Belt integrated pelvis airbag with pretensioner

• US 20080018085A1
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Clute, Gunter K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,607,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4642 the gas directly propelling a flexible driving means, e.g. a plurality of successive masses, in a tubular chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4619 Transmission of tensioning power by cable, e.g. using a clutch on reel side
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4628 characterised by fluid actuators, e.g. pyrotechnic gas generators actuating a cable B60R22/4619

Abstract

An airbag integrated into a belt portion of a seat belt assembly for a motor vehicle seat belt system. The seat belt assembly includes seat belt webbing forming the lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion and a spool assembly engaging the shoulder belt portion of the seat belt webbing. The seat belt assembly incorporates a gas driven pretensioner system incorporating at least one gas generator connected to the spool assembly and the belt airbag.

Claims

1. A seat belt assembly for a motor vehicle of the type having a belt webbing including a shoulder belt portion and a lap belt portion, and a latch plate being engageable with a buckle and attached to the webbing, the assembly comprising:

a seat belt pretensioner for retracting the belt webbing;

an inflatable seat belt section of the belt webbing; and

at least one gas source communicating with the pretensioner and the inflatable seat belt section for activating the pretensioner and inflating the inflatable seat belt section in response to a control signal.

2. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the at least one gas source communicates with the pretensioner through a pretensioner tube coupled to a spool assembly for winding the webbing, and the at least one gas source further communicates with the inflatable seat belt through an inflation tube for expanding the inflatable seat belt.

3. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein two gas sources are provided, a first gas source being attached to the pretensioner tube for winding the webbing, and a second gas source being attached to the inflation tube for expanding the inflatable seat belt.

4. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein the second gas source is further attached to a seat of the motor vehicle.

5. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the pretensioner tube conducts gas from the gas source to a pretensioner sprocket coupled with the spool and wherein gas flowing in the tube interacts with the pretensioner sprocket to cause rotation of the spool for winding the webbing into the spool for pretensioning the belt.

6. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a plurality of balls positioned in the pretensioner tube which are forced to move in the pretensioner tube in response to gas from the gas source to engage with the pretensioner sprocket to cause rotation of the spool.

7. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the inflation tube is integral with the lap belt portion, the inflation tube being coupled to both the gas source and the inflatable seat belt and configured to conduct gas from the gas source to the inflatable seat belt.

8. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein the inflation tube is formed of tubular webbing of the lap belt portion.

9. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the inflatable seat belt section is configured as a side airbag to provide side impact protection.

10. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the spool assembly is mounted to a frame adapted to be mounted to a “

B”

pillar of the motor vehicle.

11. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the pretensioner comprises a cable wrapped around a spool assembly pulley and affixed to a plunger within a cylinder, and the gas flowing from the gas generator urges the plunger to move within the cylinder, thereby pulling the cable and causing the pulley to rotate, causing the spool assembly to provide pretensioning rotation.

12. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the pretensioner comprises a rack engaging a spool pinion gear coupled with the spool assembly, and the rack being coupled to a plunger in a cylinder, wherein the gas from the gas generator urges the plunger to move in the cylinder causing the rack to rotate the spool pinion gear thereby rotating the spool assembly for pretensioning rotation.

13. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pretensioner includes a piston within a cylinder, the piston being attached to the buckle and the cylinder being in communication with the gas source.

14. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 13 further comprising a pretensioner tube which conducts gas from the gas source to the cylinder, wherein the gas flowing in the pretensioner tube interacts with the piston to linearly retract the buckle and pretension the webbing via the latch plate.

15. A seat belt assembly for a motor vehicle of the type having a belt webbing including a shoulder belt portion and a lap belt portion, and a latch plate being engageable with a buckle and attached to the webbing, the assembly comprising:

a retractor including a frame for mounting to a vehicle, a spool for winding the webbing and a seat belt pretensioner for retracting the webbing;

an inflatable seat belt section of the webbing; and

at least one gas source for activating the pretensioner and inflatable seat belt;

wherein

the at least one gas source communicates with the pretensioner through a pretensioner tube coupled to the spool assembly, and the at least one gas source further communicates with the inflatable seat belt section by means of an inflation tube for expanding the inflatable seat belt section in response to a control signal.

16. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein two gas sources are provided, a first gas source being attached to the pretensioner tube for winding the webbing, and a second gas source being attached to the inflation tube for expanding the inflatable seat belt.

17. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 16 wherein the second gas source is further attached to a seat of the motor vehicle.

18. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein the inflatable seat belt section is configured as a side impact airbag to provide side impact protection.

19. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein the pretensioner tube conducts gas from the gas source to a pretensioner sprocket coupled with the spool and wherein gas flowing in the tube interacts with the pretensioner sprocket to cause rotation of the spool for winding the webbing into the spool for pretensioning the belt.

20. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 19 further comprising a plurality of balls positioned in the pretensioner tube which are forced to move in the pretensioner tube in response to gas from the gas source to engage the pretensioner sprocket and cause rotation of the spool.

21. A seat belt assembly for a motor vehicle occupant restraint system of the type having a belt webbing including a shoulder belt portion and a lap belt portion, and a latch plate being engageable with a buckle and attached to the webbing, the assembly comprising:

a retractor including a frame for mounting to a vehicle, a spool for winding the webbing and a seat belt pretensioner for retracting the webbing;

an inflatable seat belt section of the webbing; and

at least one gas source for activating the pretensioner and inflatable seat belt;

wherein

the at least one gas source communicates with the pretensioner through a pretensioner tube coupled to the spool assembly, and the at least one gas source further communicates with an inflation tube integral with the lap belt portion, the inflation tube being coupled to both the gas source and the inflatable seat belt section and being configured to conduct gas from the gas source to the inflatable seat belt section, resulting in expansion of the inflatable seat belt in response to a control signal, the inflatable seat belt section being configured as a side impact airbag.

22. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein two gas sources are provided, a first gas source being attached to the pretensioner tube for winding the webbing, and a second gas source being attached to the inflation tube for expanding the inflatable seat belt.

23. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 22 wherein the second gas source is further attached to a seat of the motor vehicle.

24. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 21 wherein the pretensioner tube conducts gas from the gas source to a pretensioner sprocket coupled with the spool and wherein gas flowing in the tube interacts with the pretensioner sprocket to cause rotation of the spool for winding the webbing into the spool for pretensioning the belt.

25. A seat belt assembly in accordance with claim 24 further comprising a plurality of balls positioned in the pretensioner tube which are forced to move in the pretensioner tube in response to gas from the gas source to engage the pretensioner sprocket and cause rotation of the spool.