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. 07, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 30, 1996
Applicant:
Inventors:
Ivanna G Malinow, Clinton Township, MI (US);
Harley L Kapanka, Rochester, MI (US);
Lloyd M Snyder, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Assignee:
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B60R / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
2423761 ;
Abstract
A seat belt retractor (10) includes a spool (100) on which belt webbing (16) is wound. The spool (100) is fixed for rotation with a shaft (110). The shaft (110) is acted upon by gravity with a first force. The seat belt webbing (16) provides a second force on the shaft acting counter to the first force. A means, such as a pair of M-shaped springs (130, 140), provides a biasing force on the shaft acting counter to the first force. The springs (130, 140) may also bias the spool (100) axially away from side walls (34, 36) of the retractor frame (30).