Abstract: A buckle pretensioner for a vehicle safety restraint comprising a buckle head (1) for receiving a buckle tongue to secure safety restraint webbing about a vehicle occupant in a three-point belt system, a cable (2) connected to the buckle head (1); and means (7) for rapidly withdrawing the cable in a belt tightening direction, the withdrawing means (7) comprising a force reservoir (8), and driving means (6), and being of a compact construction through the use of step-up gearing (3, 4) to magnify linear movement produced by the force reservoir (8) which may be a pyrotechnic gas generator or a spring. The driving means (8) may be a piston-cylinder (6, 8) or a rack and pinion. The gearing may comprise a pulley arrangement (3, 4). Alternatively a roots motor or a gear pump could be used.

Abstract: A buckle pretensioner for a vehicle safety restraint comprising a buckle head (1) for receiving a buckle tongue to secure safety restraint webbing about a vehicle occupant in a three-point belt system; a cable (2) connected to the buckle head (1); and device (7) for rapidly withdrawing the cable in a belt tightening direction, the withdrawing device (7) comprising a force reservoir (8), and driving mechanism (6), and being of a compact construction through the use of set-up gearing (3,4) to magnify linear movement produced by the force reservoir (8) which may be a pyrotechnic gas generator or a spring. The driving mechanism (8) may be a piston-cylinder (6,8) or a rack and pinion. The gearing may comprise a pulley arrangement (3,4). Alternatively a roots motor or a gear pump could be used.

Abstract: A retractor for a vehicle safety restraint which comprises web locking wedges (49a, 49b) which grip the seat belt webbing (19), under certain predetermined load conditions, so as to more securely restrain the vehicle occupant at the beginning of a crash pulse and which includes a load limiting arrangement so as to allow a limited and controlled pay out of webbing at the beginning of the crash pulse. The web locking retractor thus comprises a wedge (49a, 49b) which has an inner gripping surface with a predetermined coefficient of friction relative to the seat belt webbing so that, at a predetermined loading, the webbing slips past the friction surface of the wedge. This may be achieved by using double thickness webbing along a predetermined portion of the seat belt, for example two layers of webbing, or coating the wedge or a part of the webbing with a material (322) which is erodible or deformable and which may be cut into or eroded by the friction surface of the wedge, or by teeth (320) on that surface.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a container which defines a flow path for a fluid, with a restriction in the flow path. An actuator is located within the container and is movable within the container under the action of a load transmitted to the seat belt webbing from the vehicle occupant under extreme acceleration conditions, to move the fluid through the restriction in the flow path to dissipate a predetermined portion of the load on the webbing.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a container which defines a flow path for a fluid, with a restriction in the flow path. An actuator is located within the container and is movable within the container under the action of a load transmitted to the seat belt webbing from the vehicle occupant under extreme acceleration conditions, to move the fluid through the restriction in the flow path to dissipate a predetermined portion of the load on the webbing.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a container which defines a flow path for a fluid, with a restriction in the flow path. An actuator is located within the container and is movable within the container under the action of a load transmitted to the seat belt webbing from the vehicle occupant under extreme acceleration conditions, to move the fluid through the restriction in the flow path to dissipate a predetermined portion of the load on the webbing.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a container which defines a flow path for a fluid, with a restriction in the flow path. An actuator is located within the container and is movable within the container under the action of a load transmitted to the seat belt webbing from the vehicle occupant under extreme acceleration conditions, to move the fluid through the restriction in the flow path to dissipate a predetermined portion of the load on the webbing.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a container which defines a flow path for a fluid, with a restriction in the flow path. An actuator is located within the container and is movable within the container under the action of a load transmitted to the seat belt webbing from the vehicle occupant under extreme acceleration conditions, to move the fluid through the restriction in the flow path to dissipate a predetermined portion of the load on the webbing.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a metal member and means for deforming the metal member associated with the seat belt. Excessive load on the seat belt is transferred to the metal member by deforming the metal member.

Abstract: A load limiting device is used with a vehicle seat belt during a crash to allow a limited and controlled forward motion of a vehicle occupant after the retractor has locked. The load limiting device decreases the forces exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant's torso. The load limiting device has a metal member and means for deforming the metal member associated with the seat belt. Excessive load on the seat belt is transferred to the metal member by deforming the metal member.