Bezel assembly for retractor
AssigneeSaturn Corporation
InventorsThomas J. Corbett, Chris C. McGowen, Michael S. Mortier, Michele A. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a new and improved bezel assembly for a seat belt retractor and particularly promotes low friction extension and retraction of the belt regardless of variation in the relative locations between the retractor reel and the aperture of the trim panel.
Claims8
In a seat belt retractor mounted on a vehicle body behind a vehicle body trim panel and having a belt extending and retracting from a reel and passing through an aperture in the trim panel, the improvement comprising:
- a bezel assembly having a tubular sleeve portion defining a belt passage therethrough, said tubular sleeve portion having an outer end extending through the aperture of the trim panel and an inner end extending beyond the trim panel and into proximity with the reel, and means mounting the inner end of the tubular sleeve on the retractor in a manner permitting movement of the tubular sleeve portion to align with the path of belt between the reel and the aperture of the trim panel.
In a seat belt retractor mounted on a vehicle body behind a vehicle body trim panel and having a belt extending and retracting from a reel and passing through an aperture in the trim panel, the improvement comprising:
- a bezel assembly having a tubular sleeve portion defining a belt passage therethrough, said tubular sleeve portion having an outer end extending through the aperture of the trim panel and an inner end extending beyond the trim panel and into proximity with the reel, and a pair of arms extending from the inner end of the tubular sleeve and pivotally mounted on the retractor to permit pivotal movement of the tubular sleeve portion to align with the path of belt between the reel and the aperture of the trim panel.
A seat belt retractor adapted for mounting on a vehicle body behind a trim panel having an aperture permitting belt ingress and egress, comprising:
- a housing having first and second spaced apart walls;
- a reel rotatably mounted on the housing between the walls and having a belt wound thereon and exiting from the reel and through the aperture of the trim panel;
- a bezel assembly having a tubular sleeve defining a belt passage therethrough and extending through the aperture of the trim panel to guide the belt during ingress and egress, first and second arms extending from the tubular sleeve and along the sides of the belt into juxtaposition respectively with the first and second spaced apart side walls, and pivot means mounting each of the arms on the adjacent wall.
A seat belt retractor adapted for mounting on a vehicle body behind a trim panel having an aperture permitting belt ingress and egress, comprising:
- a housing having first and second spaced apart walls;
- a reel rotatably mounted on the housing between the walls and having a belt wound thereon and exiting from the reel and through the aperture of the trim panel;
- a bezel assembly having a tubular sleeve defining a belt passage therethrough and extending through the aperture of the trim panel to guide the belt during ingress and egress, first and second arms extending from the tubular sleeve and along the sides of the belt into juxtaposition respectively with the first and second spaced apart side walls, integral pivot means extending laterally from the first and second arms,
- and elongated slots provided respectively in the first and second housing walls and receiving the integral pivot means to permit pivotal and bodily shiftable movement of the tubular sleeve relative to the reel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.