Takata Corporation

Takata Seat Belts, Inc.

Masahiro Tanabe

Yutaka Yamaguchi

Yoshiichi Fujimura

Hideo Iseki

Jyoji Mishina

Gozo Ohira

Ross L Burghardt

Ichiro Nakagawa

Hiroshi Takezawa

Tu Pham

Luis Cendejas

Masanaga Tsuchikawa

Scott Caudill

A system and method are provided for cancelling out downward directed tension forces generated on an object on a vehicle seat. In active, door-mounted seat belt systems, the belt tension force cancellation system includes a simulator that is operable to transfer upward forces on a door-mounted, lower anchor to the vehicle seat without requiring a permanent anchor point for the seat belt in the vehicle compartment. The simulator can either automatically transfer the forces upon securing the belt about the object, or be selectively operable.

Door-mounted seat belt restraint system and method

An interlock system for stopping seat belt payout from a retractor when a seat is not secured is provided. The interlock system includes a connector between the seat latch and the retractor with the connector operating a retractor locking actuator which utilizes the vehicle inertia sensor to cause retractor locking. In one form, the actuator is shifted into engagement with the inertia member for retractor locking when the seat is released. In another form, the actuator is mounted to a module secured on one side of the one of the retractor frame plates to which the actuating mechanism for the vehicle sensor is secured on the other side thereof. The connector causes shifting of the actuator member from the one side to the other to operate the vehicle sensor actuating mechanism for retractor locking when the seat is released.

Interlock system for seat belt retractor

A seat belt retractor is formed of a base frame, a reel shaft rotatably supported by the base frame, a locking member for locking rotation of the reel shaft to prevent the webbing from unwinding at a collision, and an energy absorbing member for absorbing impact energy against a vehicle occupant. The energy absorbing member allows a predetermined length of the webbing to be drawn out with a certain tensile load held on the webbing only when reaction forces acting on the locking member exceed a predetermined threshold.

Seat belt retractor

A tongue assembly for a seat belt device has a tongue body formed in a plate shape having a first slit through which a belt webbing extends, and a locking plate having a second slit through which the belt webbing extends. The tongue body has a front end portion thereof as an insertion portion to be inserted into a buckle. The first slit is formed in a rear portion of the tongue body and extends in the lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tongue body. The locking plate is disposed to face a surface of the tongue body rearwardly away from the first slit, further extends rearwardly away from a rear edge of the tongue body, and has a front end supported to the tongue body to allow pivotal movement of the locking plate in a direction that a rear end portion thereof freely leaves from or approaches the tongue body. The second slit is formed in a rear portion of the locking plate and extends in the lateral direction. The locking plate is provided with a cutout connecting the second slit with the rear edge of the locking plate.

Tongue assembly for seat belt device

A slip anchor for a seat belt device has a webbing guide portion including a steel plate pivotably mounted on a part of the vehicle body by a fixing portion and a webbing through opening formed in the steel plate by punching. The steel plate as an insert metal is provided with a resin coating at least at the position of the webbing through opening. The webbing through opening of the steel plate has a flange formed at an edge of the opening at least on the side contacting the webbing and a portion of the steel plate under the webbing through opening is provided with a bend for stiffening.

Slip anchor for seat belt device

A tongue plate stopper has a first disc having its webbing side face formed with at least one needle to be inserted through a webbing; and a second disc having a fitting portion for fitting the needle therein. At least one of the first and second discs has its webbing side face formed with a plurality of pins for biting into the webbing. The needle of the first disc projects from the central portion thereof. The fitting portion of the second disc has a hole. The pins include a first set of pins projecting from the circumferential edge of the back face thereof and at a circumferential spacing from one another, and a second set of pins projecting from the middle portion between the needle and the circumferential edge and at a circumferential spacing from one another. The second disc has its webbing side face formed with a first circumferential groove, which extends in the circumferential direction at a radius substantially equal to that of the first set of pins, and a second circumferential groove which extend in the circumferential direction at a radius substantially equal to that of the second set of pins, so that the first set of pins can have their tips engaging with the first circumferential groove whereas the second set of pins can have their tips engaging with the second circumferential groove.

Growing community of inventors

Shiga, Japan

Masahiro Tanabe