ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SEAT BELT RETRACTOR

• US 3,610,361 A
• Filed: 02/07/1969
• Issued: 10/05/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William L. Pringle
• Original Assignee: William L. Pringle
• Inventors: Pringle, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US04/797,429
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15SB 180/82 297/385,380 242/17SB
• US Class Current: 180/270
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/3405 of the non-rotary type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/343 with electrically actuated locking means B60R22/3405 takes precedence

Abstract

An emergency-locking seatbelt retractor having a solenoidoperated, spring-biased lock connected to the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s electrical system to automatically unlock the retractor when the ignition circuit is energized, and to automatically lock the retractor in response to various abnormal vehicle operating conditions.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having an ignition circuit connected to a source of electrical power, a seatbelt system, comprising:

a. a support;

b. a retractor member movable on the support in either a beltextending direction, or a belt-retracting direction;

c. bias means for urging the retractor member in the beltretracting direction;

d. a safety seatbelt connected to the retractor member so as to be retracted as the retractor member is moved in its beltretracting direction, and to be extended as the retractor member is moved in its belt-extending direction;

e. a stop member mounted on the support for motion between a stop position in which it is operable to prevent belt extension, and a release position in which it is inoperable to prevent belt extension;

f. a bias member operable to urge the stop member toward its stop position;

g. an actuator connected to the stop member, and operable upon being electrically energized to move the stop member toward its release position, the actuator being inoperable when deenergized to prevent movement of the stop member; and

h. circuitry means connected to the source of electrical power and to the actuator for energizing the actuator to allow belt extension, and for automatically deenergizing the actuator in response to a predetermined change in vehicle motion to prevent belt extension.

2. The seatbelt system as defined in claim 1, in which the circuitry means is operabLe to automatically deenergize the actuator in response to deenergization of the ignition circuit.

3. The seatbelt system as defined in claim 1, in which the retractor member is rotatably mounted on the support for motion in opposite belt-extending and belt-retracting directions.

4. In a vehicle having an ignition circuit, and a safety seatbelt system including a retractor member movable in either a belt-retracting direction, or a belt-extending direction, a first bias member operable to urge the retractor member movable in either a belt-retracting direction, or a belt-extending direction, a first bias member operable to urge the retractor member in its belt-retracting direction, and a stop member movable between a stop position in which it is operable to prevent motion of the retractor member in its belt-extending direction, and a release position in which it is inoperable to prevent motion of the retractor member, the combination comprising:

a solenoid, connected to the stop member;

a circuitry means connected to said solenoid and to a source of electrical power, so that said solenoid is energized when said ignition circuit is energized, said circuitry means including a container, fixed with respect to the vehicle, a quantity of mercury disposed in the container so as to be moved from a position of equilibrium toward a second position in response to a predetermined state of vehicular motion, and a pair of spaced contacts connected in the electrical circuit in series with the solenoid and the source of electrical power and disposed so as to be in contact with the mercury in its second position to energize the solenoid whereby the solenoid moves the stop member towards its release position; and

a bias member operable to automatically move the stop member toward its stop position when the mercury is separated from its position of equilibrium to deenergize the solenoid.

5. In a vehicle having an ignition circuit connected to a source of electrical power, a seatbelt system, comprising:

a. a support;

b. a retractor member movable on the support in either a belt-extending direction, or a belt-retracting direction;

c. bias means for urging the retractor member in the belt-retracting direction;

d. a safety seatbelt connected to the retractor member so as to be retracted as the retractor member is moved in its belt-retracting direction, and to be extended as the retractor member is moved in its belt-extending direction;

e. a stop member mounted on the support for motion between a stop position in which it is operable to prevent belt extension, and a release position in which it is inoperable to prevent belt extension;

f. a bias member operable to urge the stop member toward its stop position;

g. an actuator connected to the stop member, and operable upon being electrically energized to move the stop member toward its release position, the actuator being inoperable when deenergized to prevent movement of the stop member; and

h. circuitry means, operable to respond to a predetermined vehicle orientation for deenergizing the actuator, connected to the source of electrical power and to the actuator for energizing the actuator in response to a first predetermined condition of the vehicle to allow belt extension, and for automatically deenergizing the actuator in response to a second predetermined condition of the vehicle to prevent belt extension.

6. In a vehicle having an ignition circuit connected to a source of electrical power, a seatbelt system, comprising:

a. support;

b. a retractor member movable on the support in either a belt-extending direction, or a belt-retracting direction;

c. bias means for urging the retractor member in the belt-retracting direction;

d. a safety seatbelt connected to the retractor member so as to be retracted as the retractor member is moved in its belt-retracting direction, and to be extended as the retractor member is moved in its belt-extending direction;

e. a stop membeR mounted on the support for motion between a stop position in which it is operable to prevent belt extension, and a release position in which it is inoperable to prevent belt extension;

f. a bias member operable to urge the stop member toward its stop position;

g. an actuator connected to the stop member, and operable upon being electrically energized to move the stop member toward its release position, the actuator being inoperable when deenergized to prevent movement of the stop member;

h. a hydraulic braking circuit; and

i. circuitry means, operable to deenergize the actuator in response to predetermined hydraulic pressures in said braking circuit, connected to the source of electrical power and to the actuator for energizing the actuator in response to a first predetermined condition of the vehicle to allow belt extension, and for automatically deenergizing the actuator in response to a second predetermined condition of the vehicle to prevent belt extension.

7. In a vehicle having an ignition circuit connected to a source of electrical power, a seatbelt system, comprising:

a. a support;

b. a retractor member movable on the support in either a belt-extending direction, or a belt-retracting direction;

c. bias means for urging the retractor member in the belt-retracting direction;

d. a safety seatbelt connected to the retractor member so as to be retracted as the retractor member is moved in its belt-retracting direction, and to be extended as the retractor member is moved in its belt-extending direction;

e. a stop member mounted on the support for motion between a stop position in which it is operable to prevent belt extension, and a release position in which it is inoperable to prevent belt extension;

f. a bias member operable to urge the stop member toward its stop position;

g. an actuator connected to the stop member, and operable upon being electrically energized to move the stop member toward its release position, the actuator being inoperable when deenergized to prevent movement of the stop member;

h. circuitry means connected to the source of electrical power and to the actuator for energizing the actuator in response to a first predetermined condition of the vehicle to allow belt extension, and for automatically deenergizing the actuator in response to a second predetermined condition of the vehicle to prevent belt extension; and

i. a time delay means, connected in said circuitry means, for delaying the energization of said actuator for at least a predetermined time interval after it has been deenergized.