Rotation damper

• US 8,146,852 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Biller, Joachim, Gross, Oliver, Gentner, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, SANG K
• Application Number:
  US13/015,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20110121123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 242/379.1, 242/381, 242/422.2
• US Class Current: 242/381
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/282 using fluids or vico-elastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4676 comprising energy-absorbing means operating between belt reel and retractor frame
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/12 Devices with one or more rotary vanes turning in the fluid any throttling effect being immaterial, i.e. damping by viscous shear effect only F16F9/53 takes precedence; pivoting supports for apparatus or articles placed on stands or trestles F16M11/06

Abstract

A rotation damper, particularly for damping the rotary movement of a belt retractor shaft of a vehicle safety belt, has a housing which delimits a working space filled with a damping medium, and an element which is rotatable relative to the housing. Several pins serving as resistance elements, which extend into the working space, are provided on the element.

Claims

1. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a belt retractor shaft (2); and

a rotation damper (10) to damp the rotary movement of the belt retractor shaft (2) including;

a housing (14) which delimits a working space (12) filled with a damping medium,

an element which is rotatable relative to the housing (14), and

several pins (20) serving as resistance elements, which are provided on the element and extend into the working space (12), the pins (20) having a length that extends in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the belt retractor shaft (2),

one of the housing (14) and the element being connected with the belt retractor shaft (2).

2. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the pins (20) extend in the axial direction (A) of the housing (14).

3. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the pins (20) are arranged on the element so as to be displaceable relative to the housing (14).

4. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the element has a disc (18) on which the pins (20) are arranged.

5. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the belt retractor shaft (2) rotates relative to the pins (20) to damp rotary movement of the belt retractor shaft (2).

6. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the rotation damper (10) has a first condition in which the belt retractor shaft (2) is non-rotatably connected to the housing (14) and a second condition in which the belt retractor shaft (2) is rotatably connected to the housing (14) to damp rotary movement of the belt retractor shaft (2).

7. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the rotation damper (10) selectively damps rotary movement of the belt retractor shaft (2).

8. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the entire surface area of each pin (20) is exposed to the damping medium.

9. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a belt retractor shaft (2); and

a rotation damper (10) to damp the rotary movement of the belt retractor shaft (2) including;

a housing (14) which delimits a working space (12) filled with a damping medium,

an element which is rotatable relative to the housing (14), and

several pins (20) serving as resistance elements, which are provided on the element and extend into the working space (12), wherein a drive (34) is provided for an axial displacement of the pins (20) relative to the housing (14),

one of the housing (14) and the element being connected with the belt retractor shaft (2).

10. The seat belt retractor according to claim 9, wherein the drive (34) has a motion thread (42) for axially displacing the pins (20) relative to the housing (14).

11. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a belt retractor shaft (2); and

a rotation damper (10) to damp the rotary movement of the belt retractor shaft (2) including;

a housing (14) which delimits a working space (12) filled with a damping medium,

an element which is rotatable relative to the housing (14), and

several pins (20) serving as resistance elements, which are provided on the element and extend into the working space (12), wherein the element on which the pins (20) are provided is positioned outside of the housing (14),

one of the housing (14) and the element being connected with the belt retractor shaft (2).

12. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a belt retractor shaft (2); and

a rotation damper (10) to damp the rotary movement of the belt retractor shaft (2) including;

a housing (14) which delimits a working space (12) filled with a damping medium,

an element which is rotatable relative to the housing (14), and

several pins (20) serving as resistance elements, which are provided on the element and extend into the working space (12), wherein the element on which the pins (20) are provided is not exposed to the damping medium,

one of the housing (14) and the element being connected with the belt retractor shaft (2).