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Seat belt restraint system

  • US 6,005,241 A
  • Filed: 10/24/1997
  • Issued: 12/21/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A seat belt retractor for a vehicle and having a locking mechanism and including an optical inertia sensor which controls the retractor locking mechanism for locking the retractor against belt protraction, the retractor comprising:

  • a housing for the inertia sensor and mounted in the vehicle;

    a sensor body contained in the housing;

    a light emitter mounted to the sensor body to emit light therefrom;

    a light detector mounted to the sensor body to receive light from the emitter which is reflected thereto;

    an inertia member responsive to inertia forces and having a reflective surface for reflecting light from the emitter to the detector when the inertia member is in a first position where vehicle acceleration or deceleration is within a predetermined range;

    a fixed support frame of the housing for supporting the inertia member for movement from the first position to a second position so that the reflective surface no longer reflects light to the light detector; and

    an electrical circuit operable by the light detector for activating the retractor locking mechanism when the vehicle acceleration/deceleration exceeds the predetermined range limits.

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