US 7,461,866 B2Granted

Height adjuster with return spring

AssigneeKey Safety Systems, Inc.

InventorsRobert J. Desmarais, Richard W. Koning, David R. Arnold, Lawrence M. Refior, Steven R. Bell

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Abstract

A height adjuster (200) for a vehicle safety restraint comprising: a rail (230) for providing a vertical path guide for a carrier (220); the carrier (220) configured to be vertically movable along the rail to one of a plurality of locations, the carrier also configured to rotationally support the web guide (210). The height adjuster also comprises a lock mechanism (240) movable between a locked and an unlocked condition, when in a locked condition the carrier is prohibited from moving down the rail and when in an unlocked condition the carrier is free to be moved; and a return spring mechanism (300) comprising a coiled return spring having an interior or coiled end (372) and a distal end (376), the interior end configured not to rotate as the carrier is moved and a distal end of the return spring secured to one of the carrier and release mechanism.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A height adjuster for a vehicle safety restraint comprising:

a web guide;
a rail for providing a vertical path guide for a carrier;
the carrier configured to be vertically movable along the rail to one of a plurality of locations, the carrier also configured to rotationally support the web guide;
a lock mechanism movable between a locked and an unlocked condition, when in a locked condition the carrier is prohibited from moving down the rail and when in an unlocked condition the carrier is free to be moved;
a release mechanism operatively connectable to said lock mechanism, said release mechanism having a released position disengaged from the lock mechanism and an engaged position in contact with the lock mechanism for moving the lock mechanism to the unlocked condition;
and
a return spring mechanism for at least partially assisting vertical movement of the carrier and components carried by the carrier, the return spring mechanism including a spring cassette fixable to the rail, the spring cassette having a spring arbor therein and a coiled return spring, an internal end of the return spring secured in non-rotating engagement to the spring arbor, and a distal end of the return spring secured to one of the carrier and release mechanism.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.