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US 10,994,696 B2Granted
System and method determining seatbelt webbing payout
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsScott D. Thomas, Mathew L. Nassoiy, Jason L. Hepner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seatbelt retractor includes a retractor frame, a spool fixed for common rotation with a spool shaft, a seatbelt webbing wrapped around the spool, a reduction mechanism, and a sensor coupled to the reduction mechanism for sensing the movement of the spool.
Claims9
A seatbelt retractor, the seatbelt retractor comprising:
- a retractor frame;
- a spool fixed for common rotation with a spool shaft, wherein the spool shaft is rotatably supported in the retractor frame;
- a seatbelt webbing wrapped around the spool;
- a reduction mechanism coupled to the spool shaft, for receiving a first rate of movement of the spool and converting the first rate of movement of the spool to a second rate of movement of the reduction mechanism, wherein the first rate of movement is greater than the second rate of movement;
- and
- a sensor in communication with the reduction mechanism for sensing the movement of the spool,
- wherein the sensor is fixed to a sensor mounting bracket and includes a sensor shaft for common rotation with an output spur gear disposed in the reduction mechanism, thereby rotation of the output spur gear changes a response level in the sensor, wherein the output spur gear is in communication with an input member pear, the input member gear attached for common rotation with the spool.
4 more elements
A method for sensing seatbelt webbing payout from a seatbelt retractor, the method comprising:
- providing a retractor frame;
- providing a spool fixed for common rotation with a spool shaft, wherein the spool shaft is rotatably supported in the retractor frame;
- wrapping a seatbelt webbing around the spool;
- coupling a reduction mechanism to the spool shaft, wherein a rate of movement of the spool shaft is higher than a rate of movement of a reduction mechanism output;
- and
- sensing movement of the spool shaft using a sensor in communication with the reduction mechanism,
- wherein the sensor is attached to a sensor mounting bracket and includes a sensor shaft fixed relative to the sensor mounting bracket for common rotation with an output spur gear disposed in the reduction mechanism, thereby rotation of the output spur gear changes a response level in the sensor, wherein the output spur gear is in communication with an input member gear, the input member gear attached for common rotation with the spool.
4 more elements
A seatbelt retractor, the seatbelt retractor comprising:
- a retractor frame;
- a spool fixed for common rotation with a spool shaft, wherein the spool shaft is rotatably supported in the retractor frame;
- a seatbelt webbing wrapped around the spool;
- a spool gear fixed for common rotation with the spool shaft;
- a reduction mechanism coupled to the spool shaft, for receiving a first rate of movement of the spool and converting the first rate of movement of the spool to a second rate of movement of the reduction mechanism, wherein the first rate of movement is greater than the second rate of movement;
- a sensor mounting bracket attached to the retractor frame;
- and
- a sensor mounted to the sensor mounting bracket, the sensor including a sensor shaft for common rotation with an output spur gear disposed in the reduction mechanism, thereby rotation of the output spur gear changes a response level in the sensor, wherein the output spur gear is in communication with an input member gear, the input member gear attached for common rotation with the spool,
- wherein the sensor shaft extends through an aperture defined within the sensor mounting bracket.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.