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Webbing retractor

  • US 4,597,546 A
  • Filed: 11/29/1985
  • Issued: 07/01/1986
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1982
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A webbing retractor for use in a seatbelt system for protecting an occupant in a vehicular emergency situation, comprising(a) a rotatable takeup shaft for winding a webbing thereon;

  • (b) a locking wheel connected to said shaft to rotate in a lagging relationship with said shaft above a certain angular acceleration, wherein said locking wheel is circumscribed by a plurality of ratchet teeth;

    (c) a ratchet ring member having a plurality of ratchet teeth around its inner diameter;

    (d) at least one locking plate connected to said locking wheel, wherein said plate has a plurality of rachet teeth which are meshable with the teeth of the ratchet ring member when said locking wheel rotates in lagging relationship with said shaft;

    (e) an acceleration sensor having means for stopping the rotation of the locking wheel relative to the takeup shaft in a vehicular emergency situation, and(f) a control means including a pivotable arm having first and second ends, wherein said first end is engageable with and disengageable from the ratchet teeth of the locking wheel, and an arm-pivoting means actuated by said takeup shaft for pivoting the first end of the arm into ratchet-locking engagement with the teeth of the locking wheel when a predetermined amount of webbing is unwound from the takeup shaft so that said web is prevented from unwinding but may be wound upon takeup shaft, and for disengaging said first end of said arm from said ratchet teeth when a predetermined amount of webbing is wound back onto said takeup shaft, so that said web may be wound and unwound from said takeup shaft.

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