Safety belt take-up device

• US 3,951,430 A
• Filed: 04/28/1975
• Issued: 04/20/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Seiffert, Ulrich, Schwanz, Wilfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Forman, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US05/572,328
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 280/150 SB, 180/82 C, 297/385, 297/388, 297/389
• US Class Current: 297/480
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1955 Linear actuators

Abstract

The invention concerns an improvement in vehicle safety apparatus for sharply retracting a predetermined length of belt at the moment of an impending collision in order to draw the safety belt up firmly against the body of a passenger seated in the vehicle. In a vehicle safety belt take-up device of the type having an intermediate lug holding the safety belt and connected by means of a connecting rod to a piston arranged within a cylinder provided with a propellant charge for applying the belt retracting force when released in response to an actuating sensor, the improvement comprises a stationary backstop for stopping the retracting movement of the intermediate lug, and a locking device for locking the intermediate lug in place after the lug has retracted the belt a predetermined distance against the stationary backstop.

Claims

1. An improved safety belt take-up device of the type having a frame, a cylinder arranged on the frame, a piston displaceable within the cylinder, an intermediate lug holding the safety belt, a connecting rod connecting the intermediate lug to the piston, a propellant charge in the cylinder for applying the belt retracting force through displacement of the piston, and an actuating sensor for releasing the propellant charge upon sensing and impending collision, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. stationary backstop means on said frame for stopping said intermediate lug when moved by said piston from a normal unactivated position to a retracted position against said backstop means, said retracted position being a predetermined distance from said normal unactivated position corresponding to the length of belt to be retracted; and

b. locking means in conjunction with said backstop means for locking said intermediate lug in place after said lug has retracted the belt over said predetermined distance against said backstop means following release of said propellant charge.

2. An improved safety belt take-up device as described in claim 1, wherein said intermediate lug is jointedly connected with said connecting rod to said piston and is displaceably held in a guideway formed in a wall of said frame.

3. An improved safety belt take-up device as described in claim 2, wherein said guideway forms both said stationary backstop means and said locking means.

4. An improved safety belt take-up device as described in claim 3, wherein said guideway describes a curved course at least within the region of said backstop means, and includes an abutting member in the region of said backstop means, arranged normal to the direction of increased tension on the belt due to the retraction movement of said intermediate lug, for preventing said intermediate lug in said retracted position from being pulled back in the direction of the belt tension.

5. An improved safety belt take-up device as described in claim 1, wherein said locking means is a pivotable locking lever having one end in the region of said backstop means and a locking flange connected to its other end, said locking flange being displaceable into a position preventing said intermediate lug in said retracted position from being pulled back in the direction of increased belt tension, due to the retraction movement of said intermediate lug, when said intermediate lug, on approaching said backstop means, displaces said one end of said locking lever in the region of said backstop means.