Safety-belt locking device

• US 3,881,667 A
• Filed: 06/20/1973
• Issued: 05/06/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norbert Karl Albert Tandetzke
• Original Assignee: Norbert Karl Albert Tandetzke
• Inventors: Tandetzke, Norbert Karl Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US05/371,938
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 242/17SB,107.3,107.4,99 297/386,388 280/15SB
• US Class Current: 242/384.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/282 using fluids or vico-elastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/285 using friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/286 using deformation of material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/3413 operating between belt reel and retractor frame B60R22/4676 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/405 responsive to belt movement and vehicle movement

Abstract

A safety-belt locking device is interposed between and interacts with the hub and spindle of the safety-belt drum about which the safety-belt is wound. The spindle of the safety-belt drum is connected to a free-running mechanism, of conventional construction, which allows the spindle the normally rotate with the hub and permit unwinding of the belt to thereby interfere as little as possible with the movement of the user. The spindle is locked against movement with the hub by the free-running mechanism when a collision occurs, and the interacting locking and braking components permit limited forcible rotation of the hub relative to the spindle before the hub is locked against rotative movement. In certain embodiments of the invention, components associated with the spindle react with the deformable elements associated with the hub to permit limited forcible or retarded rotation of the hub relative to the spindle before the hub is locked against movement. When the hub is locked against movement, the belt is no longer extensible. In other forms of the invention, the braking action is exerted on the hub by interacting braking elements or by a viscous fluid while interacting stop elements ultimately prevent any movement of the hub relative to the spindle.

Claims

1. A safety-belt apparatus for vehicles comprising:

a drum including an elongate hollow hub member, a safety-belt wound upon said hub member, an elongate spindle member positioned interiorly of said hub, a free-running mechanism operatively associated with the spindle member normally permitting said spindle member to rotate with said hub member to thereby permit extension of the belt, said free-running mechanism when subjected to abnormal acceleration locking the spindle member against rotation with respect to said hub member, one of said hub and spindle members having threads thereon and the other of said hub and spindle members having an elongate channel therein, one of said hub and spindle members being formed of plastically deformable material, and a braking element engaging said channel and threads of said hub and spindle members and moving longitudinally of the latter when the spindle member is locked against rotation with respect to the hub member, said braking element deforming said plastically deformable member during the longitudinal movement to thereby brake rotation of the hub member.

2. The safety-belt apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said spindle member has an elongate axially extending channel therein, said brake element comprising a ball element positioned in said channel and being movable therein during braking of said hub member, said hub member having an internal helical thread formed of a deformable material, and being engaged and deformed by said ball element during said braking action.

3. The safety-belt apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said hub member, spindle member and braking element are operable when said spindle member is locked against rotation to limit the forceable braked rotation of the hub member relative to the spindle member to a predetermined number of revolutions.

4. The safety-belt apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said hub member is provided with said channel in the inner periphery thereof, and wherein said spindle member is provided with external threads.

5. The safety-belt apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said brake element comprises a nut threadedly engaging the threads on said spindle and having a key element thereon projecting outwardly therefrom and positioned in and engaging said channel.

6. The safety-belt apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said hub is formed of a plastic deformable material.

7. The safety-belt apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said hub member is formed of a plastic deformable material and is provided with a plurality of elongate longitudinally extending channels in the inner surface thereof, said spindle member being externally threaded, said braking element comprising a nut threadedly engaging said spindle and having a plurality of keys thereon, each projecting outwardly and engaging in one of said channels in said hub member.

8. The safety-belt apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said spindle is provided with a plurality of elongate axially extending channels therein and wherein said huB is formed of a plastically deformable material and is provided with internal threads, a plurality of ball elements, each being positioned in one of said channels and being movable longitudinally of said spindle and hub members during the braking action to plastically deform the threads of the hub member.