Seat belt retractor and a seat belt device

• US 7,517,025 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Inuzuka, Koji, Tanaka, Koji, Takao, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/230,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 297/477, 242/373
• US Class Current: 297/477
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4825 for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/44 with means for reducing belt tension during use under normal conditions not included in the retractor B60R22/19; B60R22/3405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

As an occupant releases the latching between a buckle and a tongue, a seat belt retractor winds up the seat belt at a winding-up speed S1 as a first high speed. Accordingly, the seat belt moves away from the occupant immediately. As a time period (T1-T0) elapses from the buckle release, the seat belt retractor winds up the seat belt at a winding-up speed S2 as a low speed. Accordingly, the seat belt is slowly wound up so that the tongue is less likely to strike and thus scratch an interior panel. As a time period (T2-T1) further elapses, the seat belt retractor winds up the seat belt at a winding-up speed S3 as a second high speed. Accordingly, the winding of the seat belt is promptly completed so that the seat belt is less likely to be caught by a door when the occupant gets out of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A seat belt retractor, comprising:

a motor for winding up a seat belt;

wherein the motor is configured to be controlled so that a speed of winding up the seat belt is varied between different winding speeds;

wherein the motor is configured to be controlled so that the different winding speeds are each produced when a buckle and a tongue on the seat belt are in an unlatched state; and

a control unit configured to control a speed of the motor between a first high speed, a low speed, and a second high speed;

wherein the control unit is configured to control the speed of the motor so that the first high speed, the low speed, and the second high speed are each produced when the tongue and buckle are in an unlatched state.

2. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the speed of winding up the seat belt is variable according to a time period elapsing from a release of latching between the buckle and the tongue on the seat belt.

3. The seat belt retractor according to claim 2, wherein, after the buckle and the tongue are in an unlatched state, the seat belt is wound up at a first high speed until a first predetermined time period elapses from the release of latching between the buckle and the tongue on the seat belt, the seat belt is wound up at a low speed until a second predetermined time period elapses after the first predetermined time period, and the seat belt is wound up at a second high speed until the winding of the seat belt is completed after the second predetermined time period.

4. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the speed of winding up the seat belt is variable according to an amount of wound seat belt after a release of latching between the buckle and the tongue on the seat belt.

5. The seat belt retractor according to claim 4, wherein, after the buckle and the tongue are in an unlatched state, the seat belt is wound up at a first high speed until the seat belt is wound up by a first predetermined amount from the release of latching between the buckle and the tongue on the seat belt, the seat belt is wound up at a low speed until the seat belt is wound up by a second predetermined amount after the first predetermined amount of the seat belt is wound, and the seat belt is wound up at a second high speed until the winding of the seat belt is completed after the second predetermined amount of the seat belt is wound.

6. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the speed of winding up the seat belt is controlled by voltage applied to the motor.

7. A seat belt system, comprising:

a seat belt;

a tongue attached to the seat belt;

a buckle configured to releasably latch with the tongue; and

a seat belt retractor with a motor configured to enable a winding up process of the seat belt, the motor being configured to wind up the seat belt after unlatching of the tongue and the buckle; and

a control unit configured to control a speed of the motor between a first high speed, a low speed, and a second high speed;

wherein the control unit is configured to control the speed of the motor so that the first high speed, the low speed, and the second high speed are each produced when the tongue and buckle are in an unlatched state.

8. The seat belt system according to claim 7, wherein at the first high speed of the motor, the seat belt is configured to immediately wind up and away from an occupant.

9. The seat belt system according to claim 7, wherein at the low speed of the motor, the seat belt is configured to continue winding up at a speed less than the first high speed.

10. The seat belt system according to claim 7, wherein at the second high speed of the motor, the seat belt is configured to complete the winding up process at a speed higher than the low speed and less than the first high speed.

11. The seat belt system according to claim 7, further comprising a speed meter configured to detect a winding-up speed of the motor.

12. The seat belt system according to claim 11, wherein the speed meter comprises a tachogenerator.

13. The seat belt system according to claim 7, wherein the first high speed equals the second high speed.

14. The seat belt system according to claim 7, wherein the speed of the motor is determined by a voltage applied to the motor, and wherein when the buckle and tongue become unlatched, a first high voltage is applied to the motor.

15. The seat belt system according to claim 14, wherein after a first time period, the seat belt system is configured so that a constant low voltage is applied to the motor.

16. The seat belt system according to claim 15, wherein after a second time period, the seat belt system is configured so that a second high voltage is applied to the motor such that the seat belt completes the winding up process.