Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With spring motor
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-10
2003-11-04
Matecki, Kathy (Department: 3654)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With spring motor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641078
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a seat belt retractor with an automatic locking mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional seat belt retractor passes around a vehicle occupant's body and effects a positive restraining force in an emergency by locking to prevent belt protraction when emergency conditions are detected by sensors in the seat belt retractor. Under non-emergency conditions, the seat belt retractor allows seat belt webbing to be paid out permitting the vehicle occupant to move relatively freely in the seat.
A problem arises when a child seat is to be attached in a vehicle seat fitted with such a seat belt retractor since safety regulations require the child seat be fixedly mounted in the vehicle and thus the seat belt retractor must be permanently in a locked condition. Thus, seat belt retractors have been produced with an automatic locking mechanism that can be engaged when a child seat is to be installed. Usually, the automatic locking mechanism is engaged by pulling out a predetermined amount of webbing, generally of the order of a least 90% of the webbing wound on the retractor. This action activates the automatic locking mechanism that locks the seat belt retractor against pay out but allows the webbing to be retracted so that the belt can be adjusted to the correct size for the child seat. The automatic locking mechanism is disengaged when the webbing is fully wound back onto the seat belt retractor.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
Various mechanisms for an automatic locking mechanism have been proposed. All require some form of step-down gearing to translate a large number of turns of a retractor spool, as the webbing is unwound into a much smaller number of turns of a member which actuates the automatic locking mechanism. A cycloidal gear arrangement is particularly suitable. One such arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,197 which uses a cycloidal gear arranged to rotate at a slower speed than the retractor spool. An actuator pawl is biased by a spring to two separate positions. One position moves a locking pawl to engage a ratchet and stop further protraction of the webbing from the spool. In the other position the actuator pawl has no effect and the seat belt retractor is free to operate in an emergency locking mode as normal. An axially extending actuator tab on the cycloidal gear moves the actuator lever between the two positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is provided in accordance with the present invention a seat belt retractor comprising: a rotatably mounted spool for supporting seat belt webbing; an emergency locking mechanism for selectively locking the spool against rotation; an automatic locking mechanism for selectively locking the spool against pay out of the webbing; a switch having a first position for activating the automatic locking mechanism in dependence upon a predetermined amount of webbing being wound off the spool; a second position for deactivating the automatic locking mechanism in dependence upon a predetermined amount of webbing being wound back onto the spool; a gear for connecting the spool with the switch mechanism; the switch mechanism comprising a first and a second actuator tab on the gear; and a pivotally mounted actuator member; having an actuator pawl for locking the spool and parts engaging with the first and second tabs to move the switch between the first and second positions, wherein the tabs and the engaging parts are radially oriented in line, one with the other.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4811912 (1989-03-01), Takada
patent: 4817885 (1989-04-01), Matsumoto
patent: 4948066 (1990-08-01), Matsumoto et al.
patent: 5518197 (1996-05-01), Gray
patent: 5931401 (1999-08-01), Rink
patent: 6405963 (2002-06-01), Specht et al.
Breed Automotive Technology Inc.
Drayer Lonnie
Kim Sang
Matecki Kathy
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