Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With spring motor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-04-17
Matecki, Katherine A. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With spring motor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216974
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat belt retractor, and particularly relates to an emergency locking mechanism in a vehicle seat belt retractor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A seat belt system for restraining an occupant of a vehicle ordinarily includes seat belt webbing, a seat belt buckle, and a seat belt retractor. A tongue on the webbing is releasably lockable in the buckle when the webbing is extended around the vehicle occupant. The retractor includes a spool upon which the webbing is wound. The spool rotates in an unwinding direction when the vehicle occupant extracts the webbing from the retractor and moves the webbing toward the extended position in which the tongue is locked in the buckle. When the tongue is subsequently unlocked and released from the buckle, a rewind spring in the retractor rotates the spool in a winding direction to retract the webbing into the retractor.
The occupant may move forcefully against the webbing when the vehicle experiences a crash. The force that the occupant applies to the webbing urges the webbing to move outward from the retractor. Therefore, a seat belt retractor typically includes an emergency locking mechanism which is actuated in response to a vehicle crash condition. The emergency locking mechanism then blocks unwinding rotation of the spool to prevent the webbing from moving outward from the retractor.
An emergency locking mechanism may include an inertia weight. The inertia weight is movable under the influence of sudden vehicle deceleration that is caused by a crash. Such an emergency locking mechanism is actuated when the inertia weight moves from an unactuated position to an actuated position. Accordingly, the retractor is mounted in the vehicle in an orientation in which the inertia weight normally rests in the unactuated position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus comprises a first structure having a seat surface configured to engage and support an inertia weight for inertial movement under the influence of a vehicle crash condition. The apparatus further comprises a second structure configured to support the first structure in a vehicle seat belt retractor.
The first structure has an arcuate array of first orientation teeth. The second structure has an arcuate array of second orientation teeth. The second orientation teeth are configured to receive the first orientation teeth in meshing engagement in any selected one of a plurality of different circumferential orientations relative to the arcuate array of second orientation teeth.
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patent: 4844374 (1989-07-01), Mori
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Cendejas Luis
Frank Matthew C.
Karolli, Sundheim, Covell, Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
Matecki Katherine A.
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
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