Advanced seatbelt apparatus
First Claim
1. A pre-collision vehicle seatbelt retractor for use in repositioning a user of a vehicle seatbelt positioned in a vehicle seat, the seat belt retractor comprising:
- a seatbelt engaged with a reel connected to a vehicle;
a latch selectively and lockingly engaged with the reel to selectively prevent extension of the seatbelt from the reel, the latch movable from an unlatched position spaced from the reel allowing extension of the seatbelt from the reel and a latched position locking the reel preventing further extension of the seatbelt from the reel;
a latch actuator engaged with the latch to move the latch from the unlatched position to the latched position upon the vehicle achieving a predetermined threshold level of deceleration or acceleration, the latch actuator is separate and independent of an integral electronic control system of the vehicle; and
a detector positioned to detect the latch in one of the latched or unlatched positions, the detector operable to send an output signal to energize a retractor motor to retract the seatbelt toward an unused seatbelt position subsequent to detection of the latch position in the latched position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle seatbelt apparatus includes a seatbelt web wrapped in a reel around a motor-rotated shaft. A latch is selectively engageable with the reel to lock a seatbelt retractor from movement in one direction while allowing movement of the retractor under motor rotation of the shaft in response to pre-crash vehicle braking deceleration, a vehicle downhill angle or a vehicle lateral “g” force exceeding a threshold. When a retractor locked position is detected, the motor is activated to retract the seatbelt web for a predetermined time period to urge the passenger toward a center upright position in a vehicle seat.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A pre-collision vehicle seatbelt retractor for use in repositioning a user of a vehicle seatbelt positioned in a vehicle seat, the seat belt retractor comprising:
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a seatbelt engaged with a reel connected to a vehicle; a latch selectively and lockingly engaged with the reel to selectively prevent extension of the seatbelt from the reel, the latch movable from an unlatched position spaced from the reel allowing extension of the seatbelt from the reel and a latched position locking the reel preventing further extension of the seatbelt from the reel; a latch actuator engaged with the latch to move the latch from the unlatched position to the latched position upon the vehicle achieving a predetermined threshold level of deceleration or acceleration, the latch actuator is separate and independent of an integral electronic control system of the vehicle; and a detector positioned to detect the latch in one of the latched or unlatched positions, the detector operable to send an output signal to energize a retractor motor to retract the seatbelt toward an unused seatbelt position subsequent to detection of the latch position in the latched position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification