Device and method for tightening a safety belt serving to protect occupants in a vehicle
First Claim
1. A belt brake for a safety belt serving to protect occupants in a vehicle, which belt can be wound onto and from a belt drum mounted rotationally about a belt shaft, comprising:
- at least one braking means displaceably mounted longitudinally to the belt shaft, connected to the belt shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and located between a first and a second thrust bearing;
means, connected to at least the first thrust bearing, for forcibly guiding the first thrust bearing along the belt shaft in response to a winding or an unwinding of the safety belt onto or from the belt drum, to transfer the first thrust bearing from a first position at which the safety belt is wound onto the belt drum and at which an axial distance a1 exists between the braking means and at least one of the first and second thrust bearings, to a second position at which the safety belt is at least partially unwound from the belt drum and at which an axial distance a2 exists between the braking means and the at least one thrust bearing, with a2<
a1; and
at least one actuator element which, when actuated in the second position, produces a braking force which acts longitudinally on the belt shaft between the first and second thrust bearings and which is directed towards the at least one braking means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A belt brake is described for a safety belt for protecting occupants in a vehicle, which belt can be wound onto and unwound from a belt drum mounted rotationally about a belt shaft. A method for locking a safety belt is also described. The invention comprises at least one displaceable braking element for displacement along the belt shaft which is rotationally fixed to the belt shaft and is located between a first and a second thrust bearing. A first thrust bearing is forcibly guided along the belt shaft, thereby enabling the first thrust bearing to be transferred from a first position, in which the safety belt is wound on the belt drum with an axial distance a1 between the at least one braking element and the first thrust bearing, and to a second position, in which the safety belt is at least partially unwound from the belt drum with an axial distance a2 between the at least one braking element and the at least one thrust bearing where a2<11. At least one actuator element is actuated in the second position to generate a braking force which acts along the belt shaft between the first and second thrust bearings and which is orientated towards the at least one braking element.
4 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A belt brake for a safety belt serving to protect occupants in a vehicle, which belt can be wound onto and from a belt drum mounted rotationally about a belt shaft, comprising:
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at least one braking means displaceably mounted longitudinally to the belt shaft, connected to the belt shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and located between a first and a second thrust bearing; means, connected to at least the first thrust bearing, for forcibly guiding the first thrust bearing along the belt shaft in response to a winding or an unwinding of the safety belt onto or from the belt drum, to transfer the first thrust bearing from a first position at which the safety belt is wound onto the belt drum and at which an axial distance a1 exists between the braking means and at least one of the first and second thrust bearings, to a second position at which the safety belt is at least partially unwound from the belt drum and at which an axial distance a2 exists between the braking means and the at least one thrust bearing, with a2<
a1; andat least one actuator element which, when actuated in the second position, produces a braking force which acts longitudinally on the belt shaft between the first and second thrust bearings and which is directed towards the at least one braking means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for locking a safety belt for protecting occupants of a vehicle who wind and unwind the safety belt during occupancy of the vehicle on and off a belt drum coupled to rotate with a belt shaft to which a braking force may be applied by a brake for locking the belt drum from rotating, the brake being mounted longitudinally on the belt shaft and located between first and second thrust bearings, one of the thrust bearings being longitudinally moveable between a first position on the belt shaft to a second position on the belt shaft and back in response to the winding and unwinding of the safety belt and a converter material which is activated by energy applied thereto to expand longitudinally relative to the belt shaft to control the brake to cause the shaft of the belt drum to be rotationally braked comprising:
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activating the converter material when the one thrust bearing is located in the second position to cause the belt shaft and the belt drum to be braked against rotation; and
whereinwhen the one thrust bearing is located in the first position or the second position and the converter material is not activated, unbraked winding and unwinding of the safety belt is possible. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification