Belt tightener for a safety belt system in a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545210-B2
Application number	US-202118258099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2021
Priority date	Dec 16, 2020
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A belt tightener for a safety belt system in a motor vehicle comprises at least one electric actuator. A decentralized, independent electric energy store designed to store a sufficient amount of electric energy for operating the actuator is dedicated to the belt tightener.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A belt tightener for a safety belt system in a motor vehicle, comprising
at least one electric actuator operably connected to a seat belt of the safety belt system,
wherein
a decentralized, electric energy store that is independent from a battery system of the motor vehicle and is operably connected to the belt tightener and is configured to store an amount of electric energy sufficient to operate the actuator.

2 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the energy store comprises a battery, an accumulator and/or a capacitor, in particular a supercapacitor.

3 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the energy store comprises at least one high-voltage capacitor having a nominal voltage of at least 100 V.

4 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the energy store is configured to store an amount of energy of at least 100 J.

5 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric actuator comprises an electric motor.

6 . The belt tightener according to claim 5 , wherein the electric motor and belt tightener are configured to reversibly pre-tighten and/or power tighten the seat belt.

7 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric actuator is part of an electromechanical force limiter.

8 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the energy store is configured to store an amount of electrical energy sufficient to perform one or more of the following functions:
reversible belt pretensioning in a pre-accident situation; power tightening in case of unavoidable vehicle impact; electromechanical force limitation.

9 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the energy store has a metallic housing.

10 . The belt tightener according to claim 1 , wherein the energy store is rechargeable by actuation of an electromechanical force limiter.

11 . A belt retractor, comprising
a belt reel rotatably mounted in a housing which can be fixed to a vehicle and on which a safety belt can be wound; and a belt tightener according to claim 1 .

12 . The belt retractor according to claim 11 , wherein the belt retractor is designed and configured for arrangement in a vehicle seat.

13 . The belt retractor according to claim 11 , wherein the belt reel, a force limiter, a gearbox and the electric actuator are arranged coaxially with one another to form a continuous longitudinal axis A.

14 . A belt buckle for a safety belt system in a motor vehicle, wherein the belt buckle has a belt tightener according to claim 1 .

15 . A safety belt end stop for a safety belt system in a motor vehicle, wherein the safety belt end stop has a belt tightener according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Autoliv Dev

Inventors

• Söhnchen Arndt
• Aqeeb Thouseef
• Jabusch Ronald
• Langhoff Hans-Jörg
• Glaesser Antto-Christian
• Ramar Vengatesh
• Cirstea Alexandru
• Ehlers Jens

Classifications

• B60R2022/4666

  characterised by electric actuators · CPC title

• B60R22/195

  with means to tension the belt in an emergency, {e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel type}(electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements {B60R21/01}) · CPC title

• B60R2022/284

  using electric or magnetic braking means · CPC title

• B60R2022/1957

  characterised by electric actuators · CPC title

• B60R22/4604 Primary

  characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt · CPC title