Frame Movement Responsive (e.g., Vehicle Sensitive) Patents (Class 242/384)
  • Publication number: 20040149852
    Abstract: A belt spool (12) for a safety belt retractor with a frame has a bearing (18) for a blocking catch (16) which can be moved from an initial position in which the belt spool is freely rotatable, into a blocking position in which it blocks the belt spool. The belt spool further has a support surface (20) for the blocking catch (16). The support surface (20) is provided with a projection (22; 26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Herbert Blum, Hermann-Karl Weller
  • Patent number: 6755369
    Abstract: A belt retractor has a locking pawl actuated by an electromagnet. The electromagnet is operated with a holding power that is reduced in comparison to its actuation power. The holding power may be provided by a series device in the current supply of the electromagnet. The series device may generate a holding voltage that is limited to a predefined value, or it may provide a pulse duration modulated d.c. supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holbein
  • Publication number: 20040069890
    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).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexander Heilig, Martin Prokscha
  • Patent number: 6705558
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor for a seat belt system in a motor vehicle has a belt reel for the winding and unwinding of seat belt webbing. At least one locking element can lock the belt reel against further rotation. Forces exerted by the seat belt webbing can be introduced into a frame connected to the vehicle. The locking device has at least one gear that can be locked by at least one lock operating device and also has at least one energy absorbing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Specht, Walter Krauss, Thomas Kilian
  • Publication number: 20030205638
    Abstract: A coupling disc for a belt retractor of a vehicle safety belt comprises a coupling catch which is pivotally mounted on the coupling disc so as to be movable between a position of rest and a coupling position. The coupling catch and the coupling disc are formed in one piece from plastic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz Wier
  • Publication number: 20030201359
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Automative Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Cornelius Peter
  • Patent number: 6598822
    Abstract: A webbing retractor is disclosed. One end portion of a plate is fixed to a hollow cylindrical portion of a spool. An intermediate portion of the plate is entrained around an engaging pin and the like of a gear which can rotate relatively to the spool. A pawl provided at the gear abuts the plate, and is held at a position of non-engagement with stopper teeth against urging force of a coil spring. When the spool and the gear rotate relatively, the plate, whose widthwise dimension decreases toward a final end portion thereof, is taken-up onto the hollow cylindrical portion while being rubbed by the engaging pin and the like. A force limiter load in an energy absorbing process is decreased. The pawl, whose engagement with the plate is released, meshes with the stopper teeth such that rotation of the spool is impeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Tomonori Nagata, Yasuho Kitazawa, Shinji Mori
  • Publication number: 20030111571
    Abstract: A locking pawl for a mechanism for blocking a belt retractor of a safety belt comprises a first locking pawl element made of a first material and adapted to block said belt retractor, and a second locking pawl element made of a second material and adapted to control a movement of said locking pawl. The first material is different from the second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hermann-Karl Weller
  • Publication number: 20030034416
    Abstract: A belt retractor has a locking pawl actuated by an electromagnet The electromagnet is operated with a holding power that is reduced in comparison to its actuation power. The holding power may be provided by a series device in the current supply of the electromagnet. The series device may generate a holding voltage that is limited to a predefined value, or it may provide a pulse duration modulated d.c. supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co.KG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holbein
  • Publication number: 20020066818
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventors: Hiromasa Tanji, Koji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6386472
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor assembly for a restraint retractor of a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes an acceleration sprocket operatively connected to the restraint retractor. The acceleration sensor assembly also includes an acceleration pawl cooperating with the acceleration sprocket to operatively cause lock up of the restraint retractor. The acceleration sensor assembly includes a mass member cooperating with the acceleration pawl to move the acceleration pawl when an acceleration force is present. The acceleration sensor assembly further includes an electromagnet assembly cooperating with the mass member to hold the mass member in a predetermined position until the acceleration force exceeds a predetermined value and the mass member moves to actuate the acceleration pawl to engage the acceleration sprocket to operatively cause lock up the restraint retractor and prevent unwinding of a belt from the restraint retractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Lloyd Walker Rogers, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6364239
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a frame, a spool rotatably mounted to the frame, a spool locking device for preventing rotation of the spool. An actuator actuates the spool locking device and has a support carrying an inertia mass and a pawl. The inertia mass is designed to move from an initial position to an actuating position to bring the pawl into engagement with a ratchet on the spool. Engagement of the pawl with the ratchet actuates the spool locking device. The support is arranged to pivot so as to adjust the distance between the pawl and the ratchet. In that way the position of the pawl can be adjusted to provide an optimum gap between the pawl tip and the ratchet on the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick Jallot, Paul Slack, John Hodgson
  • Patent number: 6322018
    Abstract: A lockbar for a seatbelt retractor has an elongate joining member and two end pieces joined to the joining member at opposite ends therefore. The end pieces are made of a higher strength material than the joining member. The joining member may be made by extrusion and may be tubular or may be formed as a hollow member. The end pieces may be produced as forgings, die casting or plastic injection moldings or by other suitable methods. They can be produced from different materials and to different designs to suit the specification of the seatbelt retractor. Hence a single basic seatbelt retractor design can be employed for a variety of strength requirements by selecting appropriate end pieces and an appropriate joining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan George Smithson, David Blackadder, Paul Bowman, Joseph Patrick Harte, John Taylor, Nigel Mitchinson
  • Publication number: 20010029140
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Applicant: Toray Industires, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Okumura, Katsunori Nii, Akio Tahara
  • Publication number: 20010010343
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a rotatable spool mounted in a frame, a primary locking mechanism for arresting rotation of the spool and a load absorbing mechanism arranged to come into effect at a predetermined load for absorbing a portion of the spool locking load. The load absorbing mechanism may be a section of an inwardly facing peripheral edge of the frame having a serrated or roughened texture and which is positioned and adapted so that above a predetermined load it co-operates with a smooth surfaced spool bearing face to absorb some of the load. Spool rotation is prevented on engagement of the primary locking mechanism and the load on the primary mechanism rises causing the frame side walls to deform and the serrated or roughened section is pushed closer to, and eventually against the spool bearing face, roughening the smooth surface and increasing its coefficient of friction to absorb some of the load and resist rotation of the spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Inventors: John Bell, Graham Jack, Howard Foster, Matthew Barber, Brian Jack
  • Patent number: 6267315
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a webbing spool fixed to a ratchet wheel having a plurality of teeth spaced about its circumference. A locking pawl has a plurality of teeth with a pitch less than the pitch of the teeth on the ratchet wheel. The pawl is arranged to pivot into engagement with the ratchet wheel, on activation of a crash sensor. Preferably there are two locking pawls and two toothed ratchet wheels. The two locking pawls may each have the same number of teeth or alternatively one may have an extra tooth which serves as a sensor tooth, engaging first with the spool ratchet wheel and phasing engagement of the other teeth as the load increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Blackadder, Alan George Smithson, Joseph Patrick Harte
  • Publication number: 20010004094
    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 whe
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: TAKATA (EUROPE) VEHICLE SAFETY TECHNOLOGY GmbH
    Inventors: Harry Hanna, Robert Kopetzky, Martin Wifling
  • Patent number: 6216973
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor (10) including a seat belt webbing spool (24) supported for rotation in a belt withdrawal direction (29) and an opposite belt retraction direction (30). A member (40) is supported for rotation relative to the spool (24). The retractor (10) includes means for blocking rotation of the spool (24) in the belt withdrawal direction (29) in response to relative rotation of the member (40) and the spool. The retractor (10) also includes an electrically actuatable clamp (48, 80) movable, upon application of an electric current, between a first condition not clamping the member (40) and a second condition clamping the member and thereby restraining rotation of the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Barney J. Bauer
  • Patent number: 6213420
    Abstract: The invention relates to a safety belt apparatus with a belt roller (11) which is preferably subjected to a bias force in the wind-up direction by a spring and onto which a seat belt (12) is wound up to a greater or a lesser extent, with an acceleration sensor (13) with a movable mass (19) and an auxiliary pawl (15) which is impacted by the latter controlling with the auxiliary pawl (15) a position control ratchet wheel (14) which in turn acts via a transmission (16) on a main pawl (17) which is rotationally fixedly connected to the belt roller (11) in order that the latter engages into a main ratchet crown (18) during the blocking of the position control ratchet wheel (14) by the auxiliary pawl (15) in order to stop the further drawing out of the belt (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Takata (Europe) Vehicle Safety Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Kopetzky
  • Patent number: 6105893
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Thomas Schmidt, Frank Fugel
  • Patent number: 5934596
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Breed Automative Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick J. Gorman, Phillip D. Yee, Mark F. Gray, Kenneth H. Kohlndorfer
  • Patent number: 5895003
    Abstract: A coupling disk comprises a control pawl mounted swivably about a swivel axis for swiveling from a resting position into a engagement position in which the coupling disk is coupled to a functional part of the belt retractor. The control pawl has a mount which is configured yielding transversely to the swivel axis. The control disk comprises an abutment on which the control pawl is supported when the mount yields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Kielwein
  • Patent number: 5779176
    Abstract: There is provided a webbing take-up device in which a load required to rotate a spool in a webbing drawing direction with reference to a shaft is stabilized in the process of rotating the spool, a stable load can be achieved with small deformation, and miniaturization can be achieved. In an ordinary state, an EA plate keeps its original shape, and the shaft and spool are rotated together with each other. When the shaft is prevented from being rotated in the webbing drawing direction in vehicle sudden deceleration, the EA plate is plastically deformed by a webbing drawing force, and the EA plate is pushed in an internal-angle portion of the spool with rotation of the spool in the webbing drawing direction with reference to the shaft. The EA plate is bent by a U-shaped portion and then wound around the outer periphery of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Seiji Hori, Yasuho Kitazawa, Sumikazu Sasaki, Keiichi Kato, Naohiro Tsukiyama, Kenji Matsui
  • Patent number: 5779178
    Abstract: A retractor assembly for a seat belt system includes a magnetically actuated locking mechanism to selectively prevent extension of the seat belt. The retractor assembly includes a spring loaded spindle about which the seat belt may be wrapped and selectively extended. A ratchet wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth is secured to the spindle for rotational movement therewith to control the rotation of the spindle and, thus, the extension of the belt from the retractor assembly. A locking mechanism is provided for controlling the rotation of the ratchet wheel for this purpose. The locking mechanism includes a pawl which is selectively movable between an engaged position, wherein rotation of the ratchet wheel in the extension direction is prevented, and a disengaged position, wherein rotation of the ratchet wheel in the belt extension direction is permitted. The locking mechanism further includes a magnetic actuator for controlling the movement of the pawl between the engaged and disengaged positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Rostra Precision Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan R. McCarty
  • Patent number: 5744872
    Abstract: An apparatus 10 has an inertia assembly 14 which includes a moveable ball 60 for movement from a rest position under the influence of a predetermined change in vehicle inertia. A cap 64 is mounted to engage the ball 60 and to be displaced upon movement of the ball 60 from its rest position. A sensor assembly 16 detects movement of the cap 64. The sensor assembly 16 includes a photodiode 90 which directs a beam of light 92 to impinge upon a phototransistor 96. The cap 64 has a projection member 80 which is moved to interrupt the beam of light 92 when the ball 60 moves from its rest position. In the preferred embodiment, the sensor assembly 16 provides a signal which is used to control activation of a vehicle occupant restraint 18. In the preferred embodiment, the vehicle occupant restraint 18 is a seat belt retractor 18, which has a rotatable spool 134 and ratchet wheels 138.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Gasper Cario, Roger F. Wells
  • Patent number: 5740979
    Abstract: A transport guard device for a belt retractor for safety belts, more particularly a belt retractor with an integrated belt pretensioner drive, wherein the belt drum, which is rotatably supported in a housing and is provided with ratchet teeth means, is able to be locked against rotation by a pawl and the housing is secured on the vehicle by means of a bolt, is characterized in that a clip (26) is provided on the housing (10) and has a resiliently elastic limb (28) engaging the pawl (16, 18) and holding same in engagement with the ratchet teeth (14) on the belt drum (12) and that the resiliently elastic limb (28) is pivoted by the bolt (25) out of position away from the pawl during assembly of the belt retractor. Due to this design, no belt webbing can be withdrawn from the belt reel when the belt retractor is not mounted in a vehicle. This is particularly advantageous with belt retractors in which the pretensioner drive cannot be triggered as long as no belt webbing is withdrawn from the belt reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Rohrle
  • Patent number: 5636807
    Abstract: An aircraft inertial webbing reel is mounted in a housing and has a ratchet wheel. A dog is mounted for spring-biased movement into engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth to lock the reel. A spring-biased blocking cam normally blocks movement of the dog. An inertia mass movable within a chamber has opposed end mounting surfaces with conical fittings which define an axis. A linkage comprising a pair of interconnected levers each having a distal end having a conical fitting. The fittings each confine a ball to mount the mass on the lever distal ends. A sliding and pivotal fitting interconnects the lever proximal ends and provides an overcenter mechanism normally biasing the lever distal ends toward each other and against the mounting surfaces to clamp the balls within the conical fittings. A predetermined acceleration of the aircraft in any direction causes the mass to shift the balls and move the lever distal ends away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: H. Koch & Sons Co., Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Warrick
  • Patent number: 5441209
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor having a reel shaft that performs relative rotation in the unwinding direction, where teeth of a main pawl approach teeth of a side wall of the seat belt retractor by a set amount, but the teeth of the main pawl do not approach the teeth of the side wall any further. When the reel shaft further rotates in the unwinding direction, a tooth of the main pawl comes into contact with the steep slope of a tooth of the side wall. Thus, the main pawl reaches a standby position. When the reel shaft further rotates in the unwinding direction, the tip of the tooth of the main pawl is guided toward the bottom tooth of the side wall by the steep slope of the tooth of the side wall, so that the teeth of the main pawl completely engage with the teeth of the side wall. Thus, the main pawl reaches a lock position or, in other words, the main pawl performs a self-lock action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiichi Fujimura, Shizutaka Matsuura
  • Patent number: 5388780
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor is provided with an emergency locking mechanism which can operate securely while an end lock state where a webbing can be neither drawn out nor taken up is prevented from being caused by the maloperation of the emergency locking mechanism at the time of storage of the belt. A rotation control disk having teeth which are equal in pitch circle diameter to teeth of a driving side gear rotating together with a takeup shaft but different in number from the teeth of the driving side gear is rotatably supported on a rotary shaft of the driving side gear. The rotation control disk is rotated by an intermediate gear with a phase shift relative to the driving side gear. The movement of the lock member is limited by a limiting member in accordance with an angle of phase shift of the rotation control disk relative to the takeup shaft so that the lock member cannot move in the direction of engagement with the latch member when the webbing is taken up substantially entirely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Masuo Matsuki
  • Patent number: 5344096
    Abstract: The invention relates to a safety belt restraining system for vehicles comprising a belt retractor 10 and a webbing clamping means 12 arranged downstream of the retractor 10 and having two clamping wedges 46, 48 which are arranged opposite each other in a housing on either side of the webbing 22. The belt retractor 10 blockable in vehicle-sensitive and/or webbing-sensitive manner and the webbing clamping means 12 are connected together by connecting means 60, 62. With plastic deformation they yield and permit a limited moving of the webbing clamping means 12 away from the belt retractor 10 when the force exerted on the webbing 22 exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: TRW Repa GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Frei, Uwe Hirzel, Martin Rohrle, Wolf-Dieter Honl