Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises a rotatable spool on which seat belt webbing is wound. The spool is rotatable in a webbing withdrawal direction and an opposite webbing retraction direction. The seat belt retractor also comprises a pretensioner actuatable to rotate the spool in the webbing retraction direction and a load-limiting system to limit a load applied to a vehicle occupant by the seat belt webbing. The load-limiting system includes a torsion bar mounted such that the torsion bar is twisted when a load in excess of a predetermined load is applied to the spool in the webbing withdrawal direction by the seat belt webbing. The bad-limiting system also includes a stop assembly actuatable to limit rotation of the spool in the webbing withdrawal direction to a predetermined number of rotations while the torsion bar is being twisted. The stop assembly is actuated upon actuation of the pretensioner.

Abstract: In a belt retractor (10) having a belt tensioner (16) and a force-limiting device, the belt tensioner (16) includes a pivoted pinion gear (24) associated with a belt reel (14), a drive unit (18) and an oblong force-transmitting element (22) movable by the drive unit (18) supported at least partly in a tubular portion (21) and adapted to be engaged in the pinion gear (24) so as to rotate the pinion gear (24) in a tensioning direction (A). The force-transmitting element (22) includes a bending portion (30) which is provided at the rear end of the force-transmitting element (22) viewed in the tensioning direction and which is designed to be pressure-resistant in the longitudinal direction (L) of the force-transmitting element (22) but to be flexible in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L).

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises a rotatable spool on which seat belt webbing is wound. The spool is rotatable in a webbing withdrawal direction and an opposite webbing retraction direction. The seat belt retractor also comprises a pretensioner actuatable to rotate the spool in the webbing retraction direction and a load-limiting system to limit a load applied to a vehicle occupant by the seat belt webbing. The load-limiting system includes a torsion bar mounted such that the torsion bar is twisted when a load in excess of a predetermined load is applied to the spool in the webbing withdrawal direction by the seat belt webbing. The bad-limiting system also includes a stop assembly actuatable to limit rotation of the spool in the webbing withdrawal direction to a predetermined number of rotations while the torsion bar is being twisted. The stop assembly is actuated upon actuation of the pretensioner.

Abstract: In a belt retractor (10) having a belt tensioner (16) and a force-limiting device, the belt tensioner (16) includes a pivoted pinion gear (24) associated with a belt reel (14), a drive unit (18) and an oblong force-transmitting element (22) movable by the drive unit (18) supported at least partly in a tubular portion (21) and adapted to be engaged in the pinion gear (24) so as to rotate the pinion gear (24) in a tensioning direction (A). The force-transmitting element (22) includes a bending portion (30) which is provided at the rear end of the force-transmitting element (22) viewed in the tensioning direction and which is designed to be pressure-resistant in the longitudinal direction (L) of the force-transmitting element (22) but to be flexible in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L).

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (10) includes a spool member (46) on which seat belt webbing (16) is wound. The spool member (46) is supported for rotation in a belt withdrawal direction (58) and an opposite belt retraction direction (60). The spool member (46) has an open end (56) and a closed end (54) spaced apart along the axis. A length of the spool member (46) extends from the open end (56) to the closed end (54). The spool member (46) is hollow and has a radially inner surface (102) and a radially outer surface (104). The radially outer surface (104) extends for the length of the spool member (46) and receives the seat belt webbing (16). The radially inner surface (102) extends for substantially the length of the spool member (46). A wall (106) of the spool member (46) is defined between the radially inner and outer surfaces (102, 104). The wall (106) has a thickness that is substantially constant along the radially inner surface (102).

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (40) associated with a seat (10) includes a spool (106) about which seat belt webbing (42) is wound. The spool (106) is supported for rotation in a belt withdrawal direction and in an opposite belt retraction direction. A vehicle sensitive sensor (190) is responsive to at least one sensed vehicle condition for preventing rotation of the spool (106) in the belt withdrawal direction. A first mechanism (206) is responsive to a first condition for disabling the vehicle sensitive sensor (190). A second mechanism (294) is responsive to a second, different condition for preventing rotation of the spool (106) in the belt withdrawal direction. The second condition is a condition of the associated seat (10). In one embodiment, a third mechanism (400) is responsive to the first condition for allowing rotation of the spool (106) in the belt withdrawal direction.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection device (30) for helping to protect an occupant of a seat (10) of a vehicle (12) includes an inertia member (134,334) engaging an element (136,330). The inertia member (134,334) is movable relative to the element (136,330) from an unactuated position to an actuated position in response to at least one sensed vehicle condition for activating the occupant protection device (30). One of the inertia member (134,334) and the element (136,330) has a first surface portion (224,426) extending at a first angle (?, A) relative to a vertical axis (222,422) extending through the center of mass of the inertia member (134,334) when the inertia member (134,334) is in the unactuated position. The one of the inertia member (134,334) and the element (136,330) has a second surface portion (228,428) extending at a second angle (?, B) relative to the axis (222,422) different than the first angle (?, A).