Force limitation in a vehicle occupant restraining system
First Claim
1. In a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a safety belt and a force limiter inserted into a path of force flow between said belt and a vehicle bodywork, said force limiter having an adjustable characteristic of force versus path for setting a level of force limitation to a desired value, the method comprising the steps ofa) determination of a parameter representative of at least one of the vehicle occupant properties including weight and size, andb) adjusting the level of force limitation as a function of said parameter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a restraining system with a safety belt and an inflatable restraining device the restraining force exerted by the belt on the occupant is limited by a force limiter to a level, which is adjustable and can be adapted to the body size and weight of the vehicle occupant. The adjustment of the force level is performed in such a manner that a characteristic of force versus forward displacement of the vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle impact has a section of a falling tendency from a point at which contact between the belt webbing and the inflated restraining device is expected to occur.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. In a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a safety belt and a force limiter inserted into a path of force flow between said belt and a vehicle bodywork, said force limiter having an adjustable characteristic of force versus path for setting a level of force limitation to a desired value, the method comprising the steps of
a) determination of a parameter representative of at least one of the vehicle occupant properties including weight and size, and b) adjusting the level of force limitation as a function of said parameter.
-
2. In a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising an inflatable airbag, a safety belt and a force limiter inserted into a path of force flow between said belt and a vehicle bodywork, said force limiter having an adjustable characteristic of force versus path, the method comprising the steps of
a) determination of a section in said characteristic where contact between the safety belt fastened around a vehicle occupant and an inflated airbag is expected to occur during forward movement of said occupant in the vehicle in the event of a vehicle impact, and b) adjusting the characteristic of force versus path so that force decreases with increasing path within said section of the characteristic.
- 3. A force limiter for use in a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a safety belt and a force limiter inserted into a path of force flow between said belt and a vehicle bodywork, said force limiter having an adjustable characteristic of force versus path for setting a level of force limitation to a desired value.
-
13. A seat belt webbing retractor comprising:
-
a spool member around which seat belt webbing is wound, said spool member being supported for rotation in webbing withdrawal and webbing retraction directions; a ratchet wheel member rotatable with said spool member in the webbing withdrawal and webbing retraction directions; blocking means for preventing rotation of said ratchet wheel member and said spool member in the webbing withdrawal direction; and means for dissipating energy and for permitting said spool member to rotate in the webbing withdrawal direction relative to said ratchet wheel member in response to a webbing withdrawal force above a predetermined amount when said ratchet wheel member is prevented from rotating by said blocking means, said energy dissipating means including a part which deforms a portion of one of said members. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A seat belt webbing retractor comprising:
-
a rotatable spool member around which seat belt webbing is wound; a rotatable ratchet wheel member; a blocking means engageable with said ratchet wheel member to block rotation of said ratchet wheel member; and an element extending to engage said ratchet wheel member and said spool member for holding said members against rotation relative to each other until an application of force above a threshold amount to said spool member by the webbing, said element having surface means for deforming a portion of one of said members to enable said spool member to rotate relative to said ratchet wheel member upon an application of force above the threshold amount to said spool member by the webbing when said blocking means is in engagement with said ratchet wheel member. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
-
23. A seat belt webbing retractor comprising:
-
a spool around which seat belt webbing is wound, said spool being supported for rotation in webbing withdrawal and webbing retraction directions; a member rotatable with said spool; means for preventing rotation of said spool and said member in the webbing withdrawal direction; means for permitting said spool to rotate relative to said member and limiting the force in the seat belt webbing, including a groove in one of said spool and said member and an element extending into said groove for deforming said one of said spool and said member during rotation of said spool relative to said member; and means for adjusting the amount of deformation of said one of said spool and said member by said element. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification