Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1997-03-03
1998-08-04
Ellis, Christopher P.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
297471, B60R 2228
Patent
active
057882800
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INTENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat belt system. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in a seat belt system having an energy absorbing device to absorb an impact, which acts on an occupant's body, by drawing out a seat belt when a tension, the intensity of which is higher than a predetermined value, is given to the seat belt in the case of emergency of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a three point type seat belt system equipped with a continuous webbing is used as a seat belt system to hold an occupant on a seat of a vehicle safely.
As illustrated in FIG. 11, there is provided a continuous webbing 66 in this type seat belt system. One end portion of this continuous webbing 66 is engaged with a retractor (winding device) 60, and the other end portion passes through a through-anchor 13 and is engaged with an anchor plate 14 supported by a lower end portion of a center pillar 18. There is provided a through-tongue 12 in an intermediate portion between the anchor plate 14 and the through-anchor 13. When this through-tongue 12 is engaged with a buckle 11 vertically arranged at a substantial center of the vehicle body, the occupant is restricted on a seat 21. In the above arrangement, the continuous webbing 66 includes: a shoulder belt 66a to hold the breast and shoulder of the occupant between the through-tongue 12 and the through-anchor 13; and a lap belt 66b to fix the waist of the occupant between the through-tongue 12 and the anchor plate 14.
On the other hand, there is provided a retractor composing the above seat belt system which has an emergency lock mechanism to lock a rotation of a winding shaft around which the webbing is wound in the webbing drawing direction in the case of emergency.
However, when an intensity of the impact force is very high in the case of collision, the tension given to the webbing is increased. Accordingly, a sudden deceleration is given to the occupant's body, so that a very heavy load is applied to the occupant by the webbing. The above circumstances are the same as those of a seat belt system having a clamp device by which the webbing is prevented from being drawn out by holding the webbing in the case of emergency. Also, the above circumstances are the same as those of a seat belt system having a pre-tensioner mechanism by which looseness of the webbing is removed by winding in the webbing in the case of emergency so that the occupant can be restricted on a seat in the initial stage of collision.
In order to solve the above problems, there have been proposed various seat belt systems having an energy absorbing mechanism, in which the seat belt is drawn out by a predetermined length when a load given to the webbing exceeds a predetermined value so that an impact given to the occupant's body can be absorbed by the energy absorbing mechanism and the safety of the occupant's body can be more positively ensured.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Sho 64-14454 discloses a retractor having an energy absorbing mechanism which absorbs an impact force acting on the occupant's body as follows. When a tension, the intensity of which is higher than a predetermined value, is given to the webbing, a deformation member attached to a winding shaft around which the webbing is wound is deformed, so that a winding diameter of the webbing can be reduced and the webbing can be drawn out so as to absorb an impact force given to the occupant's body.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. Hei 3-197257 and Hei 4-252761 and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Hei 4-43550 disclose a retractor having a clamp. This retractor having a clamp operates to protect the occupant's body more positively as follows. When a tension, the intensity of which is higher than a predetermined value, is applied to the webbing, a portion of the rotational holding member to hold the webbing is plastically deformed, or alternatively a case (retractor base)
REFERENCES:
patent: 5154368 (1992-10-01), Fujimura et al.
patent: 5529343 (1996-06-01), Klink
patent: 5544918 (1996-08-01), Fleming et al.
patent: 5547223 (1996-08-01), Koketsu et al.
patent: 5658012 (1997-08-01), Villarreal et al.
Ellis Christopher P.
NSK Ltd.
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