Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

William J Fleming

Charles E Steffens, Jr

Barney J Bauer

Robert E Resh

Apparatus ( ) includes first and second members ( ) that are connected to each other and pivotable relative to each other about an axis ( ). A spring ( ) biases the first member ( ) to pivot in a first rotational direction relative to the second member ( ). A seat belt ( ) engages the first member ( ) and urges the first member to pivot against the bias of the spring ( ) in a second rotational direction as tension in the seat belt increases. The relative angular position of the first and second members ( ) changes in proportion to the amount of tension on the seat belt. The apparatus ( ) also includes a sensor ( ) for measuring the angular position of the first member ( ) relative to the second member ( ) and providing a signal corresponding to the angular position. The signal is proportional to the amount of tension in the seat belt ( ).

Seat belt tension sensing apparatus

In a seat belt system (10), a plurality of sensors (76, 80, 84) sense characteristics of a vehicle occupant and of a vehicle collision. The vehicle occupant sensors (80, 84) cooperate with a controller (90) to control a motor (60) which sets the position of a movable D-ring stop (70). The position of the stop (70) determines the position to which a movable D-ring (28) is repositioned in the event of a vehicle collision. The system (10) also includes a retractor (30) supported for movement on the vehicle. A crushable energy absorbing material, preferably a honeycomb (230), is disposed in the path of movement of a crush plate (160) movable with the retractor (30). The crushable material (230) controls movement of the crush plate (160) and thus of the retractor (30). Together with the repositioning of the D-ring (28), this reduces the abruptness of the load on the vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision.

Vehicle seat belt system

A seat belt webbing retractor (22) includes a spool (72) on which a length of belt webbing (16) is wound. A stop member (100) is fixed in position on a vehicle. A crush plate (60) is secured to the retractor (22), and both the retractor (22) and the crush plate (60) are movable in a direction (132) toward the stop member (100). A crushable energy absorbing material, preferably a honeycomb (130), is disposed in the path of movement of the crush plate (60). The crushable material (130) controls movement of the crush plate (60) relative to the stop member (100), reducing the abruptness of the load on a vehicle occupant during a collision. In a second embodiment, the resistance provided by a crushable member (280) may be controlled in response to a sensed characteristic (310) of the vehicle occupant.

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

William J Fleming