Safety-belt retractor mechanism

US6131843A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Autoliv Development AB · SE

Inventors

• Klaus-Peter Singer · Hamburg, DE
• Rene Rade · Pinneberg, DE
• Franz Fugel · Halstenbek, DE
• Enno Whitfeld · Hamburg, DE
• Arnaud Drouin · Val-de-Reuil, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 29, 1998
• Grant date: Oct 17, 2000
• Expiry date: Apr 29, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R2022/287
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A safety belt retractor mechanism has a housing and a spool rotatably mounted in the housing. A safety belt is wound onto the spool in a retracted position. A locking mechanism locks the spool in order to prevent further rotation of the spool when an accident occurs. A load-limiting device enables belt pull-out from the spool to a limited extent after activation of the locking mechanism. The load limiting device has a torsion bar having a first and a second end. The torsion bar is connected with the first end to the spool and with the second end to the locking mechanism. A rotation-limiting device for limiting an angle of rotation of the spool relative to the locking mechanism is provided. The locking mechanism has a locking head having a locking element. The locking head is connected to the torsion bar and thereby connects the spool to the locking mechanism. The rotation-limiting device is located between the locking head and an end face of the spool facing the locking head. The rotation-limiting device constitutes a load-transmitting connection between the spool and the locking head after the angle of rotation of the spool relative to the locking head has been completed. A frangi…