Polarized deceleration brake for self retracting device

A polarized deceleration apparatus for use in a self-retracting device (SRD) in personal protection applications, the polarized deceleration apparatus comprising:

• a cylindrical drum rotatably coupled to a housing, the cylindrical drum rotatable about a longitudinal axis so as to unspool a tether in an extraction mode and to spool the tether in a retraction mode;
• a circular channel fixedly coupled to the housing and disposed in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, wherein the circular channel is ring-shaped and has an inner wall and an outer wall;
• a shuttle mechanically coupled to rotate in response to the cylindrical drum, the shuttle configured to move within the confines of the inner wall and the outer wall of the ring-shaped circular channel when the cylindrical drum rotates;
• and
• a dynamic braking member (DBM) configured to move within the confines of the inner wall and the outer wall of the ring-shaped circular channel,
• wherein the shuttle further comprises a retraction face configured to guide the DBM into a frictional retraction impingement with an inside surface of the circular channel when the cylindrical drum is in the retraction mode.

A polarized deceleration apparatus for use in a self-retracting device (SRD) in personal protection applications, the polarized deceleration apparatus comprising:

• a cylindrical drum rotatably coupled to a housing, the cylindrical drum rotatable about a longitudinal axis so as to unspool a tether in an extraction mode and to spool the tether in a retraction mode;
• a circular channel fixedly coupled to the housing and disposed in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, wherein the circular channel is ring-shaped and has an inner wall and an outer wall;
• a shuttle mechanically coupled to rotate in response to the cylindrical drum, the shuttle configured to move within the confines of the inner wall and the outer wall of the ring-shaped circular channel when the cylindrical drum rotates;
• and
• a dynamic braking member (DBM) configured to move within the confines of the inner wall and the outer wall of the ring-shaped circular channel,
• wherein the shuttle further comprises means for guiding the DBM into a frictional retraction impingement with an inside surface of the circular channel when the cylindrical drum is in the retraction mode.