The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company

Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Ford Motor Company Limited

Robert J Rumpf

Regis V Pilarski

Ronald A Willey

Wallace C Higbee

Steven G Corrion

Lawrence M Refior

Lawrence J Verellen

Gary M Ray

Angel Fernandez

Dewayne J Sherwin

Ronald J Walker

Ray V Crawford

Lenard D Klebba

Klaus H Arning

Kevin Storck

A seat belt retractor (10) includes a vehicle deceleration sensing assembly (40) which is operable at a plurality of different inclined orientations to block withdrawal of belt webbing (32) from a spool (110). The spool (110) is rotatable about a first axis (62) of the retractor. The sensing assembly (40) includes a first inertia member (222) supported for movement on a second inertia member (224). The second inertia member is supported for pivotal movement about an axis (260) which extends parallel to an adjustment axis (30) of a vehicle seat back (22) in which the retractor (10) is mounted. The first inertia member (222) is movable to move a pawl (180, 200) into engagement with a ratchet (114-116, 130) rotatable about the first axis (62) to block rotation of the spool (110) in a belt withdrawal direction (124).

Inertia sensitive seat belt retractor

A seat belt retractor (12) has a web-sensitive locking mechanism (100) including a primary inertia member (112) which lags rotation of the retractor spool (32) upon acceleration of the spool (32) at a rate above a first predetermined rate. A lock bar (36) blocks rotation of the spool (32) in the unwinding direction when the primary inertia member (112) lags rotation of the spool (32). The retractor (12) also has a sensitivity adjusting mechanism (110) including a secondary inertia member (172). The secondary inertia member (172) has a loading condition in which its mass is applied to the primary inertia member (112) effectively to increase the inertia of the primary inertia member (112). The secondary inertia member (172) is switched into and out of the loading condition in response to rotation of the spool (32). This allows the retractor (12) to provide a low level of webbing sensitivity for the purpose of rapidly donning the seat belt webbing (20) and to provide a high level of webbing sensitivity for locking the retractor (12) in the event of a vehicle collision. The retractor (12) can also be mounted at any angle of inclination, and if mounted in an integrated seat, the retractor (12) will function at any seat back recline angle or yaw angle.

Seat belt retractor with dual sensitivity

A vehicle seat belt retractor includes a spool on which seat belt webbing is wound. The spool is rotatable in belt withdrawal and belt retraction directions. A lock bar is movable into engagement with a spool locking ratchet to lock the spool against rotation in the belt withdrawal direction. A first member is rotatable with the spool. A lock bar actuator is supported for rotation on the first member. Rotation of the lock bar actuator moves the lock bar into engagement with the spool locking ratchet. A flywheel is rotatable relative to the spool. The flywheel lags rotation of the spool upon acceleration of the spool in the belt withdrawal direction at a rate above a predetermined rate. In response to lagging rotation of the flywheel relative to the spool, the control pawl moves in an opening in the first member. The pawl engages the lock bar actuator and transmits rotational force from the first member to the lock bar actuator to move the lock bar actuator. A vehicle deceleration sensitive member carried by the lock bar actuator is movable in response to deceleration of the vehicle at a rate above a predetermined rate into engagement with the first member. The lock bar actuator is then rotated due to the vehicle deceleration sensitive member transmitting rotational force to the actuator from the first member.

Web sensitive and vehicle sensitive retractor

In a seat belt retractor having a comfort mechanism, a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon is supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions. A wind-up spring biases the spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction. A rotatable member is rotatable relative to the spindle. Actuating means has a first condition in which the rotatable member is free to rotate and a second condition in which rotation of the rotatable member is blocked. An auxiliary wind-up spring has one end connected to the rotatable member and another end connected to the spindle. The auxiliary wind-up spring is (i) wound about a portion of the spindle to a taut condition when the actuating means is in its first condition to cause the spindle and the rotatable member to rotate together, (ii) unwound upon rotation of the spindle in the belt withdrawal direction when the actuating means is in its second condition to enable the spindle to rotate relative to the rotatable member, and (iii) rewound about the portion of the spindle to the taut condition to limit rotation of the spindle in the belt retraction direction relative to the rotatable member after withdrawal of the belt webbing from the spindle when the actuating means is in its second condition. A predetermined amount of slack is set in the belt when the comfort mechanism is engaged.

Comfort mechanism with slack limit

A seat belt retractor comprises a spindle having seat belt webbing wound thereon. The spindle is supported for rotation in belt withdrawal and belt retraction directions. A member is movable between a first position in which the spindle is free to rotate in the belt withdrawal direction and a second position in which the spindle is blocked from rotating in the belt withdrawal direction. A permanent magnet is fixed to the member. An energizable electromagnet includes a core located adjacent the permanent magnet for attracting the permanent magnet to thereby move the member to one of its first and second positions when the electromagnet is de-energized. The core repels the permanent magnet to thereby move the member to the other one of its first and second positions upon energization of said electromagnet.

Electrically actuatable locking mechanism for a seat belt retractor

An assembly for use in a vehicle includes a seat for a vehicle occupant. The seat is supported for forward movement relative to the vehicle during a collision. A seat belt retractor is mounted on the seat. Belt webbing extends from the retractor and about the occupant to restrain movement of the occupant relative to the seat. The belt webbing is retractable onto the retractor to tighten the belt webbing about the occupant. A drive retracts the belt webbing onto the retractor. An actuator responsive to movement of the seat during a collision actuates the drive to tighten the belt webbing against the occupant.

Seat assembly with occupant restraint system

A seat belt retractor comprises a spool which is rotatable in seat belt winding and unwinding directions. An inertia member is rotatable with the spool at spool accelerations below a predetermined level and rotatable relative to the spool at spool accelerations above the predetermined level. The spool is blocked against from rotation in the unwinding direction in response to relative rotation of the inertia member and the spool. The inertia member is restrained from rotation to effect rotation relative to the spool by an electromagnet having opposite poles extending adjacent the inertia member. The electromagnet is energized to create a magnetic field extending through the poles to cause the poles to be attracted against the inertia member to restrain rotation of the inertia member.

Seat belt retractor with electrically actuatable locking mechanism

A tilting seat back is mounted on a vehicle by a first hinge member which is pivoted to a second vehicle mounted hinge member. The first hinge member includes a plurality of teeth and a pawl mounted on the second hinge member is engageable with each of the teeth. The first hinge member holds the pawl in the path of one tooth when the seat back is in the upright position for engagement of the tooth with the pawl upon inertia actuated movement of the seat back to a tilted position. The pawl is released and positioned adjacent the rotative path of the other teeth for inertia actuated movement into engagement with the other teeth when the seat back is in a partially tilted position.

Hinge and latch arrangement for vehicle seats

A cinch lock for safety belt retractors in which a manually operated plunger acts on the lock pawl to apply a spring bias to the pawl toward lock engagement with the retractor ratchets and in prevention of webbing withdrawal independent of the automatic inertial locks and independent of associated comfort mechanisms. The plunger directly engages the pawl in only one direction of stroke and the manual lock is released and frustrated by a predetermined amount of webbing wound on the retractor spool.

Cinch lock for safety belt retractors

A tandem dual spool retractor structure having a common frame and non-aligned separate spools with a common sensor acting on non-aligned pawls and where the pivotal actuator is free to rise in slots so as to prevent either spool from blocking the locking of the other spool. The spools are both supported by flanges formed from the one-piece frame. The spools are journalled in flexible plastic brackets which also support the pawl elements and the pawl elements, on lock-up, flex to buttress relation with the frame elements and force transmitting elements are provided on the inboard bearings which supplement the strength of the central or inboard supports.

Tandem dual spool retractor structure

A retractor and method for preventing premature movement of a lock pawl or bar toward locking engagement with a ratchet driven by the drum of the retractor structure and achieved by a torsion spring connected to and driven by the drum. The drum movement in both a retracting and protracting direction applies opposite biases to a pawl blocking element and the preselection of each bias zone being achieved on assembly of the spring to the retractor drum at a selected point in retraction and protraction.

Apparatus and process for dead zone control in safety belt retractors

An automotive seat belt retractor accessory frame is provided with a journal groove on one side which is engageable with one end of a structural pocket formed in an automobile for receiving the retractor. On the other side of the retractor frame and away from the journal groove is a stop usually formed as an integral extension of the flanges of the retractor frame. The stop is buttress engaging another edge of the pocket or opening and as the retractor frame is tilted into the pocket journalled at the groove and against one edge of the pocket, the retractor frame is stopped from further swing. A latch member secured to the retractor ramped to open upon passing engagement with the edge of the pocket and closes after the edge of the pocket has engaged the stop. The latch element, upon closing, is locked and the frame cannot be removed until a selected manual bias is applied through the pocket for release of the frame. Upon assembly in an automobile, the retractor mounted in the retractor frame is tilted and snapped into position.

Snap-in retractor

A dual spool side by side retractor structure on a common frame wherein both spools are acted upon by a common lock pawl element, the lock pawl element engaging the ratchet teeth of one of the two spools and then being positively and guidably driven by the first spool to powered engagement with the other of said two spools and the guiding occurring as a consequence of cam surfaces directing the pawl-to-ratchet engagement. The pawl lock element is activated by a sensor element such as a pendulum structure. The pawl lock element is located between and beneath the two spools and upon tilting, the lock pawl element pivots toward guided interference with one set of ratchet teeth whereupon the moving spool drives the pawl element up a cam ramp to lockably engage the second spool. The pawl element is first displaced by an actuating sensor element and then the pawl element is displaced and driven laterally by the first spool in a direction transverse to the first displacement and up a ramp into contact with the retractor teeth of the second spool. The withdrawal and retraction directions of both spools are in an opposite sense to each other and the retractor spools are locked against any further withdrawal action when engaged by the pawl element. A spring in association with the cam-ramp restores the pawl element as retraction movement frees the pawl element.

Dual spool positive drive retractor

An improved inertially locking hinge for vehicular seats which permits the seat back to be pivoted downwardly when the vehicle is not subjected to inertial forces but which, under the influence of selected inertial forces, causes a simple metal block element to pivot into engagement with ratchet teeth on the movable of the hinge elements. Weight and space savings are achieved by using a small thrust carrying block element secured in a plastic case and the case is pivotal in a slightly arcuate opening and the case enclosing a mass positioned to act between parallel spaced-apart fixed plates, the plates pivotally supporting the principal hinge point and seat back support. The block element carries the thrust of the teeth into the fixed plates at a buttress at the arcuate opening.

Seat back hinge

A safety belt retractor having a pair of actuating means which are independently responsive or condition sensitive to acceleration of webbing withdrawal and to ominidirectional acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle. The condition sensed first actuates a pilot pawl and the pilot pawl mechanically and positively engages means which drive the locking pawl to prevent webbing withdrawal from the webbing drum or reel. The pilot pawl is cam activated by the relative movement between a flywheel and the shaft of the drum or reel as is sensed by sudden withdrawal force on the webbing, or upon relative delay of rotation or lag in the flywheel consequent to inertial displacement of a pendulum and following pawl to ratchet engagement with the flywheel. The locking force of pilot pawl to drive the ratchet and the locking force to drive the pendulum pawl to the flywheel ratchet is minimal and the locking thrust of the lock pawl to the ratchet drum is by emergency stress felt on the harness or webbing and conveyed into the retractor frame and vehicle. The pendulum is miniaturized and the actuator mechanism is predominantly formed from precision molded resin parts.

Growing community of inventors

Grosse Pointe, MI, United States of America

Robert J Rumpf