Retractor for a seat belt

• US 6,196,633 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NSK Autoliv Co., Ltd. (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kazuo, Fukunaga, Masanao
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US09/201,870
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 297/475, 297/476, 297/478, 297/480, 242/384.4
• US Class Current: 297/474
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/402 automatically adjustable to keep a vertical position, e.g. irrespective of seat or vehicle tilting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/403 using externally controlled means, e.g. linked with seat back hinge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/41 with additional means for preventing locking during unwinding under predetermined conditions

Abstract

A retractor 100 for a seat belt to be mounted within a seat back of a reclining type seat. The retractor 100 comprises a winding shaft 4 for winding a webbing 90 therearound, a lock element of an emergency lock mechanism 300 for locking the rotation of the winding shaft 4 in the webbing drawn-out direction thereof, and a vehicle body acceleration sensor 32 for detecting a given vehicle body acceleration to thereby actuate the lock element. The lock element of the emergency lock mechanism 300 is structured such that, while the seat belt is not in use, if the seat back is set within the range from the most forwardly inclined position of the seat back to the the most backwardly inclined position of the seat back, a locking wall 41c of a rotation control disk 41 is contactable with a securing piece 15d of an engaging member 15 to thereby prevent the engaging member 15 from moving in a direction where it can be engaged with a latch cup 13.

Claims

1. A retractor for a seat belt for use in a seat back of a reclining seat, said retractor comprising:

a retractor base;

a winding shaft rotatably supported on said retractor base for winding a webbing thereon;

a Locking assembly interposed between said winding shaft and said retractor base for locking the rotation of said winding shaft in a webbing drawn-out direction thereof, wherein said locking assembly comprises;

(A) a ratchet wheel loosely fitted with said winding shaft and having a plurality of teeth at its outer peripheral surface,

(B) a lock member for locking the rotation of said winding shaft in a webbing drawn-out direction thereof by connecting said winding shaft to said retractor base when said ratchet wheel is rotated relative to said winding shaft, and

(C) a friction member interposed between said lock member and said teeth of said ratchet wheel;

a vehicle body acceleration sensor for detecting a predetermined vehicle body acceleration and for cooperating with said teeth of said ratchet wheel; and

a restrict mechanism for preventing said locking assembly from actuating in accordance with an inclination angle of said seat back when the amount of said webbing wound around Said winding shaft is present between a first given amount corresponding to the most forwardly inclined state of said seat back and a second given amount corresponding to the most backwardly inclined state of said seat back while said seat belt is not in use.

2. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 1, wherein said restrict mechanism includes:

a detect mechanism for detecting whether the amount of said webbing wound around said winding shaft is present or not between the first given amount corresponding to the most forwardly inclined state of said seat back and the second given amount corresponding to the most backwardly inclined state of said seat back, and

an operation restrict portion which, when said detect mechanism detects that said webbing winding amount is present between said first and second given amounts, can be situated in an operation passage of said locking assembly to thereby prevent the operation of said locking assembly.

3. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 2, wherein said detect mechanism detects the amount of rotation of said winding shaft.

8. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lock member comprises:

a pawl capable of moving between a first position in which said pawl connects said winding shaft to said retractor base and a second position in which said pawl disconnects said winding shaft from said retractor base;

a latch member for operating said pawl; and

an engagement lock element for connecting said latch member with said winding shaft when said ratchet wheel is rotated relative to said winding shaft.

9. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 8, wherein said restrict mechanism prevents said engagement lock element from connecting said winding shaft to said latch member.

10. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle body acceleration sensor includes an arm member which can be engaged with said ratchet wheel when said vehicle body acceleration sensor is actuated.

11. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 10, wherein said vehicle body acceleration sensor includes a ball weight for actuating said arm member.

4. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim wherein said detect mechanism comprises:

a drive side gear rotatable integrally with said winding shaft and including teeth formed on the outer periphery thereof;

a rotation control disk including teeth different in number from said teeth of said drive side gear and rotatably supported in coaxial with said drive side gear; and

,

an intermediate gear supported in such a manner as to be meshed with said teeth of said drive side gear and rotation control disk simultaneously to thereby rotate said rotation control disk following said drive side gear while shifting in phase therefrom.

5. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 4, wherein said operation restrict portion is formed on said rotation control disk.

6. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 4, wherein said drive side gear and said rotation control disk are coaxially disposed with the center axis of said winding shaft.

7. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 4, wherein said intermediate gear is supported on said retractor base.

12. A retractor for a seat belt for use in a seat back of a reclining seat, the retractor comprising:

a retractor base;

a winding shaft rotatably supported on the retractor base for winding a webbing thereon;

a locking assembly interposed between the winding shaft and the retractor base for locking the rotation of the winding shaft in a webbing drawn-out direction thereof;

a vehicle body acceleration sensor for detecting a predetermined vehicle body acceleration to thereby actuate the locking assembly; and

a restrict mechanism for preventing said locking assembly from actuating in accordance with an inclination angle of said seat back when the amount of said webbing wound around said winding shaft is present between a first given amount corresponding to the most forwardly inclined state of said seat back and a second given amount corresponding to the most backwardly inclined state of said seat back while said seat belt is not in use,

wherein said restrict mechanism includes;

a detect mechanism for detecting whether the amount of said webbing wound around said winding shaft is present or not between a first given amount corresponding to the most forwardly inclined state of said seat back and a second given amount corresponding to the most backwardly inclined state of said seat back, and

an operation restrict portion which, when said detect mechanism detects that said webbing winding amount is present between said first and second given amounts, can be situated in an operation passage of said locking assembly to thereby prevent the operation of said locking assembly.

13. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in to claim 12, wherein said detect mechanism detects the amount of rotation of said winding shaft.

14. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 13, wherein said detect mechanism comprises:

a drive side gear rotatable integrally with said winding shaft and including teeth formed on the outer periphery thereof;

a rotation control disk including teeth different in number from said teeth of said drive side gear and coaxially rotatably supported with said drive side gear; and

an intermediate gear supported in such a manner as to be meshed with said teeth of said drive side gear and rotation control disk simultaneously to thereby rotate said rotation control disk following said drive side gear while shifting in phase therefrom.

15. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 14, wherein said operation restrict portion is formed on said rotation control disk.

16. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 14, wherein said drive side gear and said rotation control disk are coaxially disposed with the center axis of said winding shaft.

17. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 14, wherein said intermediate gear is supported on said retractor base.

18. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 12, wherein said locking assembly comprises:

(a) a ratchet wheel loosely fitted with said winding shaft and having a plurality of teeth at its outer peripheral surface;

(b) a lock member for locking the rotation of said winding shaft in a webbing drawn-out direction thereof by connecting said winding shaft to said retractor base when said ratchet wheel is rotated relative to said winding shaft; and

(c) a friction member interposed between said lock member and said teeth of said ratchet wheel.

19. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 18, wherein said lock member comprises:

a pawl capable of moving between a first position in which said pawl connects said winding shaft to said retractor base and a second position in which said pawl disconnects said winding shaft to said retractor base;

a latch member for operating said pawl; and

an engagement lock element for connecting said latch member with said winding shaft when said ratchet wheel and said winding shaft are rotated relatively.

20. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 19, wherein said restrict mechanism prevents said engagement lock from connecting said winding shaft to said latch member.

21. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 18, wherein said vehicle body acceleration sensor includes an arm member which can be engaged with said teeth of said ratchet wheel when said vehicle body acceleration sensor is actuated.

22. A retractor for a seat belt as set forth in claim 21, wherein said vehicle body acceleration sensor includes a ball weight for actuating said arm member.