With Auxiliary Force Rewinding Patents (Class 242/374)
  • Publication number: 20110049284
    Abstract: In case a gas generating member of a pretensioner mechanism activates due to vehicle collision, a piston in a piston housing portion moves upwards from its normal position within a pipe cylinder. As a result, the piston comes in contact with a pinion gear portion and causes the pinion gear body to rotate abruptly. Further, a bottom end of a boss portion constituting one end portion of the pinion gear body is rotatably supported at a through hole of a base plate. Further, a support portion constituting the other end portion of the pinion gear body is rotatably supported at a support hole of a cover plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Kaneko, Takatoshi Nakaoka, Takao Katayama, Masataka Tanaka, Eri Yamane
  • Publication number: 20110035117
    Abstract: In the case of a severe collision, the severity of the collision exceeds a first threshold value at which a pretensioner mechanism starts to activate, and then exceeds a second threshold value within a collision-discriminating time range T following the start of the activation; therefore, the force limiter mechanism unit is set at a high load. In the case of a gentle collision, the severity of the collision exceeds the first threshold value, at which the pretensioner mechanism starts to activate, but does not exceed the second threshold value within the collision-discriminating time range T following the start of the activation; therefore the force limiter mechanism unit is set at a low load. Therefore, without a determination delay, the switching of the force limiter mechanism can be appropriately selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Yamada, Kazunori Nogi, Yujiro Miyata, Shinji Ito
  • Patent number: 7883044
    Abstract: The disclosed seat belt retractor may include a spool for retracting a seat belt, a torsion bar, a pre-tensioner, and a locking device. The torsion bar may disposed inside the spool, wherein one side of the torsion bar is connected to the spool, and configured to absorb energy of movement of an occupant while being deformed under torsion. The pre-tensioner may be positioned at one side of the spool and configured to generate a rotating drive force for rotating the spool in a retracting direction in a condition of rapid deceleration of a motor vehicle. The locking device may be capable of locking another side of the spool such that a rotation of the spool in a withdrawal direction is suppressed at both an operating time of the pre-tensioner and a non-operating time of the pre-tensioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Hiramatsu, Yasushi Kanamori, Masahiro Shiotani, Miwa Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7878439
    Abstract: An assembly having a retractor and a pretensioner whereby the pretensioner can be employed to provide load limitation features. The pretensioner may also be used without the load limitation features. The pretensioner has a drive mechanism including a plurality of pretensioner balls sized to engage a pinion, the pinion operatively connected to the seat belt through a force limiting element. The pretensioner defines a guide surface structured to guide the pretensioner balls along a ball path along the pinion. The guide surface includes features to engage a pretensioner ball and block the pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon E. Burrow, Chad E. Moore
  • Publication number: 20110017857
    Abstract: A seatbelt device of a vehicle includes: a webbing reel around which a webbing is rolled up; a motor; an acceleration detection unit detecting an acceleration applying to the vehicle; an electric current control unit controlling a driving current of the motor; and an acceleration condition determination unit determining whether or not an acceleration greater than or equal to a set value has been applied to the vehicle within a predetermined amount of time after an acceleration greater than or equal to a first threshold acceleration value has been applied to the vehicle. When the acceleration condition determination unit determines that an acceleration greater than or equal to the set value has been applied to the vehicle within the predetermined amount of time, the electric current control unit controls the driving current of the motor so that a set amount of the webbing is wrapped up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Publication number: 20110011970
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt tensioner with a belt shaft (10), a force limitation arrangement (70) connected with the belt shaft (10), and a tensioner drive wheel (20) coupled with the belt shaft (10) so as to be locked against relative rotation, in which a retaining element (30, 50) is provided for coupling the tensioner drive wheel (20) to the belt shaft (10), and the retaining element (30, 50) is releasable by the rotation of the belt shaft (10) in the belt webbing withdrawal direction after the tensioning movement has been completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventor: Erik Rydsmo
  • Publication number: 20110011969
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor (10) is provided with: a spindle (12) around which a seat belt (B) is wound; a torsion bar (17) disposed in a cavity (27) of the spindle (12), an axial end portion of the torsion bar (17) being attached to an axial end portion of the spindle (12); a first pretensioner (16) that is attached to the spindle (12) at least during a collision so as to cause the spindle (12) to rotate in a retraction direction using a gas pressure; and a second pretensioner (18) that is attached to another axial end portion of the torsion bar (17) at least during a collision so as to cause the spindle (12) to rotate in the retraction direction via the torsion bar (17) using the gas pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20110006147
    Abstract: A webbing winding device includes a clutch mechanism interposed between a spool and an output shaft of a motor and has a simple structure and high operability. In an interference piece that has an interference portion interfering with a connection pawl when an input gear of a clutch is rotated in the winding direction, a base portion is disposed between an outer retaining ring and an inner retaining ring formed at a gear box, and the base portion comes into press contact with an inner peripheral portion of the outer retaining ring and an outer peripheral portion of the inner retaining ring. The interference portion keeps interfering with the connection pawl until a pressing force more than a maximum static frictional force generated between the inner peripheral portion of the outer retaining ring and the outer peripheral portion of the inner retaining ring, and the base portion is applied to the interference portion, thereby rotating the connection pawl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Tomonari UMAKOSHI, Shinji MORI
  • Publication number: 20100314478
    Abstract: To obtain a webbing take-up device that can not only transmit to a take-up shaft only rotation from a motor by a clutch but is also simple and compact. A clutch of this webbing take-up device has a simply configuration where sliders 144 of a clutch body portion 114 are caused by frictional force to be retained in a case, whereby the sliders 144 and lock bars 154 are caused to relatively move and the lock bars 154 are caused by this relative movement to move to positions where they engage with or disengage from a ratchet 134. Consequently, the overall configuration of a clutch 100 can be made significantly compact (thinned) in comparison to a configuration that causes a pawl to move using an inertial disk that is large and has weight as in a conventional clutch. Thus, the overall configuration of a webbing take-up device 10 can be made compact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Takuhiro SAITO, Katsuki ASAGIRI, Shinji MORI
  • Patent number: 7850111
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a safety belt system has a frame (2), a belt reel (4) rotatably mounted in the frame (2) for receiving a belt webbing, a reversible belt tensioning unit with a motor (8), an irreversible belt tensioning unit, and a coupling mechanism, by means of which the reversible belt tensioning unit can be coupled to the belt reel (4) and which can be deactivated and reactivated, the coupling mechanism being deactivated when the irreversible belt tensioning unit is activated and the coupling mechanism being reactivated after termination of the irreversible belt tensioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Prokscha, Wolfgang Holbein
  • Publication number: 20100282889
    Abstract: A pretensioner arrangement for a vehicle safety belt includes a safety belt retractor (12,14) comprising a retractor reel (14) mounted for rotation in a retractor frame (12) and a pretensioner actuator (16) including a first rotary output member (18) connected with the retractor reel by way of a first dutch arrangement, and a second rotary output member (28) connected with the retractor reel by way of a second dutch arrangement, the clutch arrangements being such that the output members (18,28) can apply successive displacements to the retractor reel. The first rotary output member (18) is coupled with a first rotary piston (44) mounted within a working cylinder (42) having a first input (50) for pressurized gas to drive the rotary piston (44) and first output member (18), and the second rotary output member (28) is coupled with a second rotary piston (46) mounted within the same working cylinder (42) which has a second input (51) for gas produced by a pyrotechnic gas generator when the latter is fired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Erik Hjerpe, Dan Bråse
  • Patent number: 7828332
    Abstract: A seat belt tensioner includes a guide, which has a pair of opposing plates connected by a connector, a wire, a first end of which extends upward to be connected to a seat belt, a central portion of which is curved to extend around the connector, and a retracting mechanism, which is connected to the second end of the wire and is operated by an external signal in an emergency. Here, the connector is integrally formed with at least one of the plates. Thus, the seat belt tensioner enables structural simplification, easy assembly, and a reduction in the number of parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Chang Kyu Bok, Jang Chun Kong
  • Publication number: 20100276531
    Abstract: A seat belt pretension with improved piston sealing performance. A piston has an expanding section formed at one end thereof contacting a force transmission component. When gas pressure resulting from reactive gas generated by a gas generator causes the piston to exert a pressing force on the force transmission component in the event of an emergency, the expanding section expands toward the inner circumferential surface of a pipe due to the gas pressure. As a result, the outer circumferential surface of the expanding section in the piston comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe in a more efficient manner, resulting in enhanced sealing between the piston and the inner circumferential surface of the pipe. This prevents reactive gas from losing gas pressure, thereby allowing the gas pressure to more efficiently act on the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Masahiro Shiotani, Masashi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20100258668
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt retractor (10) for a safety belt (30) with a belt reel (20) for winding and unwinding the safety belt and with a tightener drive, which comprises: a gas generator (60), a drive device (40) connected to the belt reel (20), and a connecting device (50), which connects the gas generator and the drive device, the connecting device having a guide tube (70) and a plurality of thrust members (80), which are situated in the guide tube, are accelerated after triggering of the gas generator and directly or indirectly drive the drive device for the purpose of winding the safety belt. According to the invention, at least one sealing element (100a, 100b, 100c) is arranged in the guide tube (70) between the gas generator (60) and that side (80a?) of at least one of the thrust bodies (80a, 80b, 80c) which faces the gas generator, which sealing element rests against the inside of the guide tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventor: Christoph Pechhold
  • Patent number: 7806357
    Abstract: A retractor includes a pretensioner whereby load limitation disturbances are minimized or eliminated to provide a synchronized and smooth transition between the different structures resisting the rotation of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc
    Inventor: Gunter K. Clute
  • Patent number: 7806954
    Abstract: A gas generator 10 contains a baffle assembly for cooling of gases. An imperforate housing 46 is contained within the gas generator 10. A perforate housing 30 is contained within the imperforate housing 46. At least one orifice 70/72 is formed within the baffle assembly, where the orifice 70/72 is formed at the juncture 57 of the baffle assembly 12 and the perforate housing 30, at a second end of the perforate housing 30. Upon activation of the gas generator 10, gases produced are shunted through the orifice 70/72 and into the baffle assembly 12 for cooling and filtration thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory Inc.
    Inventor: Eduardo L. Quioc
  • Publication number: 20100243782
    Abstract: A belt retractor (10) comprises a belt reel (12), an adaptive belt limiter (20) and a belt tensioner (22). The force limiter (20) is arranged between the belt reel (12) and the belt tensioner (22) and is operated with a high characteristic during tensioning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Joachim Biller, Nizam Bedak, Frank Hufschmied
  • Publication number: 20100244542
    Abstract: A restraint system (14) for a seat belt (22) is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The restraint system (14) comprises one or more pneumatic ports (42, 44) for actuating the restraint system (14) from a first position to a second position. The restraint system (14) also comprises one or more pyrotechnic ports (52, 54) for actuating the restraint system (14) from either the first position or the second position to a third position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Mark Edward Byers Sealy, Hugh Christopher Bramley, Graham Barber
  • Publication number: 20100213302
    Abstract: A retractor for a vehicle seat belt includes a spool configured to rotate so that the seat belt may be wound and unwound from around the spool. The retractor also includes a torsion bar located within the spool. The retractor is configured so that the inner or outer members are selectively connected to a lock mechanism and so that during a first loading condition either the first end of the inner member or the first end of the outer member is fixed to the lock mechanism and during a second loading condition both of the first ends of the inner and outer members are connected to the lock mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventor: Mark F. Gray
  • Patent number: 7775473
    Abstract: In a motorized retractor, due to an ECU and a driver switching a speed of rotation of an output shaft of a motor to a first speed or a second speed, a transfer path of rotational force from the motor to a spool is switched to a first driving force transferring section (a path through a meshing clutch and a slip mechanism) or a second driving force transferring section (a path through an overload mechanism and a centrifugal clutch). Accordingly, there is no need for a complex switching mechanism including a solenoid which is employed in conventional motorized retractors. A device can thereby be made more compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventor: Shinji Mori
  • Publication number: 20100200687
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes a spool, a pinion connected to the spool, and a rack. The rack includes a first portion having a first set of teeth and a second portion having a second set of teeth of a smaller width than the teeth of the first portion. The first set of teeth and the second set of teeth are configured to engage with the pinion of the seat belt retractor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Mark F. Gray, Robert Rogers
  • Patent number: 7770929
    Abstract: A locking mechanism of an inertia reel assembly of a vehicular seatbelt restraint system is selectively disabled based on a latch status of a seatbelt buckle of the seatbelt restraint system. In one embodiment, a sensor at a latch assembly determines whether the seatbelt buckle is engaged with the latch assembly and provides an output signal based on this determination. A controller receives the output signal and selectively drives an actuator based on the output signal so as to enable or disable the locking mechanism of the inertia reel assembly. By disabling the locking mechanism of the inertia reel assembly when the seatbelt buckle is detected as unlatched, an occupant is able to quickly latch the seatbelt buckle even in the event of an inertial event that otherwise would have prevented any further extension of the seatbelt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Ehlers
  • Patent number: 7766117
    Abstract: A motor-driven seatbelt apparatus which enables easy re-restraining of a webbing even when an occupant releases the webbing temporarily from a restrained state. A control device senses the vehicle velocity with a vehicle-velocity sensor. When the vehicle velocity is a predetermined value or lower, the control device drives a motor to rotate a winding shaft, so that the webbing is wound into a completely wound state. When the vehicle is traveling at a vehicle velocity exceeding the predetermined value, the storing and winding operation of the winding shaft by the control device or the motor is not performed. Therefore, the occupant who temporarily released the webbing and finished an action such as to take out a small article in the cabin can re-restrain the webbing immediately thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takuhiro Saito, Teruhiko Koide
  • Publication number: 20100181407
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor for a safety belt including a seat belt spindle for winding up and unwinding the safety belt and a tensioning drive. The seat belt spindle includes a gas generator, a drive wheel and a supply pipe which connects the gas generator and the drive wheel. A plurality of thrust members are present in the supply pipe which, after triggering the gas generator, are accelerated and indirectly or directly drive the drive wheel for winding up the safety belt. An inertia coupling is arranged between the drive wheel and the seat belt spindle. The inertia coupling comprises coupling elements which, during an acceleration of the drive wheel, pivot outward and are directly or indirectly coupled to the seat belt spindle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Udo Friedsmann, Hermann Hasse, Jochen Benz, Jochen Lang, Sebastian Götze, Hans-Jürgen Divo, Gerhard Klingauf, Carsten Felber, Robert Fleischmann, Paul Sprongl, Wolfgang Schrade, Christoph Pechhold
  • Publication number: 20100181408
    Abstract: A belt pretensioner for safety belts, in particular in motor vehicles, with a pretensioner drive which, in the event it is triggered, can be coupled to the belt shaft, and includes a drive wheel which is enclosed over at least part of its volume by a tubular housing which forms a channel in its interior, whereby, in order to drive the drive wheel, a plurality of solid balls, which are accelerated by means of a pyrotechnic drive, can be guided through the channel, and a drive piston for the solid balls is arranged at that end of the channel which is to be acted upon by the gas introduced, characterized in that the drive piston (19) is designed in the manner of a hollow cup and, on its closed end side (27), is provided with an inwardly directed curvature (28) adapted to the contour of a solid ball (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Stefan Suhr, Erne Frey, Martin Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7753158
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Takao, Koji Tanaka, Koji Inuzuka
  • Patent number: 7735871
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat belt retractor including a pretensioner especially for use in motor vehicles. The seat belt retractor includes a spool belt which supports belt webbing of the seat belt and rotates in the take-up direction of the safety belt when the pretensioning drive coupled to the belt spool is activated. The belt spool is associated with a drivewheel with recesses on the periphery thereof for accepting mass bodies acting as drive means for pretensioning the seat belt. The mass bodies are stored in a tube, which tangentially flows into the drivewheel, and the mass bodies are accelerated in the tube by means of a gas generator arranged at one end of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Martin Schmidt, Stefan Bösch, Thomas Schneider, Stefan Suhr, Erne Frey
  • Patent number: 7735767
    Abstract: A webbing take-up device (10, 100) is disclosed, wherein a motor (44) is provided directly below a take-up shaft (20) between a pair of leg plates (16, 18) with a rotary shaft (50) of the motor (44) disposed perpendicularly to the take-up shaft (20), and a clutch (26) is provided at one side of one leg plate (16). Further, a gear (76) of a motor gear portion (46) is removably connected to a worm gear (34) in a clutch gear portion (28), and a mounting stay (84) is detachably attached to a case (30) with screws (86), so that the motor (44) and the motor gear portion (46) can be detached independently of the case (30) while still being assembled together. Still further, a pretensioner mechanism (156) and a sensor mechanism (182) are provided at one end side of a spool (118), and an urging mechanism (136) is disposed at the other end side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takuhiro Saito, Katsuki Asagiri, Shuichi Harada, Shinji Mori, Fuminori Komiya, Tomonori Kimura, Hitoshi Takamatsu, Tomonori Nagata, Kazuhiko Aihara, Masaki Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7726693
    Abstract: When the worn state of the webbing is lifted, current of a current value I0 corresponding to the appropriate storing speed of the webbing is supplied to the motor, whereby a take-up shaft rotates and the webbing is taken up. At a point in time when the webbing has been taken up to the extent that the webbing does not hinder the exiting of a vehicle by a passenger, the size of the supply current to the motor is reduced from the initial current value I1 to a current value I1. A reference current value IL of a stall current for determining whether to stop the motor when a foreign object or the like has become entangled between the webbing and an in-vehicle part can also be set to be small in correspondence to the reduced current value I1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventor: Teruhiko Koide
  • Patent number: 7720585
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a passenger protection device that includes, a brake pedal sensor configured to detect the amount by which a brake pedal of a vehicle is operated, a webbing, one end of the webbing fixed to the vehicle, configured to restrain a passenger seated on a seat of the vehicle, a retractor connected to the other end of the webbing, the rector configured to retract the webbing and inhibit of the webbing extraction, and an ECU electrically coupled to the brake pedal sensor, the ECU configured to detect that the brake pedal operation amount detected by the pedal sensor exceeds a first threshold value, the ECU configured to revise the threshold value based on safety related information of the vehicle to control the inhibition of the webbing extraction of the retractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Nisson Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunichi Fukuda, Kazunori Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 7717367
    Abstract: In a pretensioner device, engaging teeth of a pinion (rotating body) have first projections which project-out toward the other side in the peripheral direction of a cam portion. Meshing claws of a clutch plate have second projections which project-out toward a one side in the peripheral direction of the cam portion, and whose gear portion side end surfaces face the first projections. In a state before operation of the pretensioner device, movement of the clutch plate toward one side in the axial direction with respect to the pinion is restricted due to the second projections engaging with the first projections. Accordingly, in the pretensioner device, in the state before operation, even if some type of external force is applied to the clutch plate, positional offset of the clutch plate toward the one side in the axial direction with respect to the pinion can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yasuho Kitazawa, Hitoshi Takamatsu, Masaki Yasuda, Kazuhiko Aihara, Toshio Nakashima, Tomonori Nagata
  • Publication number: 20100117438
    Abstract: A seatbelt device comprising a seatbelt, a spool for retracting the seatbelt, and a motor for rotating and driving the spool. The seatbelt device further includes urging means for urging the seat belt in a retracting direction, first retracting means for starting retracting of the seatbelt by the urging means, and second retracting means for starting the retracting of the seatbelt by the motor. The second retracting means starts the retracting of the seatbelt if, after the retracting of the seatbelt by the first retracting means is started, a retracting speed thereof is at a predetermined value or less and the retracting of the seatbelt has not been stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Masato Takao, Daisuke Murakami
  • Publication number: 20100116921
    Abstract: Seat belt retractors for spooling seat belts (webbings) include multiple independent torque transmission or absorbing systems. The seatbelt retractor comprises a webbing, a spool, a pinion, a pretensioner, at least one coupler pawl, and a locking mechanism including a lock base and a lock pawl. The at least one coupler pawl is positioned in a cavity in the spool. During a predetermined low acceleration event, the at least one coupler pawl pivots so that a portion of the at least one coupler pawl leaves the cavity and engages the lock base to load the lock base which is then prevented from rotating in a spool extracting direction by the locking pawl. When the pretensioner activates during a predetermined higher acceleration event, the pretensioner rotates the pinion in the webbing retraction direction to rotate the spool in the webbing retraction direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: Mark F. Gray
  • Patent number: 7698037
    Abstract: A seatbelt device for a vehicle includes a belt reel for winding a belt for restraining a target object, a motor for driving the rotation of the reel, and a control unit. The control unit determines whether the target object to be restrained is a child seat or a vehicle occupant on the basis of a winding position of the belt while no electricity is being supplied to the motor and the winding position of the belt when electricity is being supplied to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Patent number: 7694908
    Abstract: A safety belt retractor, especially in vehicles, is provided that includes a belt shaft as a carrier for a belt that is wound thereon and a vehicle sensitive and/or belt sensitive controllable block device for the belt shaft. The block device includes a force limiting device, effective in the event of a block event, the force limiting device having a viscous medium-filled housing with at least one fixedly positioned contour and a counter-contour that is rotatably displaceable in response to a block event, so that the relative movement between the contour and the counter-contour forces the viscous medium between the surfaces arranged for this purpose. The level of the force limitation applied by the force limitation device is adjustably settable as a function of the parameters associated with the buckled-in passengers via a variation of the inner pressure in the viscous medium-filled housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Andreas Lucht, Geert Helge Wittenburg, Frank Matzen, Erik Ziel
  • Publication number: 20100084906
    Abstract: An assembly having a retractor and a pretensioner whereby the pretensioner can be employed to provide load limitation features. The pretensioner may also be used without the load limitation features. The pretensioner has a drive mechanism including a plurality of pretensioner balls sized to engage a pinion, the pinion operatively connected to the seat belt through a force limiting element. The pretensioner defines a guide surface structured to guide the pretensioner balls along a ball path along the pinion. The guide surface includes features to engage a pretensioner ball and block the pinion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventors: Jon E. Burrow, Chad E. Moore
  • Publication number: 20100051733
    Abstract: A pretensioner is provided, of which the cylinder, including a restriction portion, can be inexpensively formed, the cylinder having the restriction portion for positioning a gas generation unit to be mounted to a cylinder, and a pretensioner manufacturing method for manufacturing such a pretensioner is provided. In the pretensioner, since the cylinder is molded by forging, an inexpensive material compared with a stainless pipe member can be used for the molding. In addition, since the positioning portion can be molded during forging-molding for molding the entire cylinder, cost can be reduced even in this regard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventor: Taku Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100051734
    Abstract: A pretensioner is provided, which can be partially changed in mechanical strength of in a cylinder, in addition, can be widely used. In the pretensioner, the cylinder is molded by forging, and a positioning portion as a high-strength portion is formed from a partition formed using a excess portion produced during the forging-molding. Therefore, while an outer circumferential shape of the cylinder is not changed, a specification of the positioning portion can be varied, the specification including a formation position of the positioning portion, an extension dimension of the positioning portion from the cylinder, and thickness of the positioning portion along a through direction of the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventor: TAKU YAMADA
  • Patent number: 7661712
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor including a spool for winding up a seat belt, a locking mechanism having a locking member that is prevented from rotating in a belt withdrawing direction in the event of an emergency, and a seat belt load limiting mechanism for limiting load applied to the seat belt when the spool rotates relative to the locking member. The load limiting mechanism comprises a torsion bar that rotationally connects the spool and the locking member and is torsionally deformable when the spool rotates relative to the locking member, and a shearing member that is disposed to extend both in the spool and the locking member, the shearing member being shear-deformable when the spool rotates relative to the locking member. At least a portion of the area of the shearing member positioned in the spool is fixed to the spool in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 7631830
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor (100) having a rotationally mounted spool (120) with a seat belt windable thereon and a pretensioner (300) for winding the spool in a belt winding direction to rewind the seat belt upon the spool; the pretensioner comprising a rack and pinion mechanism (350) activated by a pyrotechnic element (400) for causing a clutch assembly (200) to change state from a disengaged mode to an engaged mode in which the clutch assembly drivingly engages the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Boelstler, Kenneth H. Kohlndorfer, Robert E. Verhoven, Rudi Grzic, Susan A. Richards
  • Patent number: 7631831
    Abstract: A seat belt device is provided where a pretensioner moves a ball train to the distal end side of a ball guide pipe by means of gas discharged from a gas generating device, and the movement rotates the spool for winding the seat belt in a belt winding direction so as to eliminate slack of the seat belt, while imparting necessary tension to the seat belt by loading rotational resistance on the spool in a belt withdrawing direction with gas pressure exerted on the ball train. The ball stopper stops movement of the ball train before all the balls in the ball train are ejected from the ball guide pipe in a state where the ball train functions to rotate the spool in the belt winding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 7624940
    Abstract: A webbing retractor which can prevent gas, which is for rotating a take-up shaft in a take-up direction, from affecting other structural parts. In the webbing retractor, when a pretensioner mechanism operates, gas for operation within a cylinder is exhausted toward a pinion via a gas venting hole formed in a flange portion of a piston. Because a blocking wall is provided between the pinion and an acceleration sensor, exhausted gas passes between the pinion and the blocking wall, and is exhausted to an outer side of the webbing retractor from an upper end side of a cover plate or the like. In this way, blowing-out of the exhausted gas onto the acceleration sensor is blocked, and the exhausted gas can be prevented from affecting the acceleration sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yasuho Kitazawa, Tomonori Nagata, Hitoshi Takamatsu, Masaki Yasuda, Toshio Nakashima, Kazuhiko Aihara
  • Patent number: 7607687
    Abstract: An airbag integrated into a belt portion of a seat belt assembly for a motor vehicle seat belt system. The seat belt assembly includes seat belt webbing forming the lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion and a spool assembly engaging the shoulder belt portion of the seat belt webbing. The seat belt assembly incorporates a gas driven pretensioner system incorporating at least one gas generator connected to the spool assembly and the belt airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Gunter K Clute, Robert Mical
  • Publication number: 20090236458
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for winding an elongate strap onto a winch. The winch has a hub member to which may be coupled the strap winding apparatus and a reel element fixed to the hub member about which may be wound the elongate strap. The strap winding apparatus has a protective housing and a winding assembly at least partially retained within the housing. The winding assembly includes a coupling ring sized to fit over the hub member for selective mating therewith and a spool assembly. The spool assembly has a spool member mounted in surrounding relation with the coupling ring, a cord which may be wound about the spool member and which may be pulled to urge rotation of the spool member in a first direction, and a torsion spring member connected to both the housing and the spool member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Marquis Rodrique
  • Patent number: 7584999
    Abstract: An igniter for an automotive safety system, for example a seat belt tensioner or an air bag, has an explosive squib mounted in a housing with an explosive charge ignitable by the squib but directing its reaction force toward the squib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Hirschmann Austria GmbH
    Inventor: Günther Schmid
  • Patent number: 7571873
    Abstract: A webbing retractor is provided that enables elimination of the part of a webbing belt left in the spool in an entirely pulled-out state of a webbing belt. A space portion is formed in a notched shape in an ALR switch lever. A cam projection of a cam plate that presses the ALR switch lever and changes it to the engaging direction side to a spool enters into the inside of the space portion and, thereby, the cam projection can rotate to an advanced position at the cam pull-out direction side with respect its contact position with the ALR switch lever, whereby the webbing belt can be pulled out entirely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventor: Hitoshi Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 7566021
    Abstract: A restraint system for a motor vehicle includes a safety belt, an end of which can be attached by means of an end pre-load tensioning device to the vehicle body. The end pre-load tensioning device includes a seat belt retractor that takes up the end of the seat belt and a tensioning device connected thereto for the belt shaft of the seat belt retractor. The belt shaft is formed as a hollow shaft, and a blocking element blocks the belt shaft that is released in the event of an accident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Klaus-Peter Singer
  • Publication number: 20090173816
    Abstract: A vehicle seatbelt apparatus includes a belt, a belt reel, a position detector, a motor, a clutch, and a control device. The belt is wound around the belt reel. The position detector is configured to detect a rotational position of the belt reel. The motor is configured to rotate the belt reel. The clutch is configured to connect or disconnect the motor and the belt reel. The control device is configured to control the clutch and a current supplied to the motor. The control device includes a return amount detector which is configured to detect a return amount of the belt reel in a drawing direction of the belt based on the rotational position of the belt reel detected by the position detector after the belt is wound around the belt reel and then the clutch disconnects the motor and the belt reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shotaro ODATE
  • Patent number: 7546968
    Abstract: A fixture is disclosed which can reliably attach an attachment member, such as a cylinder, to an attachment site, such as a frame. The fixture includes a fixing portion, which faces the attachment site at the side of the attachment site and is fixed to the attachment site, and a contact portion, which is disposed at the side opposite from the attachment site, with the attachment member therebetween. The contact portion is integrally coupled to the fixing portion, point-contacts or line-contacts the attachment member, and is configured to push the attachment member to the attachment site in a state where the fixing portion is fixed to the attachment site. A webbing take-up device including this fixture is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yasuho Kitazawa, Hitoshi Takamatsu, Masaki Yasuda, Kazuhiko Aihara, Toshio Nakashima, Tomonori Nagata
  • Publication number: 20090134691
    Abstract: Provided is a pretensioner for a seat belt retractor. The pretensioner for a seat belt retractor of a vehicle includes a torsion bar on which a webbing is wound; a gear member connected to the torsion bar; a base member with which the gear member is meshed and through which the torsion bar passes; a cylinder having a movement guide hole formed therein to supply a gas upon rapid deceleration of the vehicle; a piston having a rack formed at a side surface thereof in a longitudinal direction to be meshed with the gear member and moved along the movement guide hole upon supply of a gas, and; a cylindrical sealing operation part integrally formed with a bottom of the piston and projecting therefrom; and a sealing part coupled to an outer periphery of the sealing operation part to seal between the piston and an inner wall of the cylinder, wherein the base member has a hooking means for hooking the piston to a rack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: DELPHI KOREA CORPORATION
    Inventors: In-Su Choi, Jung-Min Lee, Byung-Jin Lee, Dong-Sub Lee, Sang-Hong Bai, Gi-Young Bae, Jong-Kag Kim, Do-Shik Kim