Seat belt retractor

• US 7,350,735 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hiramatsu, Koji, Kitazawa, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo; Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kruer; Stefan
• Application Number:
  US11/008,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20050134101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 242/379.1, 242/382.2, 242/382, 297/470, 297/476
• US Class Current: 242/379.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/285 using friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/287 of torsion rods or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/288 with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/341 comprising energy-absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4676 comprising energy-absorbing means operating between belt reel and retractor frame

Abstract

A seat belt system includes a retractor and a seat belt. The retractor includes a motor that drives a pressure rod into a seat belt such that the seat belt is nipped between the pressure rod and belt receiving portions. The driving force of the motor that controls the movement of the pressure rod is set based on the situation at the time of a collision. Thus, the load limit to be exerted on the seat belt is set flexibly and widely according to the situation in an emergency. Further, the motor and the pressure piston rod can be activated repeatedly and, therefore, can be reused.

Claims

1. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a spool for retracting a seat belt;

a locking mechanism including a locking member of which rotation in a belt-withdrawing direction is prevented in an emergency; and

first and second seat belt load limiting mechanisms for limiting a load to be exerted on the seat belt when rotation of the locking member in the belt-withdrawing direction is prevented with the spool rotating relative to the locking member in the belt-withdrawing direction,

wherein the second seat belt load limiting mechanism comprises;

a load limit setting mechanism to set a load limit for the seat belt, wherein the load limit setting mechanism is configured to nip the seat belt against a belt recieving portion located in a main body of the load limit setting mechanism; and

a load limit control mechanism to control the load limit setting mechanism to change a load limit of the seat belt in an emergency based on an emergency situation, and

wherein the load limit setting mechanism is configured to be reused.

2. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is a torsion bar provided between the spool and the locking member.

3. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is a load limiting mechanism for drawing a wire rod provided on either a spool side or a locking base side and through engagement pins provided on an other of the spool side and the locking base side.

4. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is a load limiting mechanism for forcing a band plate provided on either one of a spool side and a locking base side to be forcibly deformed by a guide slot provided on an other of the spool side and the locking base side.

5. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is a load limiting mechanism for subjecting a tubular member provided on either one of a spool side and a locking base side to plastic deformation with a latching portion provided on an other of the spool side and the locking base side.

6. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is a load limiting mechanism for subjecting a U-shaped flat plate material to deformation, whereby one end of said material is provided on either one of a spool side and a locking base side and the other end of which is engaged on an other of the spool side and the locking base side.

7. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is a load limiting mechanism for subjecting a shear pin provided between a spool and a locking base to shear fracturing.

8. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is an energy absorption mechanism for cutting a section provided on either a spool side and a locking base side with a cutting blade provided on an other of the spool side and the locking base side.

9. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the first seat belt load limiting mechanism is a load limiting mechanism for severing a plate-shaped energy absorption member provided on a locking base side with a severing protrusion provided on a spool side.

10. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the load limit of the seat belt is set in an emergency to one of three modes:

(a) an inoperative load mode;

(b) a light load mode;

(c) and a heavy load mode.

11. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the load limit setting mechanism includes a driving shaft and a pressure rod, the pressure rod directly contacting the seat belt to nip the seat belt against the belt receiving portion.

12. The seat belt retractor according to claim 10, wherein the inoperative load mode utilizes only the first seat belt load limiting mechanism.

13. The seat belt retractor according to claim 12, wherein the light load mode utilizes the first seat belt load limiting mechanism and the second load limit setting mechanism, wherein said second load limit setting mechanism nips the seat belt with a predetermined force.

14. The seat belt retractor according to claim 13, wherein the heavy load mode utilizes the first seat belt load limiting mechanism and the second load limit setting mechanism, wherein said second load limit setting mechanism nips the seat belt with a force greater than that of the of the light mode.