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Dual effort linear retractor

  • US 5,086,989 A
  • Filed: 11/28/1990
  • Issued: 02/11/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A seat belt retractor for restraining an occupant in a vehicle, comprising:

  • a length of belt;

    a reel rotatably mounted on a reel frame and having the belt attached thereto;

    a track mounted on the vehicle body and having the reel frame mounted thereon for translation along the track from a retracted position to an extended position;

    a high effort spring acting between the reel frame and the track to provide high effort retraction of the reel frame and the reel to the retracted position;

    a low effort spring acting between the reel frame and the reel to provide low effort retraction of the belt toward a wound condition on the reel and permit extension of the belt therefrom;

    latch means acting between the reel frame and the track to latch the reel frame at the extended position in response to the full unwinding of the belt from the reel against the low effort of the low effort spring and full travel of the reel frame along the track to the extended position against the effort of the high effort spring so that the belt is subsequently urged to a taut restraining position about the occupant by only the effort of the low effort spring;

    and release means releasing the latch means in response to a subsequent full unwinding of the belt from the reel and consequent further movement of the reel frame toward the extended position to thereby permit the return of the belt to a fully retracted position by the retraction of the reel frame along the track and winding of the belt upon the reel.

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