Seat belt retractor and seat belt apparatus

• US 20060214043A1
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nomura, Yasuaki
• Application Number:
  US11/384,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20060214043A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/374
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/284 using electric or magnetic braking means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/285 using friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/287 of torsion rods or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/288 with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4473 using an electric retraction device combined with a spring B60R2022/444, B60R2022/4466
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/3413 operating between belt reel and retractor frame B60R22/4676 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/40 responsive only to vehicle movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/44 with means for reducing belt tension during use under normal conditions not included in the retractor B60R22/19; B60R22/3405 takes precedence

Abstract

The disclosed seat belt retractor may comprise an electric motor which can be disposed inside a cylindrical spool. The rotation of the electric motor may be transmitted to the spool via a sun gear, planetary gears and a carrier. In the event of an emergency, a locking mechanism may be actuated by the action of a deceleration sensor to lock the rotation of a locking base in the belt unwinding direction. However, the spool is about to continue to rotate in the belt unwinding direction due to the inertial movement of an occupant. Thus, an energy absorbing mechanism may be used to absorb the impact energy on the occupant and limiting the load on a seat belt 6 so that the load is not too large.

Claims

1. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a cylindrical spool for winding and unwinding a seat belt;

a motor comprising a motor shaft disposed coaxially with the spool in a columnar space inside the spool, wherein the motor generates a rotary driving force for rotating the spool in a belt winding direction and a belt unwinding direction;

a reduction mechanism disposed between the spool and the motor for reducing and transmitting the rotation of the motor; and

a first energy absorbing mechanism for absorbing impact energy on an occupant when the spool rotates in the belt unwinding direction in an event of an emergency.

2. The belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first energy absorbing mechanism comprises a friction disc, and

wherein said friction disc is structured to have a plurality of disc structures.

3. A seat belt retractor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first energy absorbing mechanism is a control unit for driving the motor to rotate in the belt unwinding direction in the event of an emergency.

4. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, further comprising a first locking mechanism having a first locking member, wherein the first locking mechanism is configured to rotate together with the spool in a normal state and configured to be actuated in the event of an emergency.

5. The seat belt retractor according to claim 4, wherein the first locking member of the first locking mechanism is configured to rotate freely in the normal state and to be locked from rotation in the belt unwinding direction in the event of an emergency.

6. The belt retractor according to claim 4, wherein the first energy absorbing mechanism comprises a torsion bar disposed between the spool and the first locking member.

7. The belt retractor according to claim 6, wherein the torsion bar is a motor shaft of said motor.

8. The belt retractor according to claim 4, further comprising a second locking mechanism having a second locking member, wherein the second locking mechanism is configured to rotate together with the spool in the normal state and is configured to be actuated in the event of an emergency.

9. The belt retractor according to claim 8, further comprising a second energy absorbing mechanism for absorbing the impact energy on the occupant when the second locking mechanism is actuated and the spool rotates in the belt unwinding direction in the event of an emergency.

10. The belt retractor according to claim 9, wherein the second locking member of the second locking mechanism is configured to rotate together with the spool and the second energy absorbing mechanism, and

wherein the second energy absorbing mechanism comprises a friction disc.

11. The belt retractor according to claim 10, wherein the second locking member is configured to separate from said friction disc in the normal state and to be rotationally connected to the friction disc in the event of an emergency.

12. The belt retractor according to claim 4, wherein the energy absorbing mechanism comprises a friction disc, and

wherein the first locking member is configured to be separated from the friction disc in the normal state and to be rotationally connected to the friction disc in the event of an emergency.

13. A seat belt apparatus comprising at least:

a seat belt for restraining an occupant;

a seat belt retractor according to claim 1 for winding and unwinding said seat belt;

a tongue slidably supported by said seat belt; and

a buckle to which said tongue is configured to be detachably latched.

14. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a cylindrical spool for winding and unwinding a seat belt;

a motor comprising a motor shaft disposed coaxially with said spool in a columnar space inside the spool, wherein the motor generates a rotary driving force for rotating the spool in a belt winding direction and a belt unwinding direction;

a first energy absorbing mechanism for absorbing impact energy on an occupant when the spool rotates in the belt unwinding direction in an event of an emergency; and

a first locking mechanism having a first locking member, wherein the first locking mechanism is configured to rotate together with the spool in a normal state and configured to be actuated in the event of an emergency.

15. The belt retractor according to claim 14, further comprising a second energy absorbing mechanism for absorbing the impact energy on the occupant when the spool is rotated in the belt unwinding direction in the event of an emergency.

16. The belt retractor according to claim 15, wherein the first energy absorbing mechanism is a control unit for driving the motor to rotate in the belt unwinding direction in the event of an emergency and the second energy absorbing mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a friction disc and a torsion bar.