Abstract: A seat belt retractor, which is capable of winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint by mechanism of an electric motor, removes slack of the seat belt and controls the restraining feeling on a vehicle occupant to be as little as possible. A seat belt retractor of a seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle is adapted to control a motor to perform an action of increasing seat belt tension to wind up a seat belt which is excessively unwound from the spool when a vehicle occupant wears the seat belt and to be driven according to such a setting that, at the initial stage of the action of increasing the seat belt tension, the tension increasing rate until the seat belt tension reaches a target tension is lower than a predetermined rate.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (6) according to the present invention, when mounted on a vehicle body, has an ECU (16) laid out in such a manner that an ECU connector (16c) faces a vehicle side connector (18) mounted to a predetermined position of the vehicle body. Such a vehicle side connector (18) is connected to a power supply (17). Such a layout of the ECU (16) allows the ECU connector (16c) to be directly electrically connected to the vehicle side connector (18).

Abstract: The seat belt retractor is provided that comprises an electric motor; a spool operatively associated with the electric motor for winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint; and a controller. The controller can be configured to control a drive of the electric motor based on a seat belt storage starting condition defined by information about a state of the seat belt relative to a vehicle occupant and information about a state of a vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt. The controller can be configured to control the drive of the electric motor to rotate the spool to wind up the seat belt when the seat belt storage starting condition is satisfied and to temporarily stop the rotation of the spool for a time period when a seat belt load acting on the seat belt exceeds a predetermined amount. The time period can be set according to a satisfaction pattern of the seat belt storage starting condition.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a spool for winding a seatbelt; a locking mechanism having a locking member rotatable together with the spool in a normal condition and being prevented from rotating in a seatbelt-withdrawing direction in an emergency condition; an energy-absorbing mechanism interposed between the spool and the locking member for absorbing shock energy exerted on a passenger when the spool rotates in the seatbelt-withdrawing direction relative to the locking member in the emergency condition; and a motor for generating power to rotate the spool. A power transmission mechanism is connected to the locking member for transmitting the power of the motor to the spool through the power transmission mechanism, the locking member, and the energy-absorbing mechanism.

Abstract: The disclosed seat belt retractor and device can be useful to reliably warn the vehicle occupant of various hazards, such as obstacles or the dozing of the driver. The seat belt retractor and device can comprise an electric motor, a spool for retracting a seat belt to restrain a vehicle occupant, and a controller for controlling the driving of the electric motor. The controller can be configured to control the driving of the electric motor so that several operations for increasing and decreasing the tension acting on the seat belt by the spool are repeated for warning the vehicle occupant. In addition, the controller can be configured to control the driving of the electric motor so that a motion of the spool in a seat belt retracting direction is larger in an initial operation relative to subsequent operations.

Abstract: In controlling a seatbelt retracting device having a mechanism for retracting a seatbelt with a motor, a current flowing to the motor is detected, and a rate of increase in the current is calculated. The motor is stopped when the rate of increase in the electricity exceeds a predetermined rate and when the electricity exceeds a predetermined value, respectively.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor, which is capable of winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint by an electric motor, warns a vehicle occupant. A seat belt retractor of a seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle is structured such that a motor is controlled to repeat an action of increasing and decreasing the tension acting on a seat belt a plurality of times according to a setting that the seat belt tension at the initial stage of each action overshoots a predetermined target tension, for the purpose of warning a vehicle occupant who wears the seat belt.

Abstract: A motor-driven seatbelt retractor is provided in which vibrations of a cover can be minimized while minimizing increase in weight. In one form, a predetermined number of ribs are provided on a thin plate portion of a cover of a power transmission gear mechanism. These ribs extend in parallel with each other from top to bottom (in a vertical direction) of a seatbelt retractor. Since rigidity of the cover is increased by these ribs, even though vibrations are generated when a motor is driven and the power transmission gear mechanism is operated respectively, the cover is prevented effectively from being vibrated due to the vibrations of these members. Accordingly, generation of noise due to the vibrations of the cover can also be effectively restrained.

Abstract: As an occupant releases the latching between a buckle and a tongue, a seat belt retractor winds up the seat belt at a winding-up speed S1 as a first high speed. Accordingly, the seat belt moves away from the occupant immediately. As a time period (T1-T0) elapses from the buckle release, the seat belt retractor winds up the seat belt at a winding-up speed S2 as a low speed. Accordingly, the seat belt is slowly wound up so that the tongue is less likely to strike and thus scratch an interior panel. As a time period (T2-T1) further elapses, the seat belt retractor winds up the seat belt at a winding-up speed S3 as a second high speed. Accordingly, the winding of the seat belt is promptly completed so that the seat belt is less likely to be caught by a door when the occupant gets out of the vehicle.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes at least one frame having a back board and side walls extending from side rims of the back board, a spool supported by the at least one frame configured to wind up a seat belt, a motor configured to rotate the spool, and an electronic control unit mounted to the frame for controlling the driving of the motor. The electronic control unit includes a base, an electronic control unit board fixed to the base, and a cover attached to the base to cover the electronic control unit board. The electronic control unit includes an opening at a lower end that opens an interior of the electronic control unit to an exterior.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes a frame having a back plate and a side wall protruding from each of multiple side edges of the back plate. The seat belt retractor also includes a spool supported by the frame and configured to rotate and wind a seat belt, a motor configured to rotate the spool, and an electronic control unit configured to drive and control the motor. The electronic control unit is mounted between the side walls of the frame and the back plate is disposed in an inner space of a vehicle body member and faces a vehicle interior direction.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor integrated with an electronic control unit. A motor is disposed above both side walls of a frame and on the same side as a spool with respect to a back board. The motor is detachably fixed to at least one of the back board and the both side walls and of the frame. The ECU is detachably mounted to an upper stay extending upward from the back board of the frame and to be mounted to the vehicle body. In this manner, the motor and the ECU are integrated with a seatbelt retractor. Since the ECU is mounted to the upper stay, the weight of the ECU is dispersed not only to the main body of the seatbelt retractor but also to the upper stay. Thus, the vibration of the seatbelt retractor may be reduced.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor including an integral electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU is detachably installed between lower edges of respective both side walls of a frame. Further, a motor is detachably fixed to a lower surface of a case of the ECU. Since the ECU is disposed between the frame and the motor, the ECU can be protected from an external force by means of the frame and the motor.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes a frame having a back plate and a side wall protruding from each of a plurality of side edges of the back plate. The seat belt retractor also includes a spool supported by the frame and rotating to wind a seat belt, a motor for rotating the spool, and an electronic control unit for controlling the drive to the motor. The electronic control unit is attached to a surface of the frame in a direction of a vehicle interior.

Abstract: In controlling a seatbelt retracting device having a mechanism for retracting a seatbelt with a motor, a current flowing to the motor is detected, and a rate of increase in the current is calculated. The motor is stopped when the rate of increase in the electricity exceeds a predetermined rate and when the electricity exceeds a predetermined value, respectively.

Abstract: A winding control method of a seatbelt retractor for winding a seatbelt with a motor includes detecting a current flowing through the motor, and stopping the motor when the current exceeds a predetermined value. The winding action is not stopped while the motor is accelerated even when the current exceeds the predetermined value.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor for winding a seat belt includes a spool for winding the seat belt, a motor connected to the spool for generating driving torque to rotate the spool, a driving torque transmission mechanism disposed between the motor and the spool and formed of a gear for transmitting the driving torque of the motor to the spool, and a torque limiter mechanism disposed in the driving torque transmission mechanism for preventing a load greater than a predetermined level from being transmitted to the driving torque transmission mechanism.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor is provided in which two winding performances are achieved while reduced power consumption of a motor and simplified control of the motor are also achieved. A clutch gear is meshed with a carrier gear by rotation of a motor in the normal direction. Accordingly, a low reduction ratio power transmission mode is set so that a seat belt is wound up at a high speed and with low torque. As slack of the seat belt is removed and the belt load increases, the clutch pawl becomes possible to be engaged with the internal gear. As the motor current increases and exceeds a preset value, the motor rotates reversely so that the clutch gear separates from the carrier gear. Therefore, a high reduction ratio power transmission mode is set so that the belt is wound up at a low speed and with high torque.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to facilitate the electrical connection between a harness assembly and a motor-side terminal strip and the operation of assembling the harness assembly so as to improve the operating efficiency. A terminal assembly is formed by supporting terminals of a harness assembly to predetermined positions of a motor cap. The terminal assembly is fitted and attached to a motor body, thereby automatically and electrically connecting the terminals to corresponding motor-side terminal strips of the motor body. Therefore, there is provided a facilitated electrical connection of the harness assembly to the motor body.

Abstract: A method of controlling a seatbelt retractor having a mechanism for retracting a seatbelt with a motor includes the steps of receiving a door-open signal; determining whether the door-open signal is received after a predetermined time since a door-lock release signal is input; and retracting the seatbelt only when the door-open signal is received after the predetermined time since the door-lock release signal is input.