Seat belt retractor with wedge clamp and load limiter

• US 9,168,890 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Jaradi, Dean M., Faruque, Mohammed Omar, Farooq, Iskander
• Primary Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US14/475,885
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/286 using deformation of material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/185 with stopping means for acting directly upon the belt in an emergency, e.g. by clamping or friction B60R22/195 takes precedence; combined with the retractor B60R22/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/28 incorporating energy-absorbing devices belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/36 self-locking in an emergency B60R22/3405 , B60R22/343 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/38 responsive only to belt movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/42 having means for acting directly upon the belt, e.g. by clamping or friction not combined with the retractor B60R22/185

Abstract

A seat belt system includes a spool, a harness, a wedge clamp, and a load limiting plate. The harness is at least partially wound about the spool. The wedge clamp selectively engages the harness. The load limiting plate, which has deformable teeth, is operably attached to the spool. The teeth engage a pin. The pin deforms the teeth after a vehicle impact.

Claims

1. A seat belt system comprising:

a spool;

a harness at least partially wound about the spool;

a wedge clamp configured to selectively engage the harness; and

a load limiting plate having deformable teeth configured to engage a pin, wherein the pin is configured to deform the teeth when the wedge clamp engages the harness and a force is applied to the harness.

2. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the teeth are deformed by the pin after the vehicle impact.

3. The seat belt system of claim 1, further comprising a retractor base and wherein the wedge clamp is disposed on the retractor base.

4. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the wedge clamp is configured to engage the harness to limit a film spooling effect caused by the vehicle impact.

5. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the wedge clamp is configured to engage the harness prior to the vehicle impact.

6. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the wedge clamp engages the harness to reduce movement of the harness relative to the spool.

7. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the spool is disposed on a vehicle body.

8. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the harness is configured to advance into or retract from the spool when the wedge clamp is disengaged.

9. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the wedge clamp is configured to reduce movement of the harness relative to the spool independent of a pretensioner.

10. The seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the teeth of the load limiting plate are configured to deform after the wedge clamp engages the harness.

11. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a spool configured to receive a harness;

a wedge clamp configured to selectively engage the harness; and

a load limiting plate having deformable teeth configured to engage a pin, wherein the pin is configured to deform the teeth and after the wedge clamp engages the harness and a force is applied to the harness.

12. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, wherein the teeth are deformed by the pin.

13. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, further comprising a retractor base and wherein the wedge clamp is disposed on the retractor base.

14. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, wherein the wedge clamp is configured to engage the harness to limit a film spooling effect.

15. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, wherein the wedge clamp is configured to engage the harness prior to the vehicle impact.

16. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, wherein the wedge clamp engages the harness to reduce movement of the harness relative to the spool.

17. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, wherein the spool is disposed on a vehicle body.

18. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, wherein engaging the wedge clamp prevents the harness from advancing into or retracting from the spool.

19. The seat belt retractor of claim 11, wherein the wedge clamp is configured to reduce movement of the harness relative to the spool independent of a pretensioner.