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US 5,842,657 AGranted
Seat belt webbing pretensioner
AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorThomas Modzelewski
Life of this patent
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AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorThomas Modzelewski
Estimating the term…
A vehicle seat belt webbing retractor (10) including a pretensioner (61), includes a length of seat belt webbing (16) and a spool (50) on which the seat belt webbing is wound. The spool (50) is rotatable in a belt retraction direction (56) and in an opposite belt withdrawal direction (58). The retractor (10) includes a member (70) having a chamber (100), a fixed portion (98), and a movable portion (88). The fixed portion (98) of the member (70) is fixed in position relative to the spool (50). The member (70) has a first condition in which the movable portion (88) of the member is twisted in a first direction of rotation about an axis (72) relative to the fixed portion (98) of the member. The movable portion (88) of the member (70) untwists in a second direction of rotation about the axis (72) relative to the fixed portion (98) of the member in response to the introduction of fluid under pressure into the chamber (100) of the member. The retractor (10) includes a mechanism (64, 66, 68) for transmitting torque from the movable portion (88) of the member (70) to the spool (50) to effect rotation of the spool in the belt retraction direction (56).
A vehicle seat belt webbing retractor including a pretensioner, said retractor comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
Characterised by fluid actuators, e.g. pyrotechnic gas generators: linear actuators, e.g. comprising a piston moving along reel axis and rotating…
Linear actuators, e.g. comprising a piston moving along reel axis and rotating along its own axis: comprising a piston moving along or in parallel…
Vehicle fittings and parts
Term ended 15 Aug 2017 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat belt webbing pretensioner. In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicle seat belt webbing retractor including a pretensioner for rotating the spool of the retractor to remove slack from the seat belt webbing in the event of a vehicle collision.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Further features of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from reading the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle seat belt system including a seat belt retractor and a pretensioner constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal view partially in section of the retractor of FIG. 1, showing the pretensioner prior to actuation;
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat belt webbing pretensioner. In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicle seat belt webbing retractor including a pretensioner for rotating the spool of the retractor to remove slack from the seat belt webbing in the event of a vehicle collision. The present invention is applicable to various retractor constructions.
As representative of the present invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a seat belt webbing retractor 10. The retractor 10 is incorporated in a three-point continuous loop seat belt system 12 for use in restraining an occupant of a vehicle.
During operation of the vehicle, the occupant of the vehicle sits on a seat 14 which is illustrated as a front passenger seat in the vehicle. A length of seat belt webbing 16 is extensible about the vehicle occupant. One end of the length of belt webbing 16 is anchored to the vehicle body 18 at an anchor point 20 located on one side of the seat 14. The opposite end of the belt webbing 16 is attached to the retractor 10 which is secured to the vehicle body on the same side of the seat 14. Intermediate its ends, the belt webbing 16 passes through a tongue assembly 22 and a D-ring 24 that is located above the retractor 10 and the anchor point 20. When the seat belt system 12 is not in use, the belt webbing 16 is wound on the retractor 10 and is oriented generally vertically on the one side of the seat 14, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1.