Belt winding and tightening combination with a force limiter

• US 6,105,893 A
• Filed: 01/12/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Thomas, Fugel, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JOHN QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/142,810
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 242/374, 242/379.1, 242/383.4, 242/383, 242/384, 242/384.2, 280/805, 280/806, 280/807, 297/471, 297/472, 297/478
• US Class Current: 242/374
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4676 comprising energy-absorbing means operating between belt reel and retractor frame

Abstract

A safety belt reeling device has a belt reeling shaft lockable by a vehicle-sensitive and/or belt-sensitive locking device. A tightening device is provided and a tightening coupling connects the tightening device to the belt reeling shaft when the tightening device is actuated. The tightening device has a drive disc and a drive device for driving the drive disc. A force limiting device having a torsion bar is connected to the belt reeling shaft and to a stationary abutment. A pawl coupling is activated by a tightening movement of the tightening device and the pawl coupling has at least one force limiting pawl for switching on or off the force limiting device as a function of functional states of the safety belt reeling device. The pawl coupling also has a coupling ring performing a rotation by an angular distance relative to the belt reeling shaft in a rotational direction of the belt reeling shaft defined by the tightening movement, wherein the relative rotation of the coupling ring is realized by the mass inertia of the belt reeling shaft, effective at the start of the tightening movement, relative to the drive disc. A forced control controlling the force limiting pawl is provided for switching on or off the force limiting device.

Claims

1. A safety belt reeling device comprising:

a belt reeling shaft (10) lockable by a vehicle-sensitive and/or belt-sensitive locking device;

a tightening device;

a tightening coupling connecting said tightening device to said belt reeling shaft when said tightening device is actuated;

said tightening device comprising a drive disc (18,

     38) and a drive device (37) for driving said drive disc (18,

     38);

a force limiting device comprising a torsion bar (12) connected to said belt reeling shaft (10) and to a stationary abutment;

a pawl coupling activated by a tightening movement of said tightening device;

said pawl coupling comprising at least one force limiting pawl for switching on or off said force limiting device as a function of functional states of said safety belt reeling device;

said pawl coupling further comprising a coupling ring (23,

     45) performing a relative rotation by an angular distance relative to said belt reeling shaft (10) in a rotational direction of said belt reeling shaft (10) defined by said tightening movement, wherein said relative rotation of said coupling ring (23,

     45) is realized by the mass inertia of said belt reeling shaft (10), effective at the start of said tightening movement, relative to said drive disc (18,

     38);

a forced control (28, 29;

49,

     51) controlling said force limiting pawl (27,

     42) for switching on or off said force limiting device.

2. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 1, further comprising a tubular shaft (11) having an inner toothing and lockable by the locking device to provide said stationary abutment, wherein:

said torsion bar (12) is positioned in said tubular shaft (11);

said torsion bar (12) has a first end facing the locking device and a second end;

said first end is fixedly connected to said tubular shaft (11);

said second end is connected by said tightening coupling to said belt reeling shaft (10);

said force limiting pawl (27) is pivotably supported on said belt reeling shaft (10) so as to be moveable into engagement with said inner toothing of said tubular shaft (11);

said coupling ring (23) connected to an end face of said belt reeling shaft (10);

said belt reeling shaft (10) having a stop (25);

said relative movement of said coupling ring (23) is stopped at said stop (25);

said coupling ring (23) and said force limiting pawl (27) are connected to one another by a pin-slot connection (28,

     29) providing said forced control.

3. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 2, wherein said coupling ring (23) is secured in an initial position at said belt reeling shaft (10) by a shearing pin (54).

4. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 2, further comprising a return spring (26) connected to said coupling ring (23) and to said belt reeling shaft (10), wherein said coupling ring (23) is rotated relative to said belt reeling shaft (10) against the force of said return spring (26).

5. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 2, further comprising a stop ring (24) mounted on said belt reeling shaft (10) adjacent to said coupling ring (23), wherein said stop (25) is connected to said stop ring (24).

6. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 1, wherein said tightening coupling comprises a tightening pawl (17) pivotably connected to said drive disc (18) and a toothed ring (15) connected to said belt reeling shaft (10) and having an inner toothing (16), wherein said inner toothing (16) of said toothed ring surrounds said tightening pawl (17), wherein said toothed ring (16) and said coupling ring (23) are combined to form a unitary part.

7. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 1, wherein:

said torsion bar (12) has a first end and a second end;

said first end is directly connected to said belt reeling shaft (10);

said second end is connected to said tightening coupling providing said stationary abutment;

said tightening coupling has a pawl support (41) fixedly connected to said torsion bar (12), and a plurality of said force limiting pawls (42) are mounted on said pawl support (41);

said pawl coupling (41) further has a toothed ring (43) with an inner toothing (43a) for engagement by said force limiting pawls (42);

said toothed ring (43) is rotatable by a preset distance into a rotated position and secured in said rotated position;

said pawl support (41) is coupled by said tightening coupling to said drive disc (38) upon activation of said tightening device;

said coupling ring (45) is rotatably mounted on said pawl support (41);

said pawl support (41) has a stop (46) and said coupling ring (45) is rotatable relative to said pawl support (41) until contacting said stop (46);

said coupling ring (45) having cams (51) that, upon rotation of said coupling ring (45) relative to said pawl support (41), force said force limiting pawls (42) outwardly into said inner toothing (43a) of said toothed ring (43);

said coupling ring (45) having an inner toothing (50) coupling said drive disc (38) to said coupling ring (45).

8. A safety belt reeling shaft according to claim 7 wherein said coupling ring (45) in an initial position is secured at said pawl support (41) by a shearing pin (54).

9. A safety belt reeling shaft according to claim 7, further comprising a return spring (52) connected to said coupling ring (45) and to said pawl support (41), wherein said coupling ring (23) is rotated relative to said pawl support (41) against the force of said return spring (52).

10. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 7, wherein said coupling ring (45) is arranged adjacent to said pawl support (41) and has an outer axial projection (47) surrounding a circumference of said pawl support (41) to secure said force limiting pawls (42) in engagement at said pawl support (41), wherein said outer axial projection (47) has windows (48) and wherein said rotation of said coupling ring (45) relative to said pawl support (41) brings said windows (48) into an access position allowing said force limiting pawls (42) to penetrate said windows (48) and to engage said toothed ring (43) of said pawl coupling.

11. A safety belt reeling device according to claim 7, wherein said coupling ring (45) is arranged adjacent to said pawl support (41) and has an inner axial projection (49) positioned radially inwardly relative to said pawl support (41), wherein said inner toothing (50) of said coupling ring is connected to said inner axial projection (49), wherein said cams (51) are arranged as radial projections on said inner axial projection (49).