Seat belt system with dual payout retractor
First Claim
1. A seat belt system for helping to restrain an occupant of a vehicle seat, said seat belt system comprising:
- a lap belt comprising first and second portions extensible adjacent opposite sides of the vehicle seat and across a seating portion of the vehicle seat;
a buckle assembly for releasably connecting said first and second portions of said lap belt while extended across the vehicle seat; and
a retractor comprising;
a spool rotatable about an axis, said first and second portions of said lap belt being secured to said spool, said spool being biased to rotate in a first rotational direction to wind said first and second portions onto said spool, said first and second portions when tensioned urging said spool to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction to unwind said first and second portions from said spool;
a locking mechanism actuateble to a locked condition to lock said spool against rotation in said second rotational direction, said locking mechanism resisting oppositely directed forces applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said first and second portions of said lap belt to resist rotation of said spool in the second rotational direction for unwinding the first and second portions of the lap belt;
a first web grabbing device actuatable to clamp onto said first portion of said lap belt when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition to resist movement of said first portion of said lap belt in a first direction relative to the retractor and to reduce the force applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said first portion of said lap belt that tends to rotate the spool in the second rotational direction; and
a second web grabbing device actuatable to clamp onto said second portion of lap belt when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition to resist movement of said second portion of said lap belt in a second direction relative to the retractor and to reduce the force applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said second portion of said lap belt that tends to rotate the spool in the second rotational direction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A seat belt system (10) includes a lap belt (60) including a first portion (74) and a second portion (85). A retractor (76) includes a spool (96) rotatable about an axis (160). The first and second lap belt portions (74, 85) are secured to the spool (96). The spool (96) is biased to rotate in a first rotational direction to wind the first and second portions (74, 85) onto the spool. The first and second portions (74, 85) when tensioned urge the spool (96) to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction to unwind the first and second portions from the spool. A locking mechanism (170) is actuatable to lock the spool (96) against rotation in the second rotational direction. First and second web grabbing devices (180, 182) are actuatable to clamp onto the first and second portions (74, 85) when the locking mechanism (170) is in the locked condition.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A seat belt system for helping to restrain an occupant of a vehicle seat, said seat belt system comprising:
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a lap belt comprising first and second portions extensible adjacent opposite sides of the vehicle seat and across a seating portion of the vehicle seat;
a buckle assembly for releasably connecting said first and second portions of said lap belt while extended across the vehicle seat; and
a retractor comprising;
a spool rotatable about an axis, said first and second portions of said lap belt being secured to said spool, said spool being biased to rotate in a first rotational direction to wind said first and second portions onto said spool, said first and second portions when tensioned urging said spool to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction to unwind said first and second portions from said spool;
a locking mechanism actuateble to a locked condition to lock said spool against rotation in said second rotational direction, said locking mechanism resisting oppositely directed forces applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said first and second portions of said lap belt to resist rotation of said spool in the second rotational direction for unwinding the first and second portions of the lap belt;
a first web grabbing device actuatable to clamp onto said first portion of said lap belt when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition to resist movement of said first portion of said lap belt in a first direction relative to the retractor and to reduce the force applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said first portion of said lap belt that tends to rotate the spool in the second rotational direction; and
a second web grabbing device actuatable to clamp onto said second portion of lap belt when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition to resist movement of said second portion of said lap belt in a second direction relative to the retractor and to reduce the force applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said second portion of said lap belt that tends to rotate the spool in the second rotational direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
a housing having a planar first sliding surface presented at an angle towards a planar second sliding surface;
first and second clamp, members supported between the sliding surfaces, said first clamp member being slidable along said first sliding surface, said second clamp member being slidable along said second sliding surface, said first and second clamp members having respective clamping surfaces presented toward each other, said lap belt extending between said clamping surfaces, said first and second clamp members being actuatable to slide simultaneously along said first and second sliding surfaces, said clamping surfaces of said first and second clamp members moving toward each other and clamping onto said lap belt upon actuation of said clamp members.
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6. A seat belt system as recited in claim 5, further comprising a first actuator arm for actuating said first and second clamp members of said first web grabbing device, and a second actuator arm for actuating said first and second clamp members of said second web grabbing device, said first and second actuator arms being actuatable as a result of tension on said lap belt when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition.
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7. A seat belt system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a plate portion for supporting said spool and said first and second actuator arms, said spool being rotatable relative to said plate portion, said locking mechanism when in said locked condition blocking rotation of said spool relative to said plate portion in said second rotational direction, said plate portion pivoting as a result of tension on said lap belt while said locking mechanism is in said locked condition, said first and second actuator arms being actuated when said plate portion pivots.
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8. A seat belt system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second web grabbing devices each comprise a rotary clamp, each of said rotary clamps comprising:
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a base portion having a first clamping surface; and
a clamp member spaced from said base portion and having a second clamping surface presented toward said first clamping surface, said clamp member being pivotable in opposite first and second rotational directions, said lap belt extending between said first and second clamping surfaces, said clamp member being actuatable to pivot in said first rotational direction to move said second clamping surface toward said first clamping surface, said first and second clamping surfaces clamping onto said lap belt upon actuation of said clamp member.
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9. A seat belt system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a first actuator arm for engaging an actuator portion of said clamp member of said first web grabbing device to actuate said first web grabbing device, and a second actuator arm for engaging an actuator portion of said clamp member of said second web grabbing device to actuate said second web grabbing device, said first and second actuator arms being actuatable as a result of tension on said lap belt when said locking mechanisms is in said locked condition.
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10. A seat belt system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a plate portion for supporting said spool and said first and second actuator arms, said spool being rotatable relative to said plate portion, said locking mechanism when in said locked condition blocking rotation of said spool relative to said plate portion in said second rotational direction, said plate portion pivoting as a result of tension on said lap belt while said locking mechanism is in said locked condition, said first and second actuator arms being actuated when said plate portion pivots.
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11. The seat belt system recited in claim 8, further comprising a first guide for guiding said first portion of said lap belt adjacent a first side of the vehicle seat, and a second guide for guiding said second portion of said lap belt adjacent a second side of the vehicle seat, said first guide being adapted to pivot as a result of tension on said first portion of said lap belt when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition, said first guide including a first actuator arm for engaging an actuator portion of said clamp member of said first web grabbing device to actuate said first web grabbing device when said first guide pivots, said second guide being adapted to pivot as a result of tension on said second portion of said lap belt when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition, said second guide including a second actuator arm for engaging an actuator portion of said clamp member of said second web grabbing device to actuate said second web grabbing device when said second guide pivots.
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12. The seat belt system of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second web grabbing devices includes a base portion having a first clamping surface and a clamp member having a second clamping surface, said clamp member being actuatable between a clamped condition and an unclamped condition, an actuation member being associated with said clamp member for actuating said clamp member into the clamped condition, a portion of said actuation member engaging a surface of said clamp member and moving over said surface of said clamp member to actuate said clamp member into the clamped condition.
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13. The seat belt system of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second web grabbing devices has an associated housing and includes a base portion having a first clamping surface and a clamp member having a second clamping surface, said clamp member being actuatable between a clamped condition and an unclamped condition, an actuation member being associated with the clamp member for actuating said clamp member into the clamped condition, a first pivot member pivotally attaching said clamp member to said associated housing and a second, different pivot member pivotally attaching said actuation member to said associated housing.
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14. A seat belt system comprising:
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a dual payout retractor including a spool rotatable about an axis;
a length of seat belt webbing having a central portion secured to said spool and first and second portions extending from said retractor, said retractor being operable to wind said first said second portions onto said spool to retract said first and second portions, said retractor being operable to unwind said first and second portions from said spool to payout said first and second portions;
a locking mechanism actuatable to a locked condition to lock said spool against unwinding said first and second portions, said locking mechanism resisting oppositely directed forces applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said first and second portions of said lap belt to resist rotation of said spool in a direction for unwinding said first and second portions of said length of seat belt webbing;
a first web grabbing device actuatable under tension of said first portion to clamp onto said first portion when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition to resist movement of said first portion in a first direction relative to the retractor and to reduce the force applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said first portion of said length of seat belt webbing; and
a second web grabbing device actuatable under tension of said second portion to clamp onto said second portion when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition to resist movement of said second portion in a second direction relative to the retractor and to reduce the force applied to said spool and said locking mechanism by said second portion of said length of seat belt webbing.
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15. A seat belt system for helping to restrain an occupant of a vehicle seat, said seat belt system comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
a retractor having a rotatable spool and a locking mechanism, an end of said seat belt webbing being attached to said spool end a portion of said seat belt webbing adjacent said end being wound about said spool, said spool being biased to rotate in a first rotational direction to wind said seat belt webbing onto said spool, tension in said seat belt webbing urging said spool to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction to unwind said seat belt webbing from said spool, said locking mechanism being actuatable to a locked condition to lock said spool against rotation in said second rotational direction; and
a web grabbing device actuatable to clamp onto said seat belt webbing when said locking mechanism is in said locked condition, said web grabbing device including a base portion having a first clamping surface and a clamp member having a second clamping surface, said seat belt webbing passing between said first and second clamping surfaces, said clamp member being actuatable between a clamped condition in which said second clamping surface is moved toward said first clamping surface to clamp said seat belt webbing between said first and second clamping surfaces and an unclamped condition in which said seat belt webbing is free to pass between said first and second clamping surfaces, said web grabbing device further including an actuation member that is responsive to tension in said seat belt webbing for actuating said clamping member into the clamped condition, a portion of said actuation member engaging a surface of said clamp member and sliding relative to said surface of said clamp member to actuate said clamping member into the clamped condition. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A seat belt system for helping to restrain an occupant of a vehicle seat, said seat belt system comprising:
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a lap belt portion having opposite first and second ends;
a retractor having a rotatable spool and a locking mechanism, said first end of said lap belt portion being attached to said spool and part of said lap belt portion adjacent said first end being wound about said spool, said spool being biased to rotate in a first rotational direction to wind said lap belt portion onto said spool, tension in said lap belt portion urging said spool to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction to unwind said lap belt portion from said spool, said locking mechanism being actuatable to a locked condition to lock said spool against rotation in said second rotational direction;
a buckle assembly for securing said lap belt portion about the occupant of the vehicle seat, said second end of said lap belt portion being attached to said buckle assembly; and
a web grabbing device actuatable into a clamped condition in which said lap belt portion is clamped onto and is prevented from moving relative to said web grabbing device, wherein said web grabbing device is actuatable into the clamped condition in response to said locking mechanism being actuated into the locked condition and tension arising in said lap belt portion, and wherein said web grabbing device including a base portion having a first clamping surface and a clamp member having a second clamping surface, said lap belt portion passing between said first and second clamping surfaces, said clamp member being actuatable between a clamped condition in which said second clamping surface is moved toward said first clamping surface to clamp said seat belt webbing between said first and second clamping surfaces and an unclamped condition in which said seat belt webbing is free to pass between said first and second clamping surfaces, said web grabbing device further including an actuation member that is responsive to tension in said seat belt webbing for actuating said clamping member into the clamped condition, a portion of said actuation member engaging a surface of said clamp member and sliding relative to said surface of said clamp member to actuate said clamping member into the clamped condition. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification