Abstract: The present invention relates to a buckle device in which usability and seating comfort of a vehicle occupant on a seat are improved, and which can correspond to seat movements. In the buckle device, due to a torsion coil spring applying urging force to a buckle member, the buckle member is disposed at a swiveling position at which the buckle member stands. In this way, when a tongue plate is inserted into a buckle, there is no need for a vehicle occupant to hold the buckle with his/her hand. Moreover, when a vehicle occupant sits down on a rear seat, the buckle is pushed downward against the urging force and is accommodated in the rear seat. Further, when a seat movement is carried out on the rear seat, the buckle member swivels against the urging force so as to be able to correspond to the seat movement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a buckle device in which usability and seating comfort of a vehicle occupant on a seat are improved, and which can correspond to seat movements. In the buckle device, due to a torsion coil spring applying urging force to a buckle member, the buckle member is disposed at a swiveling position at which the buckle member stands. In this way, when a tongue plate is inserted into a buckle, there is no need for a vehicle occupant to hold the buckle with his/her hand. Moreover, when a vehicle occupant sits down on a rear seat, the buckle is pushed downward against the urging force and is accommodated in the rear seat. Further, when a seat movement is carried out on the rear seat, the buckle member swivels against the urging force so as to be able to correspond to the seat movement.

Abstract: A gear mechanism and webbing retractor having a compact size in which a pinion is prevented from being damaged when a large initial driving force is applied from a gear. When a sensor detects an emergent deceleration of a vehicle, a piston driving device is actuated so as to move a rack at its standby position in a direction to a pinion. When the rack is located at the standby position, a tooth face on a side near a front end, of a front end tooth thereof is in contact with a pressure receiving surface of the initially driving member. The rack is moved along a pitch line in the direction to the pinion so that the front end tooth presses the pressure receiving surface. As a result, the initially driving member converts the initial driving force from the rack to a rotation force thereby rotating the pinion in the taking-up direction.

Abstract: A pretensioner for a webbing retractor is provided with a cylinder into which gas is supplied thereby moving a piston. A rack thus causes a pinion to rotate which causes a webbing to be wound onto a winding shaft. During the assembly process for the pretensioner, an O ring is fitted onto a seal holding portion of a piston and the O ring and piston are inserted together into a cylinder. Therefore, the conventional cutting process for forming a seal holding groove is unnecessary. In a normal state, the piston does not come into direct contact with the bottom portion of the cylinder, as in a conventional apparatus, instead the O ring abuts the bottom portion of the cylinder. Therefore, noise generated by the bottom of the cylinder coming into contact with the piston due to vibration and the like can be prevented.

Abstract: A return preventing device preventing return of an object driven when a vehicle suddenly decelerates includes: a gear receiving drive force of a drive device, which drives the object, so as to rotate in a first direction, and transmitting the drive force to the object so as to drive the object; a rotation-preventing pawl disposed so as to be meshable with the gear, and preventing rotation of the gear in a second direction opposite the first direction in a state in which the rotation-preventing pawl and the gear are meshed; and an elastic member for making the rotation-preventing pawl mesh with the gear substantially synchronously with rotation of the gear in the second direction. Accordingly, the rotation-preventing pawl reliably meshes with the gear substantially synchronously with rotation of the gear in the second direction.

Abstract: A reversing preventing device for preventing the reversing of an object which is driven during a sudden deceleration of a vehicle includes: a gear which rotates and is connected to a driving member for driving the object; a pawl for preventing rotation of the gear, the pawl being supported by a base in such a manner as to be able to mesh with the gear, the pawl meshing with the gear when the object is tending to reverse; and a receiving portion provided in the base at a portion different from a portion for supporting the pawl, the receiving portion being adapted to receive part of a load acting on the pawl. Accordingly, the load acting on the pawl is dispersed to the portion for supporting the pawl and the receiving portion.

Abstract: A preloader apparatus retracts, upon quick deceleration of a vehicle, a buckle apparatus with which a tongue plate for supporting a webbing is engaged so as to fasten the webbing onto an occupant of the vehicle. The preloader apparatus has a flexible wire connected to the buckle apparatus and used to retract the buckle apparatus and a supporting member which supports the wire so as to maintain a predetermined portion of the wire in the standing state and whose supporting function is canceled upon retraction of the buckle apparatus. Accordingly, the buckle apparatus can be maintained in a predetermined standing state.

Abstract: A preloader apparatus which retracts a buckle upon quick deceleration of a vehicle to tighten a webbing, and then restores the buckle to a position of ordinary vehicle running, to contemplate the improvement in operability of an operation button. The buckle is retracted upon quick deceleration of a vehicle from an ordinary protracted position to a retracted position through wires wound around a drum. After that, when a buckle-retracting force decreases and becomes smaller than a buckle-protracting force, a force F corresponding to a difference between the both acts on a projection, and the projection is broken. Although a meshing portion of a pawl meshes with an external tooth of an external gear to prevent the external gear from rotation in a direction of buckle protraction, the breakage allows the drum to rotate in the direction of buckle protraction, and the buckle can be restored to the protracted position.

Abstract: When a vehicle accelerates to a predetermined value, a pretensioner mounted to an occupant seat applies a pulling force to a seat belt under a force produced by detonating an explosive material. When the seat is moved in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle in order to adjust the position and the seat comes to a halt at a frontal end position, an acceleration more than or equal to the predetermined value is developed in an acceleration sensor. However, the acceleration sensor is provided with a lock means mounted to the seat. Even if the seat suddenly stops at the frontal end position, the acceleration sensor is restrained from moving and the pretensioner is not actuated. The lock means is actuated even when a walk-in mechanism for directly moving the seat to the frontal end is operated.

Abstract: Upon a sudden deceleration of a vehicle, if an inertial body moves a predetermined amount against the urging force of a return spring, the trigger means will be released from engagement with the firing pin. Under the urging force of a spring, the firing pin is released from engagement with the trigger means, strikes and ignites a detonator so as to activate the actuator. The trigger means will not move until the inertial body has moved by the predetermined amount. Only after the inertial body has moved the predetermined amount, will the trigger means start to move suddenly and quickly. Therefore, friction at the time the inertial body engages the trigger means is kept constant. The stable operation of the sensor is thereby assured.

Abstract: A load cell has a cantilever-type load-sensitive element with an upper beam and a lower beam, each having formed thereon a pair of strain-generating parts which generates a strain corresponding to an applied load. Only one of these two beams has an indented part formed on its surface and strain-detecting elements are attached to its bottom surface at positions corresponding to the strain-generating parts. A moisture-proof sheet is attached to the beam to completely seal the interior of this indented part to protect the strain-detecting elements from humidity and moisture.

Abstract: Strain gages are attached to respective strain sensing areas of the strain generator of a load cell. Those strain gages which are mounted on expansive sides of the strain generator are connected in series with each other, and those strain gages which are mounted contactive sides of the strain generator are connected in series with each other, forming first and second series-connected circuits. The first and second series-connected circuits are connected in series with each other as a half bridge. A load applied to the strain generator is detected by an output signal produced from the junction between the first and second series-connected circuits. A temperature compensating resistor for compensating for a temperature-dependent change in the output signal due to a change in the temperature of the strain generator is connected in a circuit separate from the half bridge.