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Retractor with electro-rheological lock

  • US 4,815,674 A
  • Filed: 12/21/1987
  • Issued: 03/28/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A locking mechanism for a seat belt retractor having a belt reel rotatably mounted on a retractor housing by a reel shaft having an end, comprising:

  • rotationally stationary housing means of electrically conductive material mounted on the retractor housing and defining a closed cavity communicating with the end of the reel shaft;

    a disk shaped electrode located in the cavity of the housing;

    means attaching the electrode on the end of the reel shaft for rotation therewith and effective to electrically insulate the electrode from the reel shaft;

    electrical circuit means adapted to apply a voltage differential to the electrode and the housing upon the occurrence of a sensed vehicle deceleration condition;

    and an electo-rheological fluid filling the cavity, said fluid changing to a solid upon the application of the voltage thereto by the electrode and the housing so that the electrode is solidly fixed to the housing and thereby locks the electrode and the reel shaft against rotation to fix the length of the seat belt.

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