Abstract: A belt tensioner for a seat belt system includes a belt shaft housing, a belt shaft pivoted about an axis in the belt shaft housing, a rope reel tightly connected to the belt shaft. A tensioner drive includes a tensioner tube, a deformable plastic element guided to be longitudinally movable in the tensioner tube, a drive pinion and a pull rope which is partly wound onto the rope reel. The plastic element is adapted to engage in the drive pinion and to drive the drive pinion in the tensioning direction. During rotation of the drive pinion the pull rope is wound onto a rope drum of the drive pinion, on the one hand, and is unwound from the rope reel, on the other hand, while the belt shaft rotates.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle seat belt comprises a rotatably supported belt reel from which webbing can be unwound, a force limiting means which in a force limiting phase permits controlled webbing extension in the webbing extension direction when the belt reel is blocked and a particular force threshold is exceeded, and a change-over device for performing a change-over operation during which it is changed between a low force limitation level and a high force limitation level. In accordance with the invention, the change-over device includes a control means which in response to the identification of an installed child safety seat suppresses a change-over operation from the low force limitation level to the high force limitation level and/or triggers a change-over operation from the high force limitation level to the low force limitation level.

Abstract: A self-locking safety belt retractor has a blocking apparatus for a belt shaft mounted rotatably in a housing. The blocking apparatus includes a pawl inserted into a recess of the shaft front of the belt shaft which can be pivoted radially outward into engagement with the blocking apparatus. A blocking gearing (12) is oriented with respect to stop surfaces of the pawl (16) and to force transmission surfaces (25, 32) of the recess (15) such that, when the gear teeth of the pawl (16) are engaged in the blocking gearing (12) under normal load, a force acts between the blocking gearing (12) and the belt shaft (13) in a radial direction. If the load increases in a crash case, a force is transmitted in the circumferential direction due to plastic deformation of at least one housing gear tooth (28, 26) of the blocking gearing (12).

Abstract: A self-locking belt retractor for seat belts having a belt-strap-sensitive control mechanism with a control disc coupled to the belt shaft to control a locking element, by means of a pin moveably in an oblong hole in the control disc. The control disc carries an inertia element that, when triggered, radially swivels to lock the retractor belt shaft engages into a stationary toothed section. A control clip has two spaced apart legs on a friction mount between a blocking position of the inertia element and a release position. A follower forms stop surfaces engageable with the clip legs to carry the control clip during the rotation of the control disc belt winding direction a belt extension direction. The control clip releases the inertia element in the release position. One spring leg extends with an end into the movement path of the pin in the oblong hole.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor with a speed-controlled load limiting device has a belt shaft pivot-mounted in a retractor frame, a blocking device for locking the belt shaft relative to the retractor frame) in the belt extraction direction when a predetermined value of the belt webbing extraction acceleration and/or of vehicle deceleration is exceeded, and at least two toothed elements which, upon activation of the load limiting device move relative to each other. One of the toothed elements performs an oscillatory motion, wherein both parts feature teeth, with which they alternately engage and disengage during the relative motion belt shaft has a first and a second part. The second part can be locked relative to the retractor frame, and each of the toothed elements is allocated to a different part of the belt shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved reel assembly for use in conjunction with an occupant restraint system. The assembly employs a dual locking arrangement whereby an occupant can be restrained during both major and minor incidents. After a major incident, the reel assembly remains locked until the occupant disengages the reel via a push button. After a minor incident, the reel assembly can be conveniently unlocked, without the need for accessing the push button, by applying counter tension to the webbing.

Abstract: In a webbing retractor, due to operation of a pretensioner mechanism, a stopper wire is moved, and second lock pawls of a second lock base mesh-together with an inner ratchet of a lock ring. In this way, a limit load by a torsion shaft can be switched to a high load. Therefore, immediately after operation of the pretensioner mechanism, the limit load by the torsion shaft can be made to be to the high load, and the limit load can be made to be the high load at an early stage.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a safety belt system includes a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, a force limiter, a locking mechanism which couples the belt reel in a restraint case to the frame via the force limiter, and a belt webbing unwinding measuring means which includes a signal transmitter and at least one sensor. The sensor is associated with the signal transmitter and detects a change in a magnetic field. At least upon activation of the locking mechanism the signal transmitter is coupled to the belt reel such that it generates a signal upon rotation of the belt reel.

Abstract: A self-locking belt retractor in particular for motor vehicles with a vehicle-sensitive and a webbing-sensitive control system for the blocking device of the belt retractor having an operatable toothed lock washer in a cased gearing. The control system comprises a cam disc rotating with the belt shaft, coupled to the toothed lock washer and inertially formed to form the webbing-sensitive controller with external gearing for the engagement of a sensor lever of a vehicle sensor arranged on the belt retractor, whereby at least one catch lever is provided controlled by the rotation of the belt shaft and rotatable between an engaged and a disengaged position for switching the vehicle sensor off in a function range in which almost the whole of the seatbelt is retracted onto the belt shaft.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a safety belt system has a belt spool and a belt webbing withdrawal measurement arrangement, which has a control disk, a magnetic sensor element and a magnetic cogwheel driven by the control disk and constructed as a separate part. In addition, a method is described to determine the belt webbing withdrawal in a belt retractor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a locking unit for a seat belt retractor which is provided on one end of a spool, around which a seat belt is wound. The locking unit of the present invention locks the seat belt when the seat belt is rapidly unwound and prevents the seat belt from being locked when it is retracted. The locking unit includes a locking arm, a central gear, which is unrotatably provided on the center of the spool, an actuating gear, and a locking pin, which stops a locking protrusion of the locking arm when the belt is retracted.

Abstract: In a seatbelt retractor of this invention is provided with an energy-absorbing means which performs an energy absorption by twisting a rotational shaft of a spool (first energy-absorbing means) and an energy-absorbing means which performs an energy absorption by twisting a wire 2b (second energy-absorbing means), a containing side (upper side of the disk member 2c) which contains the wire 2b and a take-up side (side between the disk member 2c and a plate body 2a) which takes up the wire after being pulled out from the containing side and being twisted are made on different planes, so that the length of the wire which constitutes the second energy-absorbing means can be made longer, and the energy-absorbing time by both the torsion bar and the wire can be extended.

Abstract: A self-locking safety belt retractor with a belt band sensitively and/or motor vehicle sensitively controllable blocking apparatus for a belt shaft mounted rotatably in the housing segments of a U-shaped housing, whereby the blocking apparatus includes a pawl inserted into a recess of the shaft front of the belt shaft which can be radially swivelled out up to engagement into a blocking apparatus constructed on the allocated housing segment is characterized in that the blocking gearing (12) on the one hand and the stop surfaces of the pawl (16), as well as the force transmission surfaces (25, 32) of the recess (15) of the shaft front (14) on the other hand are oriented in relation to each other such that when the gear teeth of the pawl (16) are engaged in the blocking gearing (12) under normal load, a transmission of force takes place between the blocking gearing (12) and the belt shaft (13) in a radial loading direction, and in that in the event of a load rising in a crash case, the load additionally arising

Abstract: When a spool rotates in a retraction direction, a guide pin of a lock member presses against an inner wall of a groove portion with a pressing force in the same direction as a centrifugal force. As a result, friction between an outer circumferential portion of the guide pin and the inner wall of the groove portion increases, a V-gear is held by the guide pin, and rotation of the V-gear in the retraction direction relative to the spool is suppressed. Further, the V-gear, which is pressed by a pressing force at the inner wall of the groove portion, presses against a shaft portion of a torsion shaft with a pressing force in the same direction as the above-described pressing force when the V-gear attempts to move in the direction of action of the above-described pressing force.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a restraint system is described for restraining a standing occupant in a vehicle such as a plane or helicopter. The restraint system includes a webbing strap that winds and unwinds from a spool assembly. The spool assembly includes a trigger assembly that locks a spool from rotation, a manual release assembly for manually releasing the trigger assembly and lock, and an adjustable payout assembly that determines the maximum length that the webbing strap can be pulled out before stopping (i.e., the number of rotations of the spool). The trigger assembly can trigger the lock assembly from one or more sensors. Further, the trigger assembly can be arranged to automatically unlock after a triggering event, manually unlocked after a triggering event or a combination of the two for different sensors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a locking unit for a seat belt retractor which is provided on one end of a spool, around which a seat belt is wound. The locking unit of the present invention locks the seat belt when the seat belt is rapidly unwound and prevents the seat belt from being locked when it is retracted. The locking unit includes a locking arm, a central gear, which is unrotatably provided on the center of the spool, an actuating gear, and a locking pin, which stops a locking protrusion of the locking arm when the belt is retracted.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a seat belt includes a belt reel, an eccentric disc connected to the belt reel, a cam disc driven by the eccentric disc, and a blocking pawl. The blocking pawl, in a blocking position, blocks a toothed ratchet wheel, and, in a release position, leaves the toothed ratchet wheel unaffected. The blocking pawl may be switched from the release position into the blocking position and conversely from the blocking position into the release position with the cam disc. For the belt retractor to be independent of tolerances, provision is made for the cam disc to have an engaging cam for engaging the blocking position of the blocking pawl and a disengaging cam for engaging the release position of the blocking pawl.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame and a belt spool (1) which is rotatably mounted in the frame, and at least one locking toothing (2, 3) which is connected with the belt spool. A first locking catch (5) and a second locking catch (6) are provided, which are supported on the frame and can engage into the at least one locking toothing (2, 3). The first locking catch (5) is able to swing about a point of rotation which is arranged such that with the first locking catch (5) guided into the locking toothing (2, 3) a virtual line, which passes through a point of contact between the first locking catch (5) and the locking toothing (2, 3) and stands perpendicularly on a tooth face in the point of contact, runs between the point of rotation and a rotation axis of the belt spool (1).

Abstract: A seat belt retractor for a vehicle safety restraint has a spool rotatably mounted in a frame. A ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted to rotate with the spool. A control member is mounted in the frame. A locking pawl is pivotally mounted in the frame to pivot into engagement with the ratchet wheel. A sensor is responsive to the spool. Upon activation of the sensor, a cam surface and a cam follower couple the locking pawl to the control member. The cam surface has a discontinuity arranged so that the cam follower loses contact with the cam at high speeds but stays in contact with the cam surface at low speeds. Preferably, the discontinuity is a raised portion providing a first ramp in one direction in one portion on one side of the discontinuity of the cam surface and a second ramp in a different direction in a second portion of the cam surface on the other side of the discontinuity.

Abstract: A method of protecting a passenger in a vehicle from a series of collisions. The method includes detecting that the vehicle is in danger of being involved in a first collision; winding up a webbing of a seat belt to restrain the passenger; permitting the passenger to move forward and the webbing to withdraw; winding up the webbing to restrain and return the passenger to a normal seated position; maintaining the passenger in a restrained condition; determining that the vehicle is in danger of being involved in a second collision; permitting the passenger to move forward and the webbing to withdraw; winding up the webbing to restrain the passenger and return the passenger to a normal seated position; maintaining the passenger in a restrained position; and releasing the restraint on the passenger.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety belt apparatus for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles having at least one safety belt (11), which is wound to a greater or lesser degree onto a belt reel (13) rotatably secured on the vehicle chassis (14) about an axis of rotation (12) and preferably biased by a spring retraction mechanism, in particular a spiral spring (15) in the belt winding up direction and/or having a belt draw out- blocking mechanism (26, 38; 55, 56, 57), which, with an attempted rapid draw out of the safety belt (11) and/or with in particular accident dependent accelerations and/or deviations of the vehicle position from the normal, horizontal arrangement of the vehicle blocks a further draw out of the safety belt (11), with a toothed ratchet wheel (29) being rotationally coupled to the belt reel (13) and cooperating with a blocking pawl (17) secured to the housing and movable into an out of engagement, in such a way that with the blocking pawl (17) moved into engagement with the toothed ratchet wh

Abstract: In a webbing retractor, a wire is inserted through a through-hole of a spool on which a webbing is taken-up and from which the webbing is pulled-out. At an initial stage of a process of absorbing inertial energy of a vehicle occupant, a large force limiter load is generated by adding a rubbing force of the wire at a peripheral portion of the through-hole, to a twisting load of a torsion bar. An energy absorption amount is made large, and an amount of pulling-out of the webbing is kept low. After a predetermined amount of energy has been absorbed, when the wire is completely pulled-out from the through-hole, the rubbing force of the wire is cancelled, the force limiter load is reduced, and force applied to the vehicle occupant via the webbing is reduced.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame, a belt spool which is rotatably arranged in the frame, and a drive motor which can cooperate with a drive wheel which is coupled with the belt spool. The retractor further comprises a locking catch and locking teeth into which the locking catch can be guided in order to lock the belt spool. The drive wheel is rotatable relative to the belt spool to a limited extent and the locking catch is controlled as a function of this relative rotation.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a web sensor with an inertia member, a locking pawl and a lock cup. The inertia member is eccentrically pivotally mounted to the lock cup. The locking pawl is integrally formed with the inertia member. The lock cup has a set of radially inwardly pointing teeth for engaging with the locking pawl. The shape and profile of the locking pawl complements the shape of the teeth. The web sensor aids in resisting jamming of the seat belt retractor.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes a base frame, a spool having a spool shaft journalled to the base frame, a webbing wound around the spool, a return spring connected to the spool for winding the webbing by a return force thereof, a motor connected to the spool for winding the spool, and a speed-reduction mechanism interposed between the motor and the spool. The speed-reduction mechanism winds the webbing at a low speed for fitting the webbing to an occupant, and includes a contrate gear with a predetermined reduction gear ratio. Thus, the webbing is wound by operation of the motor via the contrate gear.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor for a vehicle safety restraint has a spool rotatably mounted in a frame. A ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted to rotate with the spool. A control member is mounted in the frame. A locking pawl is pivotally mounted in the frame to pivot into engagement with the ratchet wheel. A sensor is responsive to the spool. Upon activation of the sensor, a cam surface and a cam follower couple the locking pawl to the control member. The cam surface has a discontinuity arranged so that the cam follower loses contact with the cam at high speeds but stays in contact with the cam surface at low speeds. Preferably, the discontinuity is a raised portion providing a first ramp in one direction in one portion on one side of the discontinuity of the cam surface and a second ramp in a different direction in a second portion of the cam surface on the other side of the discontinuity.

Abstract: In a belt retractor the absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel is sensed by an incremental counter. The incremental counter is calibrated by sensing the angle of rotation of a control disc coupled to the belt reel by a reduction gear unit. The count of the incremental counter represents the absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel with high accuracy. Various components of a restraint system are controlled as a function of the thus measured absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel.

Abstract: In a seat belt retractor, when a collision predicting signal is generated from a collision predicting device, a motor rotates counterclockwise, and a pawl is thereby raised via a lever so as to move to a position contacting saw-blade teeth of a ratchet gear. In this state, when a rotational force is applied in the seatbelt-extraction direction, the rotation is prevented. On the other hand, the rotation in the seatbelt-retraction direction can be performed by pushing down the pawl with a diagonal portion of the saw-blade tooth of the ratchet gear.

Abstract: The belt retractor for an occupant restraint system has a frame, a belt spool having a pair of flanges and rotatably mounted in the frame and a locking mechanism for selective blocking of the belt spool. A wheel member provided with an external toothing is mounted on one flange of the belt spool. A locking pawl is biased by a spring that engages with the wheel member. During the normal operating state of the belt retractor, the locking pawl is held by means of an solenoid so that it is disengaged from the wheel member.

Abstract: A seat belt webbing in which elongation at initial yield point is 6% or less, tenacity at 8% elongation is 1.5 to 7 kN, tenacity at break is 15 kN or more, elongation under load of 11.1 kN is 10 to 40% and an energy absorption work amount is 600 J/m or more, and a passenger-holding device comprising the seat belt webbing and a seat belt retractor portion having a lock mechanism for stopping rotation of a take-up shaft in response to acceleration or abrupt unwinding of a webbing exhibits high energy absorption performance at low costs.

Abstract: A belt retractor has a frame (1; 101), a belt reel rotatably mounted about an axis in the frame, a control disc (10; 110) coaxial with the belt reel and a reduction gear unit (7, 15, 16) which translates rotation the belt reel into a reduced rotation of the control disc. The control disc has a cutout window (11; 111) between a pair of detector elements. The first (8; 108) of these detector elements is connected to the belt reel for joint rotation and the second (12; 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) is arranged as fixed relative to the frame. The window is located on the same radius as said detector elements relative to the axis. The arrangement provides a precise measurement of the absolute angle of rotation of the belt reel.

Abstract: A safety belt reeling device has a belt reeling shaft lockable by a vehicle-sensitive and/or belt-sensitive locking device. A tightening device is provided and a tightening coupling connects the tightening device to the belt reeling shaft when the tightening device is actuated. The tightening device has a drive disc and a drive device for driving the drive disc. A force limiting device having a torsion bar is connected to the belt reeling shaft and to a stationary abutment. A pawl coupling is activated by a tightening movement of the tightening device and the pawl coupling has at least one force limiting pawl for switching on or off the force limiting device as a function of functional states of the safety belt reeling device.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor (10) comprised of a spool (28), a belt (40) wound on the spool (28), a ratchet wheel (48), and a torsion bar (44) interconnecting the spool (28) to the ratchet wheel (48) and capable of yielding in response to loading exerted on the belt (40) when the ratchet wheel (48) is locked against rotation. The safety belt retractor (10) also includes a holdout mechanism (18) which is normally operable in an ELR mode to permit operation of an emergency locking mechanism (16) and which can be selectively shifted into an ALR mode for locking the ratchet wheel (48) against rotation to prevent further payout of the belt (40) after a predetermined length of the belt (40) has been withdrawn from the spool (28). A timing assembly (124) functions to determine when the predetermined length of the belt (40) has been withdrawn or retracted for controlling engagement and disengagement of a latch mechanism (110).