and being eccentrically shaped to define belt clamping faces which are movable toward and away from each other upon rotation of the belt clamping bars. The first belt clamping bar has an associated reaction arm which is traversed by the belt so that imposition of an occupant restraint load on the belt induces forced rotation of the first belt clamping bar. A linkage interconnects the first and second belt clamping bars to simultaneously force rotation of the second clamping bar in a direction toward the first belt clamping bar to thereby move the respective eccentric belt clamping faces of the first and second belt clamping bars into belt clamping proximity with each other to clamp the belt therebetween against further movement through the guide loop assembly. A spring is preferably provided to establish the belt clamping bars in their respective normal positions in which the eccentric belt clamping faces are spaced apart to permit free sliding movement of the belt through the guide loop assembly.

Growing community of inventors

East Detroit, MI, United States of America

Gary R Kurtti