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:
Feb. 18, 1986
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1985
Gary R Kurtti, East Detroit, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A retractor mounted on the vehicle door in a passive belt system includes an inertia mass which lifts a pilot pawl into engagement with one of a plurality of gear teeth carried by the reel so that an initial unwinding rotation of the reel as the occupant is restrained by the belt causes the tooth to further lift the pilot pawl into engagement with the lock bar and then lift the lock bar into engagement with the reel. A blocking arm is friction drive coupled to the reel for rotation therewith and has an end which frictionally engages the pilot pawl during belt unwinding rotation induced by opening movement of the door to impose a frictional force on the pawl which substantially increases the level of acceleration force required to actuate the inertia mass and pilot pawl. As the door is closed, the belt is rewound upon the retractor and the blocking arm is friction driven away from engagement with the pilot pawl so that the pilot pawl is restored to its normal sensitivity condition in readiness for movement into engagement with the gear teeth by the inertia mass in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration.