Abstract: An energy absorbing seat belt retractor comprising: a frame (22); a spool (24) rotatably mounted relative to the spool including a lock wheel (71) having a plurality of lock teeth associated therewith and adapted to receive a seat belt thereabout; a lock pawl (77) for engaging the spool upon sensing a one of a vehicle deceleration and seat belt extraction above certain determinable levels; and movable nut (90) located in the spool and for prohibiting relative movement between the lock wheel and spool below a threshold input force level generated in part by occupant load on the seat belt and for generating a controlled energy dissipating reaction force on the seat belt after the input force exceeds the threshold level to permit a controlled rotation of the spool and the controlled pay-out of the seat belt from the spool during a first and subsequent accidents.

Abstract: An energy absorbing seat belt retractor comprising: a frame (22); a spool (24) rotatably mounted relatively to the spool including a lock wheel (71) having a plurality of lock teeth associated therewith and adapted to receive a seat belt thereabout; a lock pawl (77) for engaging the spool upon sensing a one of a vehicle deceleration and seat belt extraction above certain determinable levels; and movable nut (90)located in the spool and for prohibiting relative movement between the lock wheel and spool below a threshold input force level generated in part by occupant load on the seat belt and for generating a controlled energy dissipating reaction force on the seat belt after the input force exceeds the threshold level to permit a controlled rotation of the spool and the controlled pay out of the seat belt from the spool.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprising seat belt webbing; a spool for storing webbing thereon, the spool rotationally mounted on a frame; a rewind spring for rewinding or retracting the webbing; at least one drive gear having gear teeth mounted for rotation with the spool; an auxiliary shaft rotationally mounted on the frame including a least one driven gear thereon in meshing engagement with the at least one drive gear; a ratchet nut mounted to rotate with and slide along the auxiliary shaft; a first lock bar for preventing the rotation of the ratchet nut while permitting the nut to slide relative to the auxiliary shaft; a first energy absorbing bushing mounted about the auxiliary shaft and in selective contact with the ratchet nut for generating when deformed by the ratchet nut a relatively constant reaction force on the spool to oppose any protraction of the webbing during an emergency.

Abstract: An energy absorbing seat belt retractor comprising: a frame (22); a spool (24) rotatably mounted relative to the spool including a lock wheel (212) having a plurality of lock teeth (214) associated therewith and adapted to receive a seat belt thereabout; a lock pawl (224) for engaging the spool upon sensing a one of a vehicle deceleration and seat belt extraction above certain determinable levels; and movable nut (90)located in the spool and for prohibiting relative movement between the lock wheel and spool below a threshold input force level generated in part by occupant load on the seat belt and for generating in cooperation with a deformable bushing (100) having known deformation characteristics, the characteristics of which are controlled by a movable sleeve (242) moved about the bushing, to generate a controlled energy dissipating reaction force on the seat belt.

Abstract: A load absorbing retractor comprising: a rotating spool or reel, seat belt webbing secured to the reel; at least one movable bushing, responsive to loads generated during an emergency situation, for deforming a portion of the reel and in so doing dissipating a determinable amount of the energy.

Abstract: A safety restraint system comprising: a safety belt system for restraining an occupant comprising: a safety belt; a retractor for protracting and retracting the safety belt, a shoulder belt support for supporting the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt; a pretensioner for providing, subsequent to activation, a preload tensile force in the shoulder belt portion in excess of a first low limit value of about 50 pounds; a load limiter for limiting the loads imparted by the shoulder belt portion to an occupant, operative after the preload acts on the shoulder belt portion, including first means for introducing a predetermined amount of slack in the shoulder belt when the belt tension is above a second low limit value and for preventing such slack introduction when belt tension is lower than such second low limit value.

Abstract: A safety device comprising: a retractor (22) for protracting and rewinding a safety belt to be worn about an occupant, having a lock wheel (42) and an associated lock pawl (74) movable into engagement therewith upon sensing an emergency condition by a sensing mechanism (50); a pretensioner for rotating the spool in a belt winding direction and a rotary element (80) for converting pretensioner motion to rotary motion and a spring loaded mechanism for providing for locking readiness of the lock pawl and operable after activation of and during rotation of the spool in the belt winding direction. Each of the frame sides includes a positioning hole or opening 70a and 70b through which the tie bar 72 of the present invention extends. If the retractor uses two lock wheels, two such lock pawls would be used.

Abstract: An energy absorbing seat belt retractor comprising: a frame (22); a spool (24) rotatably mounted relatively to the spool including a lock wheel (71) having a plurality of lock teeth associated therewith and adapted to receive a seat belt thereabout; a lock pawl (77) for engaging the spool upon sensing a one of a vehicle deceleration and seat belt extraction above certain determinable levels; and movable nut (90) located in the spool and for prohibiting relative movement between the lock wheel and spool below a threshold input force level generated in part by occupant load on the seat belt and for generating a controlled energy dissipating reaction force on the seat belt after the input force exceeds the threshold level to permit a controlled rotation of the spool and the controlled pay out of the seat belt from the spool.

Abstract: A vehicle seat system for a vehicle seat mounted on the vehicle floor is provided including a resilient vehicle seat bun for normally supporting a seated occupant at a given height above the vehicle floor; a lap restraint to cross over the seated occupant to restrain the occupant in the vehicle seat; a belt wrench tensionally associated with the lap restraint to tension the lap restraint to an extent to significantly pull down toward the vehicle floor the seated occupant into the seat bun such that the seated occupant's head is brought closer to the floor; and a sensor to activate the belt wrench when the vehicle undergoes a displacement condition indicative of a vehicle rollover condition.

Abstract: A vehicle seat and occupant restraint arrangement for a vehicle is provided which, in a preferred embodiment, includes a seat pan member having forward and rearward ends, a seat back joined with the seat pan rearward end, the seat back having an upper end, a D-ring joined to the seat back generally adjacent the upper end of the seat back, an anchor being generally fixed with respect to the vehicle, an occupant restraint belt with a first end operatively associated with the anchor, the restraint belt being threaded through the D-ring, and a lock plate mounted on legs of the D-ring to catch the occupant restraint belt upon sudden excessive acceleration of the vehicle in the forward direction to tension the restraint belt between the D-ring and the anchor to minimize angular movement of the seat back rearwardly.

Abstract: A vehicle recliner seat is provided which, in a preferred embodiment, includes a seat bun frame, a seat back frame pivotally mounted with respect to the seat bun frame, an adjuster to selectively adjust the inclination of the seat back frame with respect to the seat bun frame, a strut pivotally mounted to the seat back along a first fixed pivotal axis and having a lost motion pivotal attachment with the seat bun frame, the strut having on an end adjacent to the seat bun frame a pin which is provided for translational movement with respect to the seat bun frame, and the seat bun frame having a pivotal latch and a pendulum to actuate the latch wherein, when the vehicle accelerates rearwardly over a predetermined level of rearward acceleration, the pendulum causes the latch to pivot upwardly to engage the pin, causing the strut to have a fixed pivotal axis with the seat bun frame and thereby tend to limit rearward motion of the seat back frame.

Abstract: A vehicle recliner seat is provided which, in a preferred embodiment, includes a seat pan frame, a seat back pivotally mounted with respect to the seat pan frame, a rod having at least one end locationally fixed with respect to the seat pan frame, a first link with a first end pivotally connected with the seat back with a second end pivotally connected with the rod, and a second link with a first end pivotally connected with the seat back with a second end pivotally connected with the rod. The position of the second ends of the first and second links on the rod can be moved to selectively set the inclination of the seat back with respect to the seat pan frame.

Abstract: A dual rail adjuster arrangement is provided that is hidden beneath the floor. The adjuster can be used for front or rear seat applications and offers the necessary strength and stability that prior wheeled adjusters cannot. In addition, the present invention offers the ability to remove the seat so that a van cargo area can be cleared in a relatively simple manner. The adjuster arrangement is non-obtrusive, and the floor is left relatively flat when the seats are removed. In a preferred embodiment, the adjuster includes an elongate stationary rail that is substantially recessed below the vehicle floor. The rail is positioned into a formation in the floor or, if additional strength is necessary, into a reinforcement that extends below the floor. A slider rail is fitted at the stationary rail and is supported by roller ball bearings or other similar means interposed between the two rails.

Abstract: An interrupt coupling scheme for a multiprocessor data processing network capable of providing the current status of all interrupts to all processors in the network employs an associated interrupt latch for each processor, to which the lines of the system data bus are bidirectionally coupled, and an address decoder that is coupled to the system address bus. When a processor wishes to interrupt another processor it drives the data bus so as to set the corresponding latch bit in the addressed processor's interrupt status latch, thereby presenting to the addressed processor an interrupt request signal.The contents of the interrupt request latch are selectively masked by the destination processor and then encoded into an interrupt vector to which the destination processor responds during its task assignment operations.

Abstract: An apparatus for crushing mine ore or hard rock primarily for initial reduction for transport of the material for further processing which is characterized by an extremely low vertical profile relative to its size and capacity. The crushing jaws which form the crushing chamber are uniquely arranged in an inclined relationship with the lower jaw mounted for eccentric movement relative to the upper jaw which is stationary to provide efficient crushing action and efficient movement of the crushed material through the chamber while also permitting the associated inlet feed apparatus to be disposed at a low attitude. Means are included to provide for varying the size of the discharge opening and for varying the action of the moveable crushing jaw to permit greater versatility in the proper processing of a given material.