Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprising a gimbaled vehicle sensor (100) having a gimbal (160) rotationally movable relative to a housing (120) fixed to a portion of the retractor, the retractor including a force generator (70) generating a radial force which upon movement of the gimbal creates a tangential torque to slow or damp the motion of the gimbal relative to the housing.

Abstract: An interlock system for stopping seat belt payout from a retractor when a seat is not secured is provided. The interlock system includes a connector between the seat latch and the retractor with the connector operating a retractor locking actuator which utilizes the vehicle inertia sensor to cause retractor locking. In one form, the actuator is shifted into engagement with the inertia member for retractor locking when the seat is released. In another form, the actuator is mounted to a module secured on one side of the one of the retractor frame plates to which the actuating mechanism for the vehicle sensor is secured on the other side thereof. The connector causes shifting of the actuator member from the one side to the other to operate the vehicle sensor actuating mechanism for retractor locking when the seat is released.

Abstract: An interlock system for stopping seat belt payout from a retractor when a seat is not secured is provided. The interlock system includes a connector between the seat latch and the retractor with the connector operating a retractor locking actuator which utilizes the vehicle inertia sensor to cause retractor locking. In one form, the actuator is shifted into engagement with the inertia member for retractor locking when the seat is released. In another form, the actuator is mounted to a module secured on one side of the one of the retractor frame plates to which the actuating mechanism for the vehicle sensor is secured on the other side thereof. The connector causes shifting of the actuator member from the one side to the other to operate the vehicle sensor actuating mechanism for retractor locking when the seat is released.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) includes a first structure (90, 72) having a seat surface (74) configured to engage and support an inertia weight (70) for inertial movement under the influence of a vehicle crash condition. The apparatus (10) further includes a second structure (92) configured to support the first structure (90) in a vehicle seat belt retractor (14). The first structure (90) has an arcuate array of first orientation teeth (96). The second structure (92) has an arcuate array of second orientation teeth (116). The second orientation teeth (116) are configured to receive the first orientation teeth (96) in meshing engagement in any selected one of a plurality of different circumferential orientations relative to the arcuate array of second orientation teeth (116).