Direct locking retractor assembly for a seatbelt system and a method for actuating the same

A method of securing a child seat to a vehicle seat using a seatbelt mounted for rotation on a spool;

• said method comprising:
• providing a seatbelt assembly that includes a buckle assembly, a spool, and a length of seatbelt webbing connected at a first end to the spool, a locking tongue provided on the webbing, wherein the locking tongue is selectively engageable in the buckle assembly;
• where the spool is rotatable about an axis in a first direction to wind the webbing on the spool and is rotatable in a second direction to wind the webbing off of the spool;
• providing a ratchet wheel;
• operatively engaged with the spool, said ratchet wheel and spool being selectively rotatable in unison about an axis in a first direction to wind the webbing onto the spool and in a second direction to wind the webbing off of the spool;
• providing a pawl proximate the ratchet wheel;
• configuring the pawl to stop rotation of the ratchet wheel and thereby to stop rotation of the spool in one direction;
• operatively engaging a control mechanism with the pawl, said control mechanism being movable between a first condition and a second condition;
• and when the control mechanism is in the first condition, the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are rotatable in either of the first and second directions;
• and when the control mechanism is in the second condition, the pawl is moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are only able to rotate in the first direction;
• wherein the control mechanism includes:
• an actuator assembly that engages the pawl and moves the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel only after the locking tongue on the webbing is interlockingly engaged with the buckle assembly;
• and
• a cable extending between the buckle assembly and the actuator assembly;
• and when the locking tongue is engaged with the buckle assembly, the cable is pulled in a direction away from the actuator assembly;
• and
• wherein the actuator assembly includes:
• a slider operatively engaged with the cable;
• and when the cable is pulled in the direction away from the actuator assembly, the slider is caused to move into a lockable position;
• and
• a plunger selectively movable into contact with the pawl or selectively movable out of contact with the pawl;
• and wherein the slider locks the plunger in contact with the pawl after the cable has been pulled by engaging the locking tongue in the buckle assembly;
• actuating the control mechanism by:
• moving the slider within a seatbelt housing from a first position to a second position;
• moving the plunger through a portion of the slider when the slider has been moved to the second position;
• and
• contacting the pawl with the plunger;
• moving the pawl into engagement between two teeth on the ratchet wheel;
• and
• stopping, with the pawl, rotation of the ratchet wheel in the second direction while permitting rotation of the ratchet wheel in the first direction.

A seatbelt system comprising:

• a buckle assembly;
• a spool mounted for rotation within a housing;
• a length of webbing having a first end engaged with the spool and a locking tongue provided on the webbing;
• wherein the locking tongue is selectively engageable in the buckle assembly;
• a ratchet wheel provided on the spool;
• wherein the spool is selectively rotatable about an axis in a first direction to wind the webbing onto the spool and in a second direction to wind the webbing off of the spool;
• a pawl configured to selectively engage the ratchet wheel to stop rotation of the spool in the second direction;
• a plunger selectively movable into contact with the pawl to stop rotation of the spool in the second direction;
• and
• a slider provided within the housing;
• said slider being selectively movable between a first position and a second position within the housing;
• and wherein the plunger is movable relative to the slider;
• and when the slider is in the second position, the plunger is movable into contact with the pawl and the pawl is movable into contact with the ratchet wheel to stop rotation of the spool in the second direction.