Belt tensioner for a safety belt system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011246-B2
Application number	US-201415034899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2014
Priority date	Nov 8, 2013
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A belt tensioner for a seat belt system comprises a pinion ( 10 ) pivoted about an axis of rotation A which is adapted to be coupled to a best reel of a belt retractor, a drive unit, a force transmission element ( 12 ) and a guide means. By activating the drive unit the force transmission element ( 12 ) is moved along the guide means so that it engages in the pinion ( 10 ). The guide means includes a portion ( 16 ) which is deformable in a direction x perpendicular to the axis of rotation A of the pinion ( 10 ) and to the direction of movement y of the force transmission element ( 12 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A belt tensioner for a seat belt system, comprising:
a pinion ( 10 ) pivoted about an axis of rotation A which is adapted to be coupled to a belt reel of a belt retractor,
a drive unit,
a force transmission element ( 12 ) and
a guide means,
wherein the force transmission element ( 12 ) is moved along the guide means by activation of the drive unit so that the force transmission element ( 12 ) engages in the pinion ( 10 ),
and wherein the guide means includes a guide portion ( 16 ) which is adapted to be deformed in a direction x perpendicular to the axis of rotation A of the pinion ( 10 ) and to a direction of movement y of the force transmission element ( 12 ).

2. The belt tensioner according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion ( 16 ) is arranged in an area of the guide means in which the force transmission element ( 12 ) engages in the pinion ( 10 ).

3. The belt tensioner according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion ( 16 ) is part of a pressure cylinder ( 14 ) in which the force transmission element ( 12 ) is accommodated.

4. The belt tensioner according to claim 3 , wherein the guide portion ( 16 ) rests on a housing wall ( 18 ), wherein the guide portion ( 16 ) is spaced from an indentation ( 22 ) of the housing wall ( 18 ) by a gap ( 20 ).

5. The belt tensioner according to claim 4 , wherein a width of the gap ( 20 ) in the direction x is not larger than a thickness of the guide portion ( 16 ) in the direction x.

6. The belt tensioner according to claim 4 , wherein the indentation ( 22 ) has a front edge ( 24 ) related to the direction of movement y of the force transmission element ( 12 ) about which edge the guide portion ( 16 ) is bent during deformation thereof.

7. The belt tensioner according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion ( 16 ) rests on a housing wall ( 18 ), wherein a central part of the guide portion ( 16 ) faces a recess of the housing wall ( 18 ).

8. The belt tensioner according to claim 7 , wherein in an area of the recess an elastic support for the guide portion ( 16 ) is provided.

9. The belt tensioner according to claim 1 , wherein the force transmission element ( 12 ) is made of a substantially deformable material.

10. The belt tensioner according to claim 1 , wherein teeth of the pinion ( 10 ) dig into material of the force transmission element ( 12 ) during force transmission.

11. The belt tensioner according to claim 1 , wherein the force transmission element includes at least one integral portion a length of which is a multiple of a diameter of the at least one integral portion.

12. The belt tensioner according to claim 9 , wherein the substantially deformable material is an elastomeric material.

Assignees

• Trw Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Landbeck Adrian
• Waidmann Alexander
• Hofmann Bernd

Classifications

• B60R22/4633

  Linear actuators, e.g. comprising a piston moving along reel axis and rotating along its own axis · CPC title

• B60R22/4676

  comprising energy-absorbing means operating between belt reel and retractor frame · CPC title

• B60R2022/468

  characterised by clutching means between actuator and belt reel · CPC title

• B60R22/4628 Primary

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