Allied Chemical Corporation

Allied Corporation

Robert C Pfeiffer

Robert L Stephenson

Yogendra Singh Loomba

Klaus F Ocker

Per O Weman

Terry R Harrell

Richard J Jodts

A self-standing seat belt buckle mount for automotive vehicles having an elongated semi-rigid member supporting at one end a seat belt buckle. The other end of the semi-rigid member is pivotally attached to a mounting bracket. Disposed between the semi-rigid member and the mounting bracket is a spring clutch providing a friction force adjustably retaining the semi-rigid member in any position between its pivotal limits. The spring clutch comprises a clutch plate attached to either the semi-rigid member and the mounting bracket and a washer type spring compressively disposed between the clutch plate and the other of said semi-rigid member or mounting bracket.

Self-standing seat buckle mount for automotive vehicles

A seat belt retractor in which the housing has differential structural integrity. The retractor frame has a rigid structure and contains the retraction and locking elements. A mounting flange is connected to the frame and is permitted to distort in a controlled fashion as a result of crash forces acting on the retractor, whereby the frame remains substantially undistorted.

Seat belt retractor structure

A mini buckle including a housing having a central opening, a push button slidably mounted in the opening and a latch member supported by the push button and movable in a direction parallel to the movement of the button.

Mini seat belt buckle

A dual spool seat belt retractor including a housing and lap and shoulder belt retractors mounted therein. Tension relieving means is provided for the shoulder belt retractor and is positioned in its inoperable position in response to release of energy stored in a release means due to rotation of the lap belt retractor in the extraction direction. Preferably, the tension relieving means is placed in its inoperable position in response to a predetermined number of revolutions of the lap belt retractor in the rewind direction.

Dual spool seat belt retractor with comfort feature

An improved belt clamp apparatus for a vehicle occupant safety restraint system includes: a lever, a clamp bar, a mounting device for movably mounting the bar on the lever, a crest on the bar, and a first spring for biasing the lever to a non-clamping position. The bar is movable on the crest for applying a substantially uniform force over an area of contact on a safety belt. The belt clamp apparatus may be used in a variety of ways in an improved occupant restraint system such as to provide: a belt sensitive restraint system, a vehicle sensitive restraint system, a dual sensitive restraint system, or a force limiting restraint system. The invention also relates to a method for absorbing unwinding force and a method for reducing undesired unwinding of the belt.

Safety belt clamp apparatus, occupant restraint system and method

An emergency release for a seat belt retractor, especially for use in passive seat belt systems, which includes a handle rotatable from a first position to a second position so as to move a contact surface into engagement with a ratchet tooth of a ratchet wheel when the vehicle is in an other than normal orientation. Rotation of the handle from its second to a third position rotates the ratchet wheel out of its engagement position. A contact member moves the pawl to its disengagement position and in one embodiment the pawl prevents the contact member from returning until the vehicle is in its normal orientation. In such embodiment, once the vehicle resumes its normal orientation, the contact member is automatically reset.

Emergency release device for seat belt retractor

The vehicle-sensitive retractor has an improved universal support assembly and pendulum assembly. The support is a gimbal assembly which includes: a pivot ring, a swivel axis for the pivot ring, a trunnion, a swivel axis for the trunnion, and a support member for the trunnion. The pivot ring has an aperture in its bottom central portion through which a pendulum rod extends and a circular support edge upon which a pendulum head is disposed for pivoting movement. The pivot ring is supported by the trunnion, which in turn is supported by the support member for the trunnion. The pivot ring is adapted to pivot in two directions upon its swivel axis with reference to the trunnion. The trunnion is adapted to pivot in two directions upon its swivel axis with reference to the support member for the trunnion. The swivel axis of the pivot ring is disposed approximately perpendicular to the swivel axis for the trunnion. The gimbal assembly is adjustable to an infinite variety of operable static positions according to the position in which the retractor is installed in the vehicle. The retractor may be tilted for installation without having to redesign the pendulum assembly and support assembly.

Vehicle sensitive retractor with improved universal pendulum and gimbal

The vehicle sensitive retractor has an inertia mechanism which includes a bell. A support post is provided upon which the bell rests. Prior to actuation, the bell has an infinite variety of operable static positions to which the bell is adjustable according to the position in which the retractor is oriented by virtue of installation in the vehicle. As a result, the retractor may be tilted for installation without having to redesign the inertia mechanism. An actuating means is disposed on top of the bell and is connected to a reel locking means. The actuating means is disposed in an unlocked position when the bell is in any one of its infinite variety of operable static positions. The actuating means is moved to a locked position by the bell during emergency situations to lock a reel and prevent further unwinding of a safety belt from the reel.

Vehicle sensitive retractor with bell inertia mechanism

The vehicle-sensitive retractor has an upper pendulum assembly and a lower pendulum assembly. The upper pendulum assembly includes a trunnion, a swivel axis for the trunnion, a support member for the trunnion, and a pendulum housing which is attached to the trunnion and is part of the upper pendulum assembly. The lower pendulum assembly includes a pendulum head, a pendulum rod and a pendulum weight. The trunnion of the upper pendulum assembly has an aperture in its bottom central portion through which the pendulum rod of the lower pendulum assembly extends. The trunnion has a circular support edge upon which the pendulum head of the lower pendulum assembly is disposed for pivoting movement. The trunnion is adapted to pivot in two directions upon its swivel axis with reference to the support member. The lower pendulum assembly and the upper pendulum assembly form a double pendulum mechanism. The upper pendulum assembly is adjustable to a variety of operable static positions in one plane according to the position in which the retractor is installed in the vehicle. The retractor may be tilted for installation without having to redesign the pendulum assembly and support assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Robert C Pfeiffer