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:
Jun. 26, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 01, 1998
Michael P. Gleason, Chesterfield, MI (US);
Barry J. Maloney, Clinton Township, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (,) includes a webbing roller (,), a brake structure (,), and a support structure (,). The roller (,) includes a spool (,) and a pair of axially opposite spindle structures (,) centered on an axis of rotation (,). A rotatable outer surface (,) of the spool (,) is configured to engage seat belt webbing (,). The support structure (,) is configured to support the roller (,) in an ordinary operating position in which the outer surface (,) of the spool (,) is spaced radially from a braking surface (,) on the brake structure (,). The support structure (,) is further configured to support the roller (,) for movement under the influence of tension in the seat belt webbing (,). Such movement of the roller (,) includes uniform movement radially from the ordinary operating position to a restrained position in which the outer surface (,) of the spool (,) engages the braking surface (,) on the brake structure (,).