×

Vehicle occupant restraint system

  • US 5,924,640 A
  • Filed: 08/15/1997
  • Issued: 07/20/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A pretensioner for a vehicle seat belt retractor of the type having a rotatable take-up reel on which seat belt webbing can be wound, which comprises:

  • (i) an elongate pressure chamber;

    (ii) a plurality of projectiles located in the pressure chamber;

    (iii) gas generating means for generating a high-pressure gas within the pressure chamber so as to propel the projectiles along the pressure chamber;

    (iv) a drive surface upon which the projectiles impinge when propelled along the pressure chamber by the high-pressure gas, the drive surface being connected to, or comprising a part of, a rotatable take-up reel of a vehicle seat belt retractor and arranged to be driven by the impinging projectiles so as to rotate the rotatable take-up reel in a belt retraction direction when impinged upon by the projectiles, so as, in operation, to take up slack in the seat belt webbing, and to pull the seat belt webbing against the vehicle occupantwherein said drive surface comprises a drive wheel including at least one surface of rotation along which said projectiles are directed during gas generation, said drive surface comprising a partially resilient surface, said surface deforming in a radial direction with respect to an axis of rotation of said drive wheel to accommodate said projectile disposed against said surface.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×