Pressure unit and end fitting having a pressure unit of this type

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10000185-B2
Application number	US-201515319395-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a pressure unit ( 64 ) for pressurizing a belt shaft ( 12 ) in a seat belt system comprising a screw ( 66 ) for fastening the pressure unit ( 64 ) to a frame ( 18 ) of the seat belt system, the screw ( 66 ) including a screw head ( 68 ) and a screw shank ( 70 ), wherein the pressure unit ( 64 ) comprises a fastening portion ( 72 ) having a screw hole ( 74 ) for inserting the screw shank ( 70 ), wherein radial play is provided between the screw hole ( 74 ) and the screw shank ( 70 ) and the fastening portion ( 72 ) on the screw head side includes mounting arms ( 76 ) for axially fixing the screw ( 66 ) in a pre-assembly position. Moreover, the invention also comprises an end fitting ( 11 ) of a seat belt system comprising such pressure unit ( 64 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pressure unit for pressurizing a belt shaft ( 12 ) in a seat belt system comprising a screw ( 66 ) for fastening the pressure unit ( 64 ) to a frame ( 18 ) of the seat belt system,
wherein the screw ( 66 ) includes a screw head ( 68 ) and a screw shank ( 70 ),
wherein the pressure unit ( 64 ) comprises a fastening portion ( 72 ) including a screw hole ( 74 ) for inserting the screw shank ( 70 ),
and wherein between the screw hole ( 74 ) and the screw shank ( 70 ) radial play is provided and the fastening portion ( 72 ) on the screw head side includes mounting arms ( 76 ) for axially fixing the screw ( 66 ) in a pre-assembly position.

2. The pressure unit according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening portion ( 72 ) includes a first frame-side contact surface ( 82 ) and an axially opposed second screw head-side contact surface ( 84 ), wherein the end ( 86 ) of the screw ( 66 ) facing away from the screw head ( 68 ) in the pre-assembly position is arranged axially between a free end ( 88 ) of the mounting arms ( 76 ) and the first contact surface ( 82 ) of the fastening portion ( 72 ).

3. The pressure unit according to claim 1 , wherein the screw ( 66 ) is a collar screw and in the axial direction includes a screw collar ( 90 ) between the screw head ( 68 ) and the screw shank ( 70 ), wherein a diameter (d) of the screw collar ( 90 ) is between a diameter of the screw shank ( 70 ) and a diameter of the screw head ( 68 ).

4. The pressure unit according to claim 3 , wherein the minimum dimension (S min ) of the screw hole ( 74 ) perpendicularly to a shank axis (A) of the screw ( 66 ) is larger than the diameter (d) of the screw collar ( 90 ) and smaller than the diameter of the screw head ( 68 ).

5. The pressure unit according to claim 3 , wherein the thickness (t) of the fastening portion ( 72 ) is slightly larger than the length (l) of the screw collar ( 90 ).

6. The pressure unit according to claim 3 , wherein the screw collar ( 90 ) includes a groove ( 92 ) peripheral in the circumferential direction, wherein in the pre-assembly position of the screw ( 66 ) the mounting arms ( 76 ) of the pressure unit ( 64 ) engage in said groove ( 92 ).

7. The pressure unit according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting arms ( 76 ) are radially elastic spring arms.

8. The pressure unit according to claim 7 , wherein the mounting arms ( 76 ) have inclined surfaces ( 94 ) facing the screw head ( 68 ) along which the screw head ( 68 ), when axially loaded, may slide in the direction of the first frame-side contact surface ( 82 ).

9. The pressure unit according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure unit ( 64 ) comprises a plastic member ( 78 ) formed integrally with the fastening portion ( 72 ).

10. The pressure unit according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one spring element ( 80 ) is partly surrounded by injection molding with a plastic material of the plastic member ( 78 ) in the form of an injection-molded part.

11. An end fitting of a seat belt system for automotive vehicles comprising:
a pressure unit ( 64 ) according to claim 1 ,
a frame ( 18 ) made from metal and having a threaded hole ( 96 ) for fastening the pressure unit ( 64 ) to the frame ( 18 ), and
a belt shaft ( 12 ) being rotatably supported in the frame ( 18 ) about a belt shaft axis,
wherein the screw ( 66 ) extends in a fastening position with radial play through the screw hole ( 74 ) of the pressure unit ( 64 ) and is screwed into the threaded hole ( 96 ) of the frame ( 18 ).

12. The end fitting according to claim 11 , wherein the screw ( 66 ) is a collar screw and in the axial direction between the screw head ( 68 ) and the screw shank ( 70 ) includes a screw collar ( 90 ), wherein a diameter (d) of the screw collar ( 90 ) is between a diameter of the screw shank ( 70 ) and a diameter of the screw head ( 68 ), wherein the screw head ( 68 ) on the collar side has a contact surface ( 98 ) for the fastening portion ( 72 ) and the screw collar ( 90 ) on the shank side has a contact surface ( 100 ) for the frame ( 18 ).

13. The end fitting according to claim 12 , wherein the thickness (t) of the fastening portion ( 72 ) is slightly larger than the length (l) of the screw collar ( 90 ), wherein in the fastening position of the screw ( 66 ) the contact surface ( 98 ) of the screw head ( 68 ) contacts the fastening portion ( 72 ) and the contact surface ( 100 ) of the screw collar ( 90 ) contacts the frame ( 18 ).

14. The pressure unit according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure unit ( 64 ) comprises at least one spring element ( 80 ) for loading the belt shaft ( 12 ) of the seat belt system.

Assignees

• Trw Automotive Gmbh
• Trw Polska Sp Zo O

Inventors

• Seitzer Dominik
• Gorecki Pawel
• Kacprzak Michal

Classifications

• F16B41/002

  Measures against loss of bolts, nuts or pins (devices for fastening nuts to surfaces F16B37/04) · CPC title

• B60R22/4628

  characterised by fluid actuators, e.g. pyrotechnic gas generators (actuating a cable B60R22/4619) · CPC title

• B60R2022/4642

  the gas directly propelling a flexible driving means, e.g. a plurality of successive masses, in a tubular chamber · CPC title

• B60R22/4619 Primary

  Transmission of tensioning power by cable, e.g. using a clutch on reel side · CPC title