Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With spring motor
Patent
1998-12-17
1999-11-30
Jillions, John M.
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With spring motor
B60R 2234
Patent
active
059927860
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a retractor for vehicle safety restraint systems and particularly to noise reduction in such a retractor.
A vehicle safety restraint retractor traditionally comprises a spool assembly onto which belt webbing is wound for storage. The spool rotates about its axis every time the belt is put on by an occupant, during normal wear when the occupant moves about in the seat, e.g. to reach forward for a map or to adjust the radio, and also when the seat belt is unbuckled after use and allowed to retract back onto the spool under action of the retraction return spring. In a crash situation however the retractor locks, preventing pay-out of belt webbing from the spool.
To allow this required movement of the spool, manufacturing tolerances are such that a small axial movement of the spool can occur, particularly when the vehicle rides over an uneven or bumpy road surface. This results in the spool ends impacting against the spool housing end stops with a resultant noise. This noise is becoming less acceptable to car owners.
According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle safety restraint retractor comprising a spool for storage of belt webbing, the spool having an axle; a housing, supporting the spool for rotation about the axle, to pay out and to rewind belt webbing about the spool, the housing having bushings supporting the spool at each end of the axle and there being a cover for each end of the spool axle wherein a resilient biasing member is arranged at one side of the spool to urge the spool axle towards at least one of the covers to take up axial tolerances in the spool mounting.
A retractor can be constructed according to the invention to substantially reduce levels of noise in normal operation.
Preferably the resilient biasing member comprises a wave washer spring and it may advantageously be positioned at the spring end of the spool, for example between the spool and the spool arbour cap, which in turn abuts the spring cover.
The resilient biasing reduces both axial and radial float of the spool thus reducing noise.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a retractor according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of part of FIG. 1 for different positions of the spool.
FIG. 1 shows belt webbing 1 extending down a side of the vehicle and being wound at one end round spool 2. The spool 2 is mounted for rotation about axis 3 in spool housing or frame 4. The frame 4 is fixed to the vehicle by a bolt (not shown) inserted through fixing hole 5.
On one side (in FIG. 1, the right hand side) of the retractor is located the winding and locking mechanism and the crash sensors (not shown) of well known construction. The mechanism and sensor are protected by mechanism cover 6, and the stub axle 11 extends into this area and is engageable with sliding axial clearance by a pin of the cover 6 engaging a hole in the stub axle 11. The limit of spool travel on this mechanism side is indicated at 12.
At the other side (In FIG. 1, the left hand side) of the spool is located a retraction spring (not shown) which is traditionally a clock spring biasing the spool in a belt rewinding direction. The retraction spring is protected by spring cover 7. The spring side stub axle 11 of the spool 2 is covered by an arbour cap 9 and this abuts the spring cover 7. A wave washer 10 is threaded over the stub 11, concentric with axis 3 between the spring side end of spool 2 and the arbour cap 9. The limit of spool travel on this spring side is indicated at 13.
In FIG. 2 this is shown more clearly: like parts are indicated by like reference numbers. Line A shows the direction of axial movement and of normal variations in tolerances of the spool in normal use. The unbroken lines indicate the spring 10 extended when the spool assembly is in its mini
REFERENCES:
patent: 4136841 (1979-01-01), Fohl
patent: 4223853 (1980-09-01), Ernst
patent: 4364528 (1982-12-01), Yanagihara
patent: 4366934 (1983-01-01), Seifert et al.
Palliser Martyn N.
Wilson Stuart
Breed Automotive Technology Inc.
Jillions John M.
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