Pretensioned Spring Attachment Patents (Class 242/375.2)
  • Patent number: 9090226
    Abstract: When an attempt is made to insert a fitting-shaft section into a fitting-hole section where phases of the fitting-shaft section of a spring-screw and the fitting-hole section of an adapter about a central-axis line of a spool-body are not matched, shaft-section-side inclined-surfaces formed at shaft-section-side protrusions abut to hole-section-side inclined-surfaces formed at hole-section-side protrusions, so the shaft-section-side inclined-surfaces press the hole-section-side inclined-surfaces in such a direction inclined in a pull-out direction to a projecting-direction of a shaft-section body from a flange section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Nao Sasaki, Tomotaka Suzuki, Takahiro Hamada, Takahiro Osaki
  • Patent number: 8910894
    Abstract: A seat belt pretensioner having a housing, a belt shaft (10), a load limiting device (70) and a pretensioner drive wheel (20) coupled to the belt shaft (10). A coupling element (60) is fixed to the drive wheel (20) via a detachable connection, and can be locked by a blocking device (90). An engagement wheel (50) is provided for connecting the belt shaft (10) with the pretensioner drive wheel (20) having engagement portions (51) engaging into corresponding recesses (12) on the belt shaft (10) or on the pretensioner drive wheel (20) and is fixed by the coupling element (60). The detachable connection can be disconnected by locking of the coupling element (60) and rotation of the belt shaft (10) in the belt webbing extraction direction, thereby the engagement wheel (50) undergoes relative rotation in relation to the pretensioner drive wheel (20) or to the belt shaft (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Linus Larsson
  • Patent number: 8763943
    Abstract: A webbing take-up device which can improve the workability of the assembly work of a tension reducer is obtained. In this webbing take-up device, a take-up spring unit is arranged closer to the opening side of a case than a reduction spring unit within a case. For this reason, when a clutch is arranged inside the reduction balance spring and the inner end of the reduction balance spring in a spiral direction is locked to a spring case of the clutch, the clutch and the reduction balance spring can be easily and visually recognized from the opening side of the case. Thus, the other end of the reduction balance spring can be easily locked to the spring case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takahiro Osaki, Shinji Mori
  • Publication number: 20140131500
    Abstract: A holder assembly for a crowd control barrier has a bobbin 13 rotatably mounted within a container 12 and configured to have a flexible band 15 wound therearound with the free end 16 of the band emerging from the container whereby the band may be extended so that the free end can be connected to a remote support. When assembled, a spring 25 acts on the bobbin 13 such that tension in the spring is increased as the band 15 is extended whereby the spring may re-wind the band on to the bobbin. The bobbin 13 is axially insertable into and removable from the container 12 to allow the band to be changed. The spring 25 is associated with a carrier 24 and there is a screw-threaded mechanism 27 arranged to rotate the carrier 24 to pre-load the spring 25, as the bobbin 13 is inserted into the container 12.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventor: Laurence Patrick Wettern
  • Patent number: 8678440
    Abstract: A dual spool retractor device for seat belts in a motor vehicle including a frame, two spools rotatably mounted to the frame, and a pretensioning system providing pretensioning rotation for both the spools. The spools are pretensioning through the activation of a micro-gas generator. The gas generator can provide gas to a single or a pair of gas cylinders. One or more flexible numbers such as a metal band or cable is used which is coupled to one or both spools via a pulley. Activation of the gas generator forces a piston to move in a manner which exerts tension on the flexible member(s) thereby unwinding the flexible member from the spool pulley and providing pretensioning rotation of the respective belt spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Asp, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Kohlndorfer, Chris Koprowicz, Jon E. Burrow, Chad E. Moore, Bin Wang
  • Publication number: 20130221147
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a device (1) for preloading of a rewind mechanism (2) for a fabric (4) arranged on an elongated tube (3) or the like of a roller blind, a projector screen or the like. The rewind mechanism (2) is arranged to be essentially inserted into said tube (3) and includes a spring (10), that is tensioned when the fabric (4) is rolled out and relieved when the fabric (4) is rolled up onto the tube (3). The device (1) includes an outer mounting element (5), that is arranged to be attached to the tube (3), and an inner mounting element (6), that is arranged to be attached to an outer bracket (not shown), said mounting elements (5, 6) being rotatingly arranged in relation to each other about a longitudinal axis of said tube (3). A spring element (7) is arranged between said mounting elements (5, 6) and includes a sleeve (11), in which said spring (10) is arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: MARKISOL HOLDING AB
    Inventor: Bo Persson
  • Patent number: 7458535
    Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt has a frame, a belt reel which is rotatably mounted in the frame, a locking mechanism which is adapted to block a rotation of the belt reel in an unwinding direction of the safety belt in a vehicle sensitive and/or seat belt sensitive manner and a pretensioning drive which is adapted to drive the belt reel in a wind up direction of the safety belt and in the unwinding direction. A locking means is provided which prevents a reverse rotation of the belt reel in the unwinding direction, after the pretensioning drive has driven the belt reel in the wind up direction and has thereby pretensioned the safety belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Holbein, Martin Prokscha
  • Publication number: 20080251622
    Abstract: A looped-cord tensioner for an architectural covering including a housing adapted for attachment to a looped-cord, an abutment member positioned within the housing, a slide member positioned within the housing, and at least one biasing element having a first end and a second end. One of the slide member and the abutment member is adapted to engage the second end of the biasing element and the first end of said biasing element is adapted to engage the housing such that one of the slide member and the abutment member is moveably positioned in the housing so as to bias one of the slide member and the abutment member toward engagement with the looped-cord such that the looped-cord is normally non-movably sandwiched between the slide member and the abutment member prior to installation of the looped-cord tensioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Raymond E. Randall, Richard D. Watkins
  • Publication number: 20080067274
    Abstract: A window treatment system for covering an architectural opening includes a window treatment with a sheet wound in a first direction; a housing having a longitudinal axis and receiving said window treatment; a shaft disposed coaxially within said housing for supporting said housing and a clutch coupling said housing and said shaft and having a first position in which said housing is rotatable with respect to said shaft only in one direction, and a second position in which said housing is rotatable in both directions. A spool is mounted coaxially with the longitudinal axis and is coupled to said clutch. The spool includes an elongated member such as a ribbon wound in a second direction and arranged to raise said window treatment when said elongated member is pulled from said spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventor: Joseph A. Cannaverde
  • Patent number: 7172150
    Abstract: A retractable reel apparatus for connecting the electrical wiring on a trailer to the electrical system of a towing vehicle. The apparatus comprises a housing with a reel rotatably disposed therein. A wire has a first portion wrapped in a first direction around the reel and a second portion counter-wrapped in a second direction within the first portion. A first end of the wire extends through a first opening in the apparatus, and a second end of the wire extends through a second opening. The second end of the wire is stationary. By pulling on the first end of the wire, the first end may be extended from the housing. A torsion spring biases the reel so that the wire tends to retract back into the housing when tension on the first end of the wire is released. Numerous mounting arrangements for the apparatus are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Independent Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Hutchison, II, Dallas W. Copley, Timothy R. Knust, Derrick W. Charbonnet
  • Patent number: 6390404
    Abstract: A rewind spring in a cassette for a seat belt retractor is assembled by first placing a mechanism cover on a winding jig. An arbor is fitted to a winding shaft of the jig. One end of a coiled metal bank spring is then fixed to the spring arbor. The band is then wound onto the arbor in the mechanism cover and a spring cover is fitted to the mechanism cover. Finally, a locking clip is attached to the spring cover to lock the arbor against rotation. A spring arbor for use in the cassette has a generally cylindrical shape and an axially extending slot for receiving an end of the spring. A step is provided in the profile of the cylindrical outer surface of the arbor in the region of the slot to compensate for the thickness of the band wound thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James Joseph McCulloch
  • Patent number: 6256848
    Abstract: A rewind spring in a cassette for a seat belt retractor is assembled by first placing a mechanism cover on a winding jig. An arbor is fitted to a winding shaft of the jig. One end of a coiled metal bank spring is then fixed to the spring arbor. The band is then wound onto the arbor in the mechanism cover and a spring cover is fitted to the mechanism cover. Finally, a locking clip is attached to the spring cover to lock the arbor against rotation. A spring arbor for use in the cassette has a generally cylindrical shape and an axially extending slot for receiving an end of the spring. A step is provided in the profile of the cylindrical outer surface of the arbor in the region of the slot to compensate for the thickness of the band wound thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James Joseph McCulloch