Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.k.

Takata Corporation

Joysoft Safety Systems Japan K.k.

Hayato Uchibori

Daichi Nemoto

A seat belt retractor that has a simple structure, easy to manufacture and operates accurately is provided, and a seat belt apparatus provided with the seat belt retractor is also provided. The seat belt retractor includes energy absorbing mechanisms that absorb and alleviate the energy of a vehicle occupant by limiting a load applied to a seat belt. The energy absorbing mechanisms is coaxially incorporated in a spool, whose one end portion is retained by the spool and the other end can be locked by the lock mechanism, and obtains a rotational force when being twisted. The second energy absorbing mechanism includes a first rotating member rotatable together with the spool, an abutting member relatively rotatable with respect to the first rotating member by a predetermined angle, a second rotating member relatively rotatable with respect to the abutting member, and an energy absorbing member whose one end portion is fixed to and supported by the second rotating member and the other end portion abuts against the abutting member.

Seat belt retractor and seat belt apparatus provided with the same

Provided are a seat belt retractor and a seat belt device with which it is possible to improve an occupant-restraining property and energy absorption characteristics. A seat belt retractorincluding a spoolthat winds up a webbing W for restraining an occupant, a shaftinserted through an axial center of the spool, and a locking baseconnected to the shaftand capable of switching between a rotating state and a non-rotating state, further includes an energy absorption devicecapable of changing an energy absorption amount according to a relative rotation speed between the spooland the shaft, and a load adjustment memberthat blocks or reduces load transmission when a load equal to or greater than a threshold is applied to the shaftor the spool. The spool, the shaft, the locking base, the energy absorption device, and the load adjustment memberare serially connected.

Seat belt retractor and seat belt device

Provided are a seat belt retractor and a seat belt device with which it is possible to improve energy absorption characteristics and a restraining property. The seat belt retractor includes a spool that performs winding of a webbing for restraining an occupant, a shaft inserted through an axial center of the spool, and a locking base connected to the shaft and capable of switching between a rotating state and a non-rotating state. The seat belt retractor further includes a load adjustment member disposed between the shaft and the locking base and that blocks or reduces load transmission in a case where a load equal to or greater than a threshold is applied to the shaft, and an energy absorption device disposed between the spool and the locking base and capable of changing an energy absorption amount according to a relative rotation speed between the spool and the locking base. The energy absorption device is connected in parallel with the load adjustment member.

To provide an energy absorbing device, a seat belt retractor, and a seat belt apparatus that can vary an energy absorbing amount depending on increase and decrease of rotation speed between relatively rotating objects and can improve durability. An energy absorbing device includes a casing connected to one object, an annular first clutch disc disposed in the casing, an annular second clutch disc disposed in the casing, and an annular clutch plate connected to the other object and having an engaging surface that faces both the first clutch disc and the second clutch disc, wherein the engaging outer teeth of the first clutch disc and the engaging inner teeth of the second clutch disc alternately engage with the engaging teeth of the clutch plate so as to absorb an energy generated by a relative rotation between one object and the other object.

Energy absorbing device, seat belt retractor and seat belt apparatus

An energy absorbing device, a seat belt retractor, and a seat belt device, that can change an energy absorption characteristic continuously, and improve durability. A base plate that is connected to a spool and has a corrugated groove annularly formed, a cover plate that is opposingly connected to the base plate and has a corrugated groove synchronized with the corrugated groove of the base plate, a plurality of driving pins with a first end inserted into the corrugated groove of the base plate and a second end inserted into the corrugated groove of the cover plate, a plurality of mass bodies that are arranged in respective intermediate portions of the driving pins, and intermediate plates that are inserted with the driving pins, arranged on both sides of the mass bodies, and connected to a locking base.

Energy absorbing device, seat belt retractor and seat belt device

To provide an energy absorption apparatus, a seatbelt retractor, and a seatbelt apparatus that are capable of changing the energy absorption amount according to increases and decreases in the rotation speed between objects that rotate relative to each other and capable of improving endurance. The energy absorption apparatus includes a first plate connected to one of the objects and having a wave-shaped groove formed in an annular shape, a second plate connected to another one of the objects, disposed so as to be adjacent to the first plate, and having a plurality of radial grooves formed at locations that face the wave-shaped groove, a plurality of driving pins that are inserted, at one end, in the wave-shaped groove and inserted, at another end, in the radial grooves, and a plurality of follower bodies that are housed in the wave-shaped groove or the radial grooves and that slide along the wave-shaped groove as the driving pins move.

Energy absorption apparatus, seatbelt retractor, and seatbelt apparatus

When an axis of rotationof a spool rotates in the seatbelt retracting direction, a lock gearrotates clockwise which is the same direction as the spool, and an eccentric gearrotates counterclockwise. A camof the eccentric gearcomes into contact with a leverof the control leverto cause the control leverto rotate counterclockwise to take an operating position. A pressed pinof a levercomes into contact with a lever, so that leversrotate counterclockwise. A holding portionof the leveropposes a flywheel. Accordingly, since the holding portionpresses a held portionwhen the entire amount of a seatbeltis retracted, a rocking movement of the flywheelis prevented and hence end locking is prevented.

Seatbelt retractor and seatbelt apparatus having the same

To prevent the tilt of a locking member with respect to a spool even when the spool is tensioned by a seat belt in case of emergency. A second EA plate support memberthat is integrated with a locking basehas a supported portionhaving a cylindrical shape. The supported portionis fitted into a locking base tilt prevention support portionof a spooland is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the locking base tilt prevention support portionwhile the tilt of the supported portionwith respect to the spoolis being prevented. In this manner, even when the spoolis tensioned upward by a large tensional force of the seat beltin case of emergency, the tilt of the center axis of the locking basewith respect to the center axis of the spoolis prevented. Thus, the EA operation of a seat belt retractoris reliably and effectively performed.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Hayato Uchibori