Soft-start piston actuator
US6708914B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 31, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 15, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60R2022/468
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A seatbelt pretensioner (10, 210, 310) with a soft-start piston actuator (50) is provided. The pretensioner (10, 210, 310) cooperates with a webbing reel shaft (112, 212, 312) of a seatbelt retractor webbing reel (not shown). The pretensioner (10, 210, 310) includes a housing (16, 216, 316) with at least one passage, and preferably two volumetrically intersecting perpendicular passages (18, 218, 318; 20, 220, 320). A clutch assembly (30, 230, 330) is fixed within the first passage (18, 218, 318), and a webbing reel shaft (12, 212, 312) extends axially through the clutch assembly (30, 230, 330). A soft-start piston actuator (50) with at least a first pressure surface (54) and a second pressure surface (56) is positioned in the second passage (20, 220, 320), and is actuatable with a gas generant composition (60, 260) that produces pressurized gas upon signaling from a remote sensor (not shown). The pressurized gas pushes the piston actuator (50) through the second passage (20, 220, 320) at a first rate when the smaller of two pressure surfaces (54) is acted upon, and at a second rate when it acts upon the larger of two pressure surfaces (56). Actuation of the piston actuator (50) thu…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.