Reel mechanism for elimination of belt looseness of a safety belt system

• US 4,142,692 A
• Filed: 06/03/1977
• Issued: 03/06/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Andres, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US05/803,385
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 240/107.4 R, 240/107.4 E, 240/107, 240/107.3, 180/82 C, 280/744-747, 297/388, 244/122 B
• US Class Current: 242/374
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4628 characterised by fluid actuators, e.g. pyrotechnic gas generators actuating a cable B60R22/4619

Abstract

A reel mechanism for the elimination of the belt looseness of a safety belt system when exceeding a predetermined vehicle deceleration, whereby a preferably electrically ignitable propellant charge is provided for the initiation of the retraction movement, which is arranged in the axial direction of the wind-up roller; the propellant charge is thereby arranged concentrically in a hollow shaft of a belt roller that blocks automatically in case of danger, and accommodates a continuously effective retracting device as well as the wind-up roller; a liquid medium is disposed in front of the propellant charge which, after the ignition of the propellant charge, drives a rotor coupled at that instant with the wind-up roller by the then forming gases in the sense of an elimination of the belt looseness.

Claims

1. A reel mechanism for the elimination of the belt looseness of a safety belt system upon exceeding a predetermined vehicle deceleration, comprising a wind-up roller means, an ignitable propellant charge means for the initiation of a retracting movement of the wind-up roller means, the wind-up roller means having the propellant charge means arranged in an axial direction thereof characterized by:

a retraction means for continuously effecting the biasing of the wind-up roller means in the belt retraction direction,

a liquid medium disposed in front of the propellant charge means,

ignition means for igniting the propellant charge means, and

a rotor means coupled with the wind-up roller means,

whereby, after the igniting of the propellant charge means by the ignition means, the liquid medium drives the rotor means to cause an elimination of the belt looseness.

2. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by means automatically blocking the belt roller means after a rapid wind-up of the belt looseness is completed.

3. A reel mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the propellant charge means is electrically ignitable.

4. A reel mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the rotor means is arranged coaxially to the wind-up roller means and is acted upon from the inside toward the outside.

5. A reel mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that the liquid medium is prevented from escaping during the normal driving operation by plug means closing off discharge channel means of the rotor means.

6. A reel mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that said plug means are operable to be pressed out by a predetermined pressure of the liquid medium.

7. A reel mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that the blocking means preventing a belt pull-out, in case the predetermined vehicle deceleration is exceeded, acts on the rotor means which rotates in unison with the wind-up roller means.

8. A reel mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotor means and the wind-up roller means form a structural unit.

9. A reel mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotor means is operatively connected to the retraction means by way of the wind-up roller means.

10. A reel mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that the propellant charge means together with the ignition means is adapted to be fixed at a fixed belt roller housing and projects into a hollow shaft means of the wind-up roller means.

11. A reel mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that the propellant charge means together with the ignition means are adapted to be fixed at the belt roller housing by a snap-in connection means.

12. A reel mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that an insert accommodating the propellant charge means includes along its outer surface a circumferential seal which is pressed by the propellant gases against the inner walls of the hollow shaft means.

13. A reel mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that a hollow space is located between the propellant charge means and the liquid medium which is separated with respect to the propellant charge means by a baffle disk and with respect to the liquid medium.

14. A reel mechanism according to claim 13, characterized in that the hollow space is separated with respect to the liquid medium by a piston means.

15. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor means is arranged coaxially to the wind-up roller means and is acted upon from the inside toward the outside.

16. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid medium is prevented from escaping during the normal driving operation by plug means closing off discharge channel means of the rotor means.

17. A reel mechanism according to claim 16, characterized in that said plug means are operable to be pressed out by a predetermined pressure of the liquid medium.

18. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that a blocking means preventing a belt pull-out, in case the predetermined vehicle deceleration is exceeded, acts on the rotor means which rotates in unison with the wind-up roller means.

19. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor means and the wind-up roller means form a structural unit.

20. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor means is operatively connected to the retraction means by way of the wind-up roller means.

21. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the propellant charge means together with the ignition means is adapted to be fixed at a fixed belt roller housing and projects into a hollow shaft means of the wind-up roller means.

22. A reel mechanism according to claim 21, characterized in that the propellant charge means together with the ignition means are adapted to be fixed at the belt roller housing by a snap-in connection means.

23. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that an insert accommodating the propellant charge means includes along its outer surface a circumferential seal which is pressed by the propellant gases against the inner walls of a hollow shaft means of the wind-up roller means.

24. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that a hollow space is located between the propellant charge means and the liquid medium which is separated with respect to the propellant charge means by a baffle disk and with respect to the liquid medium.

25. A reel mechanism according to claim 24, characterized in that the hollow space is separated with respect to the liquid medium by a piston means.

26. A reel mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the propellant charge means is arranged substantially concentrically in a hollow shaft means.