Seat belt retractor
AssigneeBreed Automotive Technology, Inc.
InventorsMartyn Neil Palliser, John Bell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seat belt retractor has a spool mounted for rotation in the retractor for retraction or pay-out of seat belt webbing depending upon the direction of rotation of the spool. A locking ring is attached to one end of the spool. A device for locking locks the locking ring against rotation in a crash. A force limiting device allowing further pay-out of the seat belt webbing after the locking ring has locked, under the influence of a vehicle occupant's forward momentum. The force limiting device has a length of wire, attached at one end to one of the spool or the locking ring, and wound, at a distance spaced from said one end, on a pin fixed to the other end of the spool or the locking ring. Under the influence of crash forces above a predetermined value the wire is pulled around the pin.
Claims4
A seat belt retractor comprising:
- a spool, mounted for rotation in the retractor for refraction or pay-out of seat belt webbing depending upon the rotation direction of the spool;
- a locking ring attached to one end of the spool, whereby a pin being fixed to the locking ring;
- a means for locking the locking ring against rotation when a crash is sensed;
- and
- a means for force limiting allowing further pay-out of the seat belt webbing after the locking ring has locked, under the influence of a vehicle occupant's forward momentum, wherein the means for force limiting comprises a length of wire, the wire is wound round the pin a multiple number of turns;
- and
- a spindle being fixed to the spool, the wire is attached to one end of the spindle whereby under the influence of crash forces above a predetermined value, the wire is pulled completely around the spindle at least two turns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.