Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With spring motor
Patent
1991-08-20
1994-11-29
Jillions, John M.
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With spring motor
B60R 2240
Patent
active
053682513
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an inertial reel assembly for a safety belt with a rotatably mounted spindle for taking up and paying out the belt which is to be drawn out against the force of a spring, comprising at least one sensor device, which responds to a rate of vehicle deceleration above a certain value, the spindle preferably bearing teeth at both ends and performing a translatory or pivotal movement for locking so that the spindle teeth engage housing teeth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Such a safety belt inertial reel assembly is for instance described in the German patent publication 3,418,378 A. Tn the case of this known inertial reel assembly the base plate of the mechanism is permanently attached to a limb of a frame. A journal serves as a pivot for an operating disk. The spindle, which is supported in this operating disk, is furthermore permanently connected with an operating wheel. If now one of the sensors provided is triggered, the operating wheel is latched to the operating disk by a pawl. If more belt is paid out, the operating disk will now turn with the spindle about the journal and the teeth on the spindle will come into engagement with the housing teeth in the limbs of the frame. In the case of this known belt take up assembly, angular alignment during engagement movement with respect to the teeth connected with the housing is ensured owing to the locked state of the operating wheel in relation to the operating disk.
In use it may happen that shortly before an accident the operating wheel is in a position in which triggering of a sensor would mean that the corresponding pawl would so drop onto the back of a tooth and so engage the operating wheel that the spindle has to turn through one tooth pitch before the operating wheel is locked. In the case of a sudden, jerked paying out of belt as occurs in the case of a crash, the great inertia of the spindle will mean that the spindle will be more rapidly jerked upwards so than it is turned the corresponding amount. The consequence is angular misalignment during engagement with the housing teeth. In this respect it may happen that the spindle teeth are not completely in alignment with the teeth connected with the housing and in an extreme case, although the known reel just keeps to requirements, it only does so marginally.
Therefore the object of the invention is to achieve a complete overlap of the spindle teeth with the housing teeth even in this extreme case of angular misalignment of the spindle and thus to provide for the transmission of a great force.
This object is achieved since the housing teeth have flats, which prevent a coming into engagement of the spindle teeth in the angularly misaligned state. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the spindle is so supported that on coming into engagement with the housing teeth it pivots about a point fixed in relation to the housing, which is on a circle about the center point of the spindle in its inactive position and having a radius equal to the pitch circle diameter. In the case of a positioning of the housing teeth wherein the center of the housing teeth is located on a line drawn through the center point of the spindle in its engaged position, which line itself is perpendicular to the line connecting this center point with the pivot point of the spindle, it is possible for the part, which bears the teeth, to be largest so that the force may best be transmitted from the spindle to the sheet metal frame. The first tooth of the set of housing teeth has to be so positioned that the spindle is able to turn without obstruction in its neutral condition and even in the case of a minimum pivoting angle does not immediately come into engagement with the housing teeth. The last housing tooth has to be so arranged that the spindle is still able to swing freely into and out of engagement. The first third of the housing teeth has a flat. If the spindle is jerked upwards in the angularly misaligned state, the spindle teeth will la
REFERENCES:
patent: 4506844 (1985-03-01), Ernst
patent: 4619418 (1986-10-01), Butenop
patent: 4834313 (1989-05-01), Tsukamoto
Autoliv-Kolb GmbH & Co.
Jillions John M.
LandOfFree
Inertial reel assembly for a safety belt does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Inertial reel assembly for a safety belt, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Inertial reel assembly for a safety belt will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-69141