Takata Corporation

Mitsuhiko Hiruta

Muneo Nishizawa

Koji Hiramatsu

Tetsuya Hamaue

Ryoichi Yoshida

Yoshida Ryoichi

A mechanical igniter for a gas generator has a weight, a latch lever and a firing pin as movable elements to fire a percussion cap attached to the gas generator in response to acceleration, and further has a restraint member and a controller therefor as a safety device for making the movable elements immovable. The controller can be activated by attaching the mechanical igniter to the vehicle body, or removing a belt stopper after the mechanical igniter has been attached to the vehicle body, or fastening a seat belt to the occupant's body. Thus, the restraint member is released when the mechanical igniter is attached to the vehicle body, or when the seat belt system is used, thereby automatically and safely releasing the safety device for the igniter.

Automatically releasable safety device used in mechanical igniter for

A gas-pressure actuator apparatus having a rotary actuator serving as a driving source for a pretensioner of a seatbelt system, and a gas generator for supplying a working gas to the actuator. The rotary actuator includes a cylinder block and a rotary piston. The cylinder block has a cylinder chamber, a preliminary chamber formed adjacent to the cylinder chamber, and a communicating hole for providing communication between the cylinder and preliminary chambers. The gas generator is attached to the cylinder block in such a manner that a gas outlet for releasing the generated gas opens into the preliminary chamber. The preliminary chamber functions as a gas pressure buffer space for the cylinder chamber and also serves as a capacity element as follows: In the early stage of the rotary piston operation where the volumetric capacity of the pressurizing chamber defined in the cylinder chamber is extremely small, the preliminary chamber lowers the gas pressure applied to the rotary piston. On the other hand, in a state where the volumetric capacity of the pressurizing chamber has become large at the end of the rotary piston operation, the preliminary chamber raises the gas pressure applied to the rotary piston.

Gas-pressure actuator apparatus for pretensioner

A rotary actuator-operated seat belt pretensioner comprises a frame, a belt take-up shaft rotatably mounted on the frame, and a rotary actuator mounted on the frame and including a pressure chamber, a rotating member and a gas generator for supplying pressurized gas to the pressure chamber to impart rotation to the rotating member. A clutch is interposed between the rotating member and the take-up shaft. The pressure chamber of the actuator is annular and includes an inner wall defining a space within the chamber, and the clutch is received in the space within the chamber. The driving force of the rotating member produced by gas pressure supplied to the pressure chamber is transmitted to the take-up shaft by the clutch, and rotation of the take-up shaft winds a segment of the belt onto the shaft and thereby tightens the belt.

Rotary actuator-operated seat belt pretensioner

A rotary actuator-operated pretensioner comprises a gas generator and a rotary actuator that is driven in rotation by pressurized gas supplied by the gas generator and drives a belt take-up reel. Annular flange portions extend from the cylinder side walls into the operating chamber, the flange portions being coaxial with the axis of rotation of the rotor, and the rotor is supported by the cylinder for rotation by reception of the flange portions within end portions of the rotor body. An elastomer seal member is mounted on the side of the rotor vane portion that faces the pressure section of the operating chamber. The seal member has lip portions along its edges that are urged by gas pressure in the pressure section against the side walls and peripheral wall of the cylinder.

Rotary actuator-operated pretensioner

A vehicle seat belt pretensioner comprises a rotary piston/cylinder drive mechanism (4, 5) arranged to be coupled to a reel to rotate the reel in a direction to wind a seat belt onto it upon delivery into an annular cylinder chamber of the piston/cylinder of a gas under pressure from a gas generator (8). The drive mechanism includes a ratchet wheel (3) affixed to the reel and received rotatably within a cylindrical sleeve portion (51) of the piston (5) of the piston/cylinder. A locking bullet (7) is displaceably mounted in an opening in the sleeve portion of the piston for movement by the force due to gas under pressure supplied to the chamber from the gas generator generally radially from an outer inactive position in which rotation of the ratchet wheel and the reel are permitted to an inner locking position in which it engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel to couple the piston to the reel so as to rotate the reel in a direction to wind a length of the belt webbing onto the reel.

Growing community of inventors

Shiga, Japan

Mitsuhiko Hiruta