Seat belt retractor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12139099-B2
Application number	US-202418600170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2024
Priority date	Mar 9, 2023
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

A seat belt retractor includes a housing including a pair of side walls facing each other, a winding drum configured to wind up a webbing, a locking base prevented from being rotated in the pull-out direction, in an emergency of a vehicle, an impact energy absorbing member including a first end side coupled to the winding drum and a second end side coupled to the locking base, the impact energy absorbing member connecting the winding drum and the locking base so as to be integrally rotatable, in a normal state, at least one impact energy absorbing wire housed in at least one slot that is provided in the winding drum, and a stopper member configured to define an allowable amount of relative rotation between the winding drum and the locking base in a case where the impact energy absorbing member absorbs the impact energy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat belt retractor comprising:
a housing including a pair of side walls facing each other;
a winding drum configured to wind up a webbing, the winding drum being housed between the pair of side walls so as to be rotatable in a winding direction and a pull-out direction of the webbing, the winding drum having a center hole opened on at least a first end surface of the winding drum;
a locking base disposed to face the first end surface of the winding drum, the locking base being prevented from being rotated in the pull-out direction, in an emergency of a vehicle, a male screw being formed on an outer circumferential surface of a shaft portion, of the locking base, coaxial with the winding drum;
an impact energy absorbing member including one end side coupled to the winding drum and the other end side coupled to the locking base, the impact energy absorbing member connecting the winding drum and the locking base so as to be integrally rotatable, in a normal state, and the impact energy absorbing member being configured to be plastically deformed in a case where a pull-out force of the webbing exceeds a predetermined value in a state where the locking base is prevented from being rotated in the pull-out direction, so as to absorb impact energy while allowing relative rotation between the winding drum and the locking base;
at least one impact energy absorbing wire housed in at least one slot that is provided in the winding drum so as to form an opening in the first end surface of the winding drum, a head portion of the at least one impact energy absorbing wire that protrudes from the opening of the slot being attached to the locking base, the at least one impact energy absorbing wire being configured to be pulled out from the opening while being plastically deformed in a case where the winding drum and the locking base are relatively rotated, so as to absorb the impact energy; and
a stopper member being held in the center hole of the winding drum without being rotatable relative to the winding drum and so as to be movable in an axial direction of the winding drum, the stopper member being screwed onto the male screw of the locking base, and the stopper member being configured to define an allowable amount of relative rotation between the winding drum and the locking base in a case where the impact energy absorbing member absorbs the impact energy,
wherein the locking base includes three or more holding portions that are separated from each other in a circumferential direction around a rotation center of the winding drum,
the number of the holding portions is larger than the number of slots, and
the head portion of the at least one impact energy absorbing wire is attached to at least one of the holding portions.

2. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the locking base includes a flange facing the first end surface of the winding drum, and
the holding portions are grooves opened outward in a radial direction, the grooves being provided in the flange.

3. The seat belt retractor according to claim 2 ,
wherein the head portion of the at least one impact energy absorbing wire includes a coming-off prevention portion having a width larger than that of the groove, the coming-off prevention portion being located on a side opposite to the winding drum with respect to the flange.

4. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the locking base includes:
a locking base main body; and
a drive wheel attached to the locking base main body,

the seat belt retractor further includes a pretensioner configured to rotate the winding drum in the winding direction, via the drive wheel, the locking base main body, and the impact energy absorbing member, in the emergency of the vehicle, and
the holding portions are provided in the drive wheel.

5. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the stopper member is configured to be inserted into the center hole in a plurality of attachment postures in which the stopper member is rotated at a predetermined angular interval, and
the holding portions are separated from each other at an angular interval smaller than the predetermined angular interval.

Assignees

• Ashimori Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yokoyama Taro
• Suminaka Satoshi
• Ijiri Takayoshi
• Kurauchi Noriko
• Fujiwara Eri
• HIJIKATA Daiki

Classifications

• B60R2022/287

  of torsion rods or tubes · CPC title

• B60R22/28

  incorporating energy-absorbing devices {(belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676)} · CPC title

• B60R22/4676 Primary

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

• B60R22/343

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

• B60R22/4628

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