Abstract: A flat seat belt retractor in which the seat belt webbing is retracted into an elongated housing and stored in a flat condition as opposed to winding the webbing around a spool. By incorporating a flat webbing retractor into a vehicle seat back, the seat belt retractor can be packaged in a seat back without requiring enough space to store a bulky spool type retractor. In a preferred embodiment, the retractor is incorporated into a structural member of the seat back frame to reduce the overall number of components required in the seat back for both the frame and the retractor.

Abstract: A trigger mechanism for a belt pretensioner comprises a sensor mass which responds both on a head-on collision and on ramming of the vehicle from the rear. The sensor mass may be pivotally mounted and formed by functional parts of the pretensioner drive. In a belt pretensioner which is combined with a belt retractor (10) to an assembly and which has a pyrotechnical piston/cylinder drive, the sensor mass consists of a carrier block (40) pivotally mounted on a base (12) and having a guide cylinder (42) mounted therein and a piston accommodated therein. A striker lever (50) pivotally mounted in the base (12) is released for activating an impact igniter on a gas generator cartridge (44) when the carrier block (40) is pivoted in vehicle-sensitive manner in the one or other direction.

Abstract: A pre-emergency delayed locking retractor. A pawl is movably mounted to a retractor frame and is lockingly engagable with spool ratchet teeth with a web wound on the spool. A cam wheel mounted to the retractor frame or a web follower mounted to the pawl are operable to keep the pawl apart from the ratchet teeth until a predetermined amount of web is withdrawn. An inertial device engaged with an end of the pawl forces the pawl away from the ratchet teeth until the retractor frame is moved. The inertial device includes a mass mounted in an unstable fashion to the frame with an upstanding finger contactable by an arm fixedly mounted to an end of the pawl.

Abstract: A rotary actuator-operated pretensioner comprises a gas generator and a rotary actuator that is driven in rotation by pressurized gas supplied by the gas generator and drives a belt take-up reel. Annular flange portions extend from the cylinder side walls into the operating chamber, the flange portions being coaxial with the axis of rotation of the rotor, and the rotor is supported by the cylinder for rotation by reception of the flange portions within end portions of the rotor body. An elastomer seal member is mounted on the side of the rotor vane portion that faces the pressure section of the operating chamber. The seal member has lip portions along its edges that are urged by gas pressure in the pressure section against the side walls and peripheral wall of the cylinder.

Abstract: In a seat belt retractor according to the present invention, a first protruding shaft of a reel shaft is loosely fitted into a recess, which is formed in an end of an output shaft, in such a manner that there is a prescribed gap between the shaft and the inner wall of the recess. The output shaft and the reel shaft are loosely fitted together so as to be capable of moving relative to each other in the axial direction but incapable of rotating relative to each other in the rotational direction. Accordingly, the reel shaft is capable of pivoting about the end of the first protruding shaft, which is the loosely fitted end. When the reel shaft pivots in this manner, the teeth of a ratchet on one side engage with teeth formed on a wall on the same side.

Abstract: An automobile safety belt device includes a retract unit for stopping a safety belt from lengthening by using a motor which pulls a rope to move an adjusting wheel nearer two fixing wheels in the retract unit for pinching immovable the safety belt in case of a shock caused by an accident or an urgent stepping on a brake.

Abstract: A belt gripping mechanism distanced from a belt payout reel including a support housing, a clamping assembly and a locking assembly, which functions in response to a predetermined load to grip a restraint belt in an effectively permanent manner so as to not be immediately releasable upon the cessation of forces which initially triggered the gripping. During emergency crash situations, the locking of the belt payout reel causes the clamping assembly to move from a locked "non-gripping" position to a locked "gripping" position significantly reducing the forward movement of the vehicle passenger.

Abstract: The seat belt retractor of the present invention is provided with a fragile portion .gamma. near a supporting section of a rotating shaft 21 on two side walls 2b (and 2a--not shown) of a case 2. The fragile portion .gamma. undergoes plastic deformation or rupture when a load exceeding a predetermined value is applied on a seat belt 1 through the rotating-squeezing member 20 and a rotating shaft 21 by pulling force. When the fragile portion .gamma. undergoes plastic deformation or rupture, the rotating-squeezing member 20 is moved toward loading direction, and the rotating-squeezing member 20 is separated from the sliding-squeezing member 19. Then, the rotating-squeezing member 20 is turned over, and the squeezing force on the seat belt 1 by the rotating-squeezing member 20 and the sliding-squeezing member 19 is alleviated. As the result, the application of highly concentrated load on the seat belt can be avoided.

Abstract: The safety belt restraining system for vehicles is provided with a vehicle-sensitive and/or webbing-sensitive locking belt retractor and a webbing clamping means following said retractor. To achieve fast activation of the webbing clamping means with minimum webbing withdrawal but nevertheless to protect the webbing from damage by the clamping operation, the inhibiting force exerted by the webbing clamping means on the webbing is limited by dimensioning and configuration of the system to a predetermined value at which the webbing clamping means does not cause any appreciable weakening of the webbing. The belt retractor is in turn dimensioned at least for absorbing the forces which are to be expected in the evolution of an accident and are introduced via the webbing after the predetermined value is exceeded. When said value is exceeded and, e.g. the webbing slips between the webbing clamping means, the retractor can absorb the remaining blocking load.

Abstract: A webbing retractor for taking up an occupant-restraining webbing used in a seat belt apparatus for a vehicle has a takeup shaft held by a frame, and the webbing is wound around the takeup shaft. The takeup shaft is pivotally held at a substantially intermediate portion of each of a pair of arms. One end of each arm is pivotally supported by a support shaft, and the arms are adapted to rotate about the support shaft.

Abstract: A preloader for use in a webbing retractor for allowing a webbing to be fitted closely around a vehicle occupant at the time of an emergency of a vehicle. The preloader includes a gas generating device for generating a gas instantaneously at the time of an emergency of the vehicle; a moving member adapted so as to be moved by the pressure of the gas; a force converting/transmitting device connected to the moving member and adapted to move together with the moving member so as to convert the moving force of the moving member into a torque acting in a webbing taking-up direction and transmit the torque to a takeup shaft of the webbing retractor; and a force transmission preventing device for preventing the moving force of the moving member from being transmitted to the force converting/transmitting device when a load exceeding a predetermined value is applied by the force converting/transmitting device to the moving member.

Abstract: A buckle assembly is disclosed for use in fastening opposite ends of a strap, belt, suspender and the like, which buckle assembly comprises a plug member, a socket member engageable therewith and a tension control means adapted to reciprocate the plug member back and forth through the socket member for a predetermined distance in response to tensile forces applied to the straps. A tension adjusting means is further provided to adjust the compressive tension of the tension control means to a desired extent.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises a frame including a pair of opposite side walls and a rear wall extending between the side walls, a seat belt take-up reel extending between the side walls of the frame, a first gripping member mounted to the rear wall of the frame to grip a seat belt, a shaft extending between the side walls of the frame, a second gripping member having a support hole at one end to receive the shaft whereby the second gripping member is pivotally supported by the frame, the second gripping member being rotated between a position where the other, free end of the second gripping member is overlapped with the first gripping member and a position remote from the first gripping member, and locking means for moving the second gripping member to overlap with the first gripping member in emergency situations of a vehicle, wherein the second gripping member has a front edge to contact with the seat belt faster than any other portions when the second gripping member is rotated in such a direction as to

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprising a first emergency lock mechanism for locking a reel shaft around which a seat belt is wound and a second emergency lock mechanism for sandwiching and locking said seat belt drawn out from the reel shaft by a rotatable member which pivots on one of its ends. The rotatable member has a deformable portion which is deformed so that the distance from the center of rotation to the sandwiching face of the seat belt may be shortened.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises a frame including a pair of opposite side walls and a rear wall extending between the side walls, a seat belt take-up reel extending between the side walls of the frame, a first gripping member mounted to the rear wall of the frame to grip a seat belt, a shaft extending between the side walls of the frame, a second gripping member having a support hole at one end to receive the shaft whereby the second gripping member is pivotally supported by the frame, the second gripping member rotated between a position where the other, free end of the second gripping member is overlapped with the first gripping member and a position remote from the first gripping member, operating means for moving the second gripping member to overlap with the first gripping member in emergency situations of a vehicle, a guide made of synthetic resin and mounted to the frame to guide the seat belt in a region where the seat belt is gripped between the first and second gripping members, and a metallic reinf

Abstract: A safety belt retractor includes a webbing sensitive blocking mechanism for blocking rotation of the belt spool in the belt withdrawal direction. The blocking mechanism includes an inertia disc connected via a coupling pawl and an externally toothed coupling wheel to the control wheel. Relative rotation between the inertia disc and the control wheel results in actuation of the blocking mechanism. When a predetermined centrifugal force is exceeded the coupling pawl comes out of engagement with the external toothing of the coupling wheel. The mass disc is uncoupled from the control wheel, preventing actuation of the blocking mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a combination in a motor vehicles.

Abstract: A linearly adjustable force transfer element with one or more inertia-sensitive triggering mechanisms for one or two stepless, activatable blocking devices especially adapted for use with a car seat. A vertically adjustable seat frame and optionally safety belt hardware is fastened to a mounting eye of a draw rod and a bottom mounting eye is fastened to the carriage of the seat rail. In normal use, the two parts can be freely moved with respect to one another; however, in a front end collision, an inertia sensor mass travels and by means of a pressure cam tilts plates into a blocking position, which is achieved immediately, directly and steplessly. A force transfer is possible by means of the two opposing blocked parts so that adjusting elements of the seat are not loaded. The described sensor mechanism can also be combined with other sensors, e.g. a draw-out sensitive release element, and a spherical sensor, which can be addressed on all levels of deceleration, can be used.

Abstract: A seat belt tightening system incorporated with a vehicle seat, comprising: a deceleration sensor for detecting deceleration indicative of occurence of a vehicle crash; a tensioning unit for tensioning a seat belt; a power unit for activating the tensioning unit upon receiving an output signal from the deceleration sensor; a safety catch member for preventing activation of the power unit; and mounted state detecting unit for detecting a mounted state of the vehicle seat and releasing the safety catch member only when it has detected the mounted state of the vehicle seat. Thus, the seat belt tightening system may be safely incorporated with the vehicle seat as a subassembly for improved efficiency of the assembling process, and the inadvertent activation of the system is positively prevented.

Abstract: The clamping roller for a belt webbing clamping device consists of two identical plastic mouldings and a rolled steel sleeve inserted into a recess thereof. Said steel sleeve surrounds a pivot bearing pin of steel inserted into a bore of the plastic mouldings. This pivot bearing pin and the rolled steel sleeve bear on each other along a zone parallel to the axis of the clamping roller and form a composite member of high strength.

Abstract: In a safety-belt system comprising a winding and locking mechanism, a clamping device is provided which carries out a clamping of the safety-belt outside the reel winding, wherein this clamping effect is caused by a lifting motion of the winding and locking mechanism or of a part thereof and is fastened by suitable means so that the load-bearing clamping organ comes to engage with its entire clamping surface on the belt and the approach of the clamping surface to the belt is synchronized. According to the invention clamping readiness of the clamping organ is begun on every vehicle deceleration of more than 0.45 g and on every belt withdrawal acceleration of more than 1.5 g. The belt winder contains, apart from the driving spring and the winding shaft, only the sensor and control mechanism, and does not require any separate locking elements in order to cause preblocking.

Abstract: The safety seat belt system comprises an emergency-locking type seat belt retractor (ELR) mounted within a tiltable backrest of a reclining seat. The ELR is mounted rotatably on a support shaft horizontally extending within the backrest and rigidly secured to the backrest frame in such a manner that the ELR is suspended vertically from the support shaft regardless of any change in the angle of the backrest. The ELR is locked to the support shaft by a releasable locking mechanism operated by an actuating mechanism which is preferably linked to the reclining adjustment lever of the backrest reclining mechanism.

Abstract: A latch housing attachable to a side wall of a vehicle frame holds a vertically movable cradle having a spring mounted sensing roller over which a loop or bight of a shoulder harness belt passes. The cradle is also spring mounted in the latch housing. The bottom portions of the facing walls of the cradle cavity in the housing converge to define a downwardly diminishing chamber into which a latch wedge fixed to the bottom of the cradle is movable by belt motion against the cradle spring force. The harness belt extends from each each end of the bight or loop to the take-up reel fixed to the vehicle and to the conventional lap belt near the lap belt buckle. The harness belt passes between the wedge faces and the adjacent faces of the Latch housing lower slanting walls so that swift momentum forces drive the wedge surfaces into binding contact with the belt runs but slower changes in belt momentum are absorbed by the roller mount springs, which are preferably adjustable.

Abstract: A roll-up device, particularly for safety belts used in vehicles. The device provides a so-called automatic belt blocker with belt-sensitive and/or vehicle-sensitive blocking of the belt winding spindle, which is provided with a projection which cooperates with a locking member, which in turn can be locked in place via detents which engage with notches associated with a housing. There is the problem that, in the event of high belt forces, the locking member will slip away from the projection, and thus from the notches of the housing, thereby freeing the blockage. The aim of the invention is therefore to prevent the locking member from breaking out of its predetermined position in this way. To solve this problem, at least one overlapping arrangement is provided between the projection of the belt winding spindle, and the radially deflectable locking member, to ensure that the locking member does not move out of its position in the axial direction of the belt winding spindle during blocking.

Abstract: A locking apparatus for use with safety belts of the type protracted and retracted on a spool which is locked by inertia forces in an emergency. The safety belt passes through a clamping assembly which is activated upon sliding movement of the retractor reel from protraction forces in the locked state greater than a pre-established threshold amount.

Abstract: A main shaft is threadably coupled to a base mounted on a vehicle body, and this main shaft is biased by a spring in the axial direction thereof. However, the main shaft is prevented from rotating by an arm tiltably supported on the main shaft being engaged with a stopper provided on the base. In an emergency of a vehicle, an acceleration sensor turns the arm to slip off the stopper to make the main shaft rotatable, whereby the main shaft rotatingly moves in the axial direction thereof. This moving force is transmitted to the webbing, whereby the webbing is retracted, so that the webbing can be closely fastened to an occupant.

Abstract: A safety device for vehicles includes a safety belt for restraining a passenger in a normal position in a seat. A winder is attached to one end of the safety belt and winds the end of the belt onto a winding roller. A blocking device is actuated to prevent the winder from rewinding the belt when the passenger remains in the normal position in the seat and the belt is buckled. A release is provided for disconnecting the blocking device from the locking position when an excessive amount of slack develops in the belt, so that the winder can take up the excessive slack.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a locking device for vehicle seat belt webbing. The device includes a fixed clamp member; a swing clamp displaceable relative to the clamp member between two positions, and a drum displaceable relative to the swing clamp between two positions and engageable at one of the two positions with the swing clamp so as to restrain itself from further rotation. The drum is displaced toward the swing clamp when a tensile force of a predetermined value or greater is applied to the webbing. When a further tensile force is exerted on the webbing, the swing clamp is displaced toward the fixed clamp member and holds the webbing firmly. Since the drum itself is locked, subsequent payout of the webbing can be substantially restrained owing to a frictional force developed between the drum and webbing. Thus, the webbing is actually locked at two locations. Since the area of contact between the webbing and the locking device, i.e.

Abstract: An emergency locking device equipped with a safety belt retractor wherein a reel (2) for winding a safety belt (1) thereon is rotatably mounted on a fixed reel support (4) with a shaft (3) fixed to the reel (2) being journaled on the support (4), and the reel (2) is biased to rotate in a belt rewinding direction by a return spring (5). In order to initiate the locking operation of the emergency locking device, there are provided a locking initiating member (21) fixedly mounted on the shaft (3) and an inertia plate (17) rotatably mounted on the shaft (3). The locking initiating member (21) is provided with a gear (21a) on its outer peripheral surface. A locking transmission pawl (19) is mounted rotatably about an axis (18) on the inertia plate (17). The locking transmission pawl (19) is provided with a gear (22) which is engaged with the gear (21a).

Abstract: A restraint belt retractor includes a belt reel rotatably mounted on a retractor housing which is adapted for mounting on the vehicle seat. A winding spring rotates the reel in a belt winding direction. The imposition of an occupant restraint load on the belt subsequent to reel lockup by an inertia actuated reel locking means actuates a belt clamping mechanism which clamps the belt to limit its extension from the reel. The retractor housing also mounts a rotatable anchor belt reel for winding and unwinding an anchor belt having an end mounted on the vehicle body rearward of the seat. A lock bar for locking the anchor belt reel is actuated to the locking condition in response to the actuation of the belt clamping mechanism to thereby fix the length of the transfer belt and anchor the retractor housing and seat against forward movement by the occupant restraint load.

Abstract: Automatic roll-up device for a safety belt in vehicles, with means for blocking the belt roller in the case of danger, consisting of a detent locking mechanism which is automatically operated by a vehicle-sensitive and/or belt-sensitive activating mechanism. A locking detent is provided which can lock with locking teeth of locking wheels fixed to the belt shaft. A control part which is freely rotatably supported on the belt shaft serves to operate the locking detent. The control part can be moved to its locking position by a support member, which is fixed to the belt shaft and has locking teeth, by the action of a sensor pawl lever which is supported at the control part and can be directly positioned by means of a vehicle-sensitive inertia sensor. And/or a belt-sensitive inertia sensor which is attached to the support member can lock-in with the control part.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor adapted for mounting on a vehicle door includes an inertia sensing pendulum for moving the lock bar into engagement with a belt reel to lock the reel against belt unwinding rotation. A feeler device, such as a plunger, is mounted on the door for sensing initial movement of the door away from the closed position. A flexible element, such as a chain, is connected to the pendulum and the feeler device. The flexible element has a normal slackened link when the door is closed so that the pendulum is free for movement to move the lock bar to the reel engaging position. Upon initial door opening movement, the plunger extends and tensions the flexible element so that the flexible element restrains the pendulum against movement from the normal position by an inertia stimulus induced by door opening movement.

Abstract: An inertial lock for a safety belt includes a frame supporting a fixed locking jaw and a movable locking jaw. The belt passes between the jaws. A spring yieldably urges the movable jaw into gripping orientation with respect to the fixed jaw to prevent movement of the belt between the jaws. The belt is trained about a wheel supported in the frame such that movement of the belt rotates the wheel. A shaft extends radially outwardly from the axis of the wheel, and a weight is reciprocably disposed on the shaft. A spring biases the weight away from the distal end of the shaft toward the rotational axis of the wheel. Centrifugal force on the weight caused by rotation of the wheel urges the weight against the spring. Wheel rotation rates in excess of a predetermined rate displace the weight radially outwardly along the shaft. The weight includes a mechanism for triggering the movable jaw to move in response to its spring into gripping orientation with the fixed jaw.

Abstract: An emergency locking dual spool safety belt retractor having a frame, two belt storage spools rotatably mounted in said frame, a spool locking ratchet on each spool and an inertia sensor for sensing vehicle acceleration or deceleration above a predetermined value is provided with a split pawl locking means for locking the two belt storage spools in response to operation of the inertia sensor wherein resilient means are provided, including a pawl guide positioning the pawl members and cushioning them between the spool ratchets and resilient bushings surrounding ends of the pawl members and guide which penetrate the retractor frame side walls, whereby lockup of both spools by the two separate pawl members is assured even in a false latching condition and when one or the other pawl member engages a ratchet in a tooth to tooth condition, the resiliency of the resilient guide and bushings cooperating to maintain the pawl members in spool locking condition in response to operation of the inertia sensor.

Abstract: A belt clamping mechanism for a seat belt retractor having a belt reel rotatably journaled on a frame and a locking means for locking the reel against unwinding rotation. The retractor frame is mounted on the vehicle body for limited movement in the direction of belt pull. A yieldable device such as a frangible member acts between the frame and the vehicle body to establish the frame at a normal position in which a belt clamping member carried by the retractor frame is spaced from a clamping abutment mounted on the vehicle body. When the reel is locked and an occupant restraint load is imposed on the belt, the yieldable device permits movement of the reel and the frame in the direction of belt pull so that the belt is clamped between the clamping member carried by the frame and the clamping abutment mounted on the vehicle body to fix the belt length against spooling down on the reel.

Abstract: Braking device for safety belts which have a braking system ahead of the braking device, which latter has movable brake roller partly wrapped around by the belt, a stationary clamping bar disposed adjacent one side of the belt, and a movable arresting element. Upon activation resulting from a belt pull which exceeds a predetermined force, the brake roller is moved out of position against the arresting element which latter moves toward the stationary pad to cause clamping of the belt and which also arrest the brake roller by contact therewith.

Abstract: A linear belt storage retractor includes a locking mechanism attached to the end of the belt and travelling vertically inside a vertical tubular housing mounted on the vehicle body. The weight of the locking mechanism retracts the belt into the tubular housing. The locking mechanism includes a ramp member attached to the belt and having a ramp surface facing the inner wall of the tubular housing. A wedge member is seated upon the ramp surface and moves radially relative the inner wall upon axial movement relative the ramp member. A platform engages the wedge member and is spring biased to support the wedge member at a normal position away from the inner wall.

Abstract: A retractor comprises reel shaft means rotatably supported between the two opposed side plate portions of a base member, a gear fixed to one end of the reel shaft means and meshing with another gear given a take-up force by a take-up spring and rotatably supported on that side plate portion which is adjacent to the one end of the reel shaft means, take-up force locking means for diminishing or nulling the take-up force of the take-up spring applied to webbing during the wearing of a belt, the take-up force locking means being mounted on that side plate portion which is adjacent to the one end of the reel shaft means, a webbing-sensitive emergency locking mechanism mounted on that side plate portion which is adjacent to the other end of the reel shaft means, and a vehicle-sensitive emergency locking mechanism mounted on the inner surface of that side plate portion which is adjacent to the other end of the reel shaft means.

Abstract: A pendulum for a retractor to be mounted on a tiltable vehicle seat in which the pendulum cap is tiltable in the direction of seat tilt prior to actuation by a collision force.

Abstract: An improved safety belt retractor assembly is provided wherein the support shaft for the retractor spool having a belt wound thereon is directly mounted on a pair of integral raised flanges on a vehicle structural support member. The ends of the shaft engage the flange by a J-shaped anchor and the load caused by the restraining force of the belt is thus transmitted directly to the structural support member. In addition, the lock dog is directly supported in a V-shaped cutout for direct transmission of the force to the structural support. A plastic cover having openings in the sides locate the ends of the shaft and the lock dog during pre-assembly. A crosspiece for the pendulum actuator is also pre-located in the cover.

Abstract: A reel type safety seat belt retractor in which a pawl is triggered to engage a ratchet wheel, serving as a reel flange, by an inertial device sensitive to an accelerated movement of the reel, wherein the inertial device has two levels of sensitivity, a low level to prevent the triggering of the pawl under all normal conditions of belt withdrawal for buckling, and a second level of high sensitivity which prevails after the belt webbing has been buckled about the passenger.This is accomplished by means of a biasing spring shared by both a webbing follower and the inertial device, and by a clutch which rotated when the webbing in initially withdrawn to restrain the webbing follower and the attached spring bias in a condition of high tension for the low level of sensitivity.

Abstract: An emergency locking retractor comprises a lock member capable of assuming a position in which it engages an engaging portion integral with a webbing take-up shaft to lock the rotation of the shaft in webbing draw-out direction and a position in which it does not engage the engaging portion. A speed change sensing member is adapted, when it senses a greater speed change of a vehicle than a predetermined value, to shift from a first condition to a second condition and thereby move the lock member to the engaging position. The retractor also includes a switch-actuated electrical system for moving the lock member independently of the sensing member.

Abstract: A seat belt system for a vehicle including an impact energy absorbing device mounted between a seat belt for restraining an occupant and a seat belt anchor means. The impact energy absorbing device includes a cutter, a member disposed in juxtaposed relation to the cutter and adapted to be sheared by the cutter as the member and the cutter move relative to each other, and a cutter supporting member to which the cutter is securely fixed. When the vehicle collides, the impact energy is absorbed by the shearing of the member by the cutter. The shearing load exerted on the member may vary depending on the tension speed exerted on the seat belt at the time of collision, so that the movement of the occupant caused by the collision can be confined to a substantially constant range at varying collision velocities and a secondary collision of the occupant against an instrument panel or the like can be prevented.

Abstract: Tension at the intermediate portion of a restraining webbing is detected by tension detecting means to sense the condition of a webbing fastened to an occupant, whereby the movement of the webbing is prevented when said webbing is fastened to the occupant, to thereby prevent the tension of the webbing from acting on the occupant during driving.

Abstract: Mechanism for retracting a vehicle seat belt and locking the belt against extension includes a track mounted on the vehicle body and a belt carriage mounted on the track for movement in the belt extending and retracting directions. A locking pawl is mounted on the belt carriage and is selectively actuatable to a locked position engaging teeth on the track to lock the belt carriage against belt extending movement. A spring biased reel mounted on the vehicle body winds a cable having its end attached to the locking pawl so that winding of the cable urges the carriage in the belt retracting direction. A reel locking means selectively locks the reel against rotation in the cable unwinding direction so that the cable is tensioned upon attempted extension of the belt to actuate the pawl to the locked position. The reel locking means may be responsive to the rate of belt unwinding or a condition of vehicle deceleration.

Abstract: An automatic, rapid lock, belt roll-up clamp for vehicle safety belts is provided with a belt clamp disposed behind a winding drum. The belt is adapted to be guided with minimal friction between first and second guide points located next to a clamp lever having a joint, and between two clamping surfaces, one of which is attached to a housing, the other of which is located on the clamp lever and both of which are substantially parallel to one another when in contact. The second guide point is pivotally mounted on the housing and located separately from the clamp lever and in front of the clamping surfaces with respect to the direction of belt pull. Clamping occurs by essentially pure normal force produced by pulling action at the first guide point, located on the clamp lever. At substantially completely filled condition of the winding drum, the moving way of the belt between guide points is the same as the moving way between the second guide point and the winding drum.

Abstract: An inhibitor intended for the prevention of early reel lock-up during door opening for passive vehicle safety belt systems incorporating door-mounted reels. In such systems where a high inertia mass moves a pawl into engagement with the take-up reel during emergency conditions thereby allowing freedom of occupant movement during other periods of time, biasing means are provided for resisting the movement of the high inertia mass/pawl combination when the vehicle door is in the process of being opened and closed. Embodiments disclosed include the use of a selectively activatable electromagnet, a movable permanent magnet, gravitational biasing of the pawl, spring biasing of the pawl, and spring biasing of the high inertia mass.

Abstract: The inertia locking mechanism for a rotatably mounted belt reel includes a support member mounted for rotation about the axis of reel rotation. A lock bar is pivotally mounted on the support member and has locking teeth on one side adapted to engage the reel and locking teeth on the other side adapted to engage a set of arcuately displayed teeth on the retractor housing so that the lock bar blocks rotation of the reel relative the frame. A pendulum is mounted on the support member and is actuated by inertia stimulus to move the lock bar to the locking position. Gravity causes the support member, lock bar, and pendulum to rotate about the axis of reel rotation so that the pendulum attains its normal vertical depending position irrespective of the mounting orientation of the retractor housing about the axis of reel rotation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for clamping a safety belt to prevent it being unwound from a belt reel, the device consisting of a housing in which is provided a lever, one end of the lever being pivotably mounted in the housing, a clamping surface being provided on the lever intermediate its ends which co-operates with a clamping surface provided on the housing, the lever being resiliently urged to move about its pivot in a direction to separate the clamping surfaces. The belt is guided around the pivoted end of the lever, extends between the clamping surfaces and is guided around the free end of the lever, the resilient means applying a tension force to the belt. Movement of the lever against the force of the resilient means moving the clamping surface on the lever towards the clamping surface on the housing to clamp the belt therebetween.