Motorized seat belt retractor

• US 20040155136A1
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Koji, Yano, Hideaki, Tanji, Hiromasa
• Granted Patent: US 6,908,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/383
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4685 with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/469 reusable
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/46 Reels with means to tension the belt in an emergency by forced winding upelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01 ; tensioners using reels only guiding the belt during normal use, e.g. splitted reels B60R22/195

Abstract

A method of protecting a passenger in a vehicle from a series of collisions. The method includes detecting that the vehicle is in danger of being involved in a first collision; winding up a webbing of a seat belt to restrain the passenger; permitting the passenger to move forward and the webbing to withdraw; winding up the webbing to restrain and return the passenger to a normal seated position; maintaining the passenger in a restrained condition; determining that the vehicle is in danger of being involved in a second collision; permitting the passenger to move forward and the webbing to withdraw; winding up the webbing to restrain the passenger and return the passenger to a normal seated position; maintaining the passenger in a restrained position; and releasing the restraint on the passenger.

Claims

1. A method of protecting a passenger in a vehicle from a series of collisions comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting that the vehicle is in danger of being involved in a first collision;

(b) winding up a webbing of a seat belt to restrain the passenger;

(c) absorbing the impact on the passenger of the first collision by permitting the passenger to move forward and the webbing to withdraw;

(d) winding up the webbing to restrain the passenger and return the passenger to a normal seated position;

(e) maintaining the passenger in a restrained condition;

(f) determining that the vehicle is in danger of being involved in a second collision;

(g) absorbing the impact on the passenger of the second collision by permitting the passenger to move forward and the webbing to withdraw;

(h) winding up the webbing to restrain the passenger and return the passenger to a normal seated position;

(i) maintaining the passenger in a restrained position; and

(j) releasing the restraint on the passenger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein during the steps of absorbing the impact on the passenger include using a counter electromotive force.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein during the steps of winding up the webbing a motor is employed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting a tensile force in the webbing.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the webbing is permitted to withdraw when the tensile force exceeds a predetermined value.