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, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 15, 1999
Andrew John Downie, Carlisle Cumbria CA2 1AX, GB;
David Smith, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 1AX, GB;
Mike Hill, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 1RZ, GB;
David Burke, Carlisle, Cumbria CA3 9HU, GB;
Other;
Abstract
A pretensioner for a vehicle safety restraint, for rapidly reducing slack in a safety restraint belt in the event of a crash situation, the pretensioner comprising a cable (,) connected at one end to a piston (,) at its other end to a belt rewinding mechanism, the piston (,) being slidably moveable in a cylinder (,) under action of pressure from a gas generator (,) sensitive to a crash indicator, wherein means (,) are provided for controlling the rate of acceleration of the cable (,) in the pretensioning direction, in dependence upon the condition of tension in the safety restraint belt which is to be pretensioned. This can be effected by blocking holes in a dividing plate or by using a continuously variable throttle arrangement such as a profiled throttle pin or a hollow space in the piston with a restrictable opening. The invention allows pretensioning forces to be automatically tailored to the requirements at the time of the crash and as a result provides more comfort to the vehicle occupant while maintaining the required strict safety standards.