Seat-belt retractor

• US 7,537,179 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2007
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gasol, Santi, Ors, Miriam, Casiano, Jordi, Hofs, Stefan, Schneider, Thomas, Schmidt, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, SANG K
• Application Number:
  US11/963,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20080135665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 521 Days
• Field of Search: 242/381, 242/384, 2423841-3846, 280/806, 297/478
• US Class Current: 242/384
• 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 22/40 responsive only to vehicle movement

Abstract

In at least one embodiment of the present invention a seat-belt retractor is provided. The seat-belt retractor comprises a locking system that is controlled by means of at least one vehicle-sensitive sensor. The sensor has an alignment mass for autonomous alignment and is configured to pivot on the seat-belt retractor when the angular installation position of the seat-belt retractor is changed and when the seat-belt is extended, the sensor can be fixed in position by a blocking device. The blocking device is friction-controlled by the rotation of the belt shaft in the extension direction. The blocking device includes a rotatably mounted blocking lever which can be displaced into a release position for the sensor by a control lever that is coupled to the belt shaft by a friction coupling when the belt shaft rotates in a retraction direction.

Claims

1. A seat-belt retractor for a seat-belt having a locking system that is controlled by at least one vehicle-sensitive sensor, the vehicle-sensitive sensor of the type having an alignment mass for autonomous alignment and being configured to pivot on the seat-belt retractor when an angular installation position of the seat-belt retractor is changed, comprising a blocking device for fixing the position of the sensor when the seat-belt is extended that is friction-controlled by rotation of a belt shaft in an extension direction of the seat-belt, wherein the blocking device for the sensor includes a rotatably mounted blocking lever that is configured to be displaced from a blocking position which fixes the position of the sensor into a release position for the vehicle-sensitive sensor by a control lever that is coupled to the belt shaft by a friction coupling when the belt shaft rotates in a retraction direction which retracts the seat-belt enabling, the sensor to undergo the autonomous alignment, wherein an end of the blocking lever opposite an engagement tip has a bearing surface for a head formed by the control lever, the bearing surface being configured such that pivoting of the control lever causes the blocking lever to rotate.

2. The seat-belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the blocking lever is preloaded in a blocking position, fixing the sensor.

3. The seat-belt retractor according to claim 2, wherein the blocking lever is preloaded by a compression spring when in the blocking position.

4. The seat-belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the control lever is pivot-mounted on an extension of the belt shaft and the friction coupling comprises a friction spring which is located on the extension of the belt shaft and is coupled to the blocking lever.

5. A seat-belt retractor for a seat-belt having a locking system that is controlled by at least one vehicle-sensitive sensor, the vehicle-sensitive sensor of the type having an alignment mass for autonomous alignment and being configured to pivot on the seat-belt retractor when an angular installation position of the seat-belt retractor is changed, comprising a blocking device for fixing the position of the sensor when the seat-belt is extended that is friction-controlled by rotation of a belt shaft in an extension direction of the seat-belt, wherein the blocking device for the sensor include a rotatably mounted blocking lever that is configured to be displaced from a blocking position which fixes the position of the sensor into a release position for the vehicle-sensitive sensor by a control lever that is counted to the belt shaft by a friction coupling when the belt shaft rotates in a retraction direction which retracts the seat-belt, enabling the sensor to undergo the autonomous alignment, wherein a connection between the blocking lever and the control lever is a longitudinal-hole connection having a longitudinal hole formed in the blocking lever and a head formed by the control lever engaging the longitudinal hole.