The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 1979
Filed:
Dec. 08, 1976
Joseph Sugar, Los Angeles, CA (US);
American Safety Equipment Corporation, Encino, CA (US);
Abstract
A dual sensitive retractor prevents protraction of webbing when either a predetermined vehicle acceleration or webbing acceleration occurs. The reel includes a shaft which is rotatably mounted on a frame. Locking means, in the form of a lock cup, on the frame moves locking pawls into and out of the path of ratchet teeth on the reel. An inertia mass is mounted on the shaft for rotation with respect to the shaft, and an inertia weight is provided which is responsive to changes in the inertia of the vehicle. The invention includes the improvement of providing a latch and means for mounting the latch for engaging the locking means to prevent webbing protraction. Drive means, which in one embodiment is a cam fixed to the shaft contacting the latch generally is driven by the shaft and is connected to the latch to impart rotation from the shaft to the inertia mass and to move the latch into engagement with the locking means when the webbing acceleration rotates the shaft faster than the inertia mass. A gear and means mounting the gear on the shaft for rotation with respect to the shaft are provided. The gear is engageable by the inertia weight to prevent its rotation with the shaft. A gear connecting member is connected to the gear to impart rotary motion from the drive to the gear and operates the drive means to move the latch into engagement with the locking means when the inertia weight prevents rotation of the gear to lock the reel against further protraction. In one embodiment, the gear connecting member connects the gear to the latch to move the latch into engagement with the locking mens. Programming means initiates rotation of the lock cup when the vehicle or webbing acceleration is sensed when the locking pawl is in a predetermined position relative to any one of the ratchet teeth so that the locking pawls engage the ratchet teeth at a predetermined location on the tooth so the rotation of the lock cup drives the locking pawl. Alignment means may also be provided to align the pawl bounce prevention means during manufacture.