Seatbelt retractor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12043208-B2
Application number	US-202117140278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2021
Priority date	Jan 15, 2018
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A system includes a seatbelt retractor having a spool and a braking claw selectively engageable with the spool. The system includes an actuator designed to inhibit engagement of the braking claw with the spool. The system includes a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to actuate the actuator to inhibit engagement of the braking claw with the spool for a threshold amount of time after detecting an impact of a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising, a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to:
actuate an actuator to inhibit rotational restriction of a spool relative to a housing of a seatbelt retractor for a threshold amount of time after detecting an impact of a vehicle; and
actuate the actuator to permit rotational restriction of the spool relative to the housing after the threshold amount of time has lapsed.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold amount of time is based on a detected force of the impact.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold amount of time is based on a type of the impact.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the type of the impact is one of a front impact, an oblique impact, and a side impact.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold amount of time is based on a speed of the vehicle when the impact is detected.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold amount of time is between 20 and 30 milliseconds.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate a seatbelt pretensioner before actuating the actuator to inhibit rotational restriction of the spool relative to the housing.

8. A method comprising:
inhibiting rotational restriction of a spool relative to a housing of a seatbelt retractor for a threshold amount of time after detecting an impact of a vehicle; and
permitting rotational restriction of the spool relative to the housing after the threshold amount of time has lapsed.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the threshold amount of time is based on a detected force of the impact.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the threshold amount of time is based on a type of the impact.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the type of the impact is one of a front impact, an oblique impact, and a side impact.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the threshold amount of time is based on a speed of the vehicle when the impact is detected.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the threshold amount of time is between 20 milliseconds and 30 milliseconds.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising actuating a seatbelt pretensioner before inhibiting rotational restriction of the spool relative to the housing.

15. A system comprising, a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to:
actuate an actuator to inhibit rotational restriction of a spool relative to a housing of a seatbelt retractor for a threshold amount of time after detecting an impact of a vehicle; and
actuate the actuator to permit rotational restriction of the spool relative to the housing after the threshold amount of time has lapsed;
wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate a seatbelt pretensioner before actuating the actuator to inhibit rotational restriction of the spool relative to the housing.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jaradi Dean M
• Faruque Mohammad Omar
• Farooq S M Iskander

Classifications

• B60R2022/4666

  characterised by electric actuators · CPC title

• B60R2021/01013

  Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over · CPC title

• B60R22/343

  with electrically actuated locking means {(B60R22/3405 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R22/40

  responsive only to vehicle movement · CPC title

• B60R22/41 Primary

  with additional means for preventing locking {during unwinding} under predetermined conditions · CPC title