To provide an energy absorbing device, a seat belt retractor, and a seat belt apparatus that can vary an energy absorbing amount depending on increase and decrease of rotation speed between relatively rotating objects and can improve durability. An energy absorbing device includes a casing connected to one object, an annular first clutch disc disposed in the casing, an annular second clutch disc disposed in the casing, and an annular clutch plate connected to the other object and having an engaging surface that faces both the first clutch disc and the second clutch disc, wherein the engaging outer teeth of the first clutch disc and the engaging inner teeth of the second clutch disc alternately engage with the engaging teeth of the clutch plate so as to absorb an energy generated by a relative rotation between one object and the other object.

To provide an energy absorption apparatus, a seatbelt retractor, and a seatbelt apparatus that are capable of changing the energy absorption amount according to increases and decreases in the rotation speed between objects that rotate relative to each other and capable of improving endurance. The energy absorption apparatus includes a first plate connected to one of the objects and having a wave-shaped groove formed in an annular shape, a second plate connected to another one of the objects, disposed so as to be adjacent to the first plate, and having a plurality of radial grooves formed at locations that face the wave-shaped groove, a plurality of driving pins that are inserted, at one end, in the wave-shaped groove and inserted, at another end, in the radial grooves, and a plurality of follower bodies that are housed in the wave-shaped groove or the radial grooves and that slide along the wave-shaped groove as the driving pins move.

Safety belt device, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a roll-up spindle rotatably supported in a frame, on which roll-up spindle a safety belt is held with its one end, wherein the roll-up spindle is biased into a roll-up position, in which the safety belt is rolled up on the roll-up spindle and the safety belt can be rolled off the roll-up spindle against the bias by rotating the roll-up spindle and wherein a torsion rod is provided in the roll-up spindle which is fastened to the roll-up spindle with a first end and which is fastened to the frame with a second end, wherein a plastic material is molded around the torsion rod in the roll-up spindle, wherein at least the second end of the torsion rod is free from the plastic material.

Force absorbing shoulder belt assemblies for vehicle seats, especially aircraft seats, are provided. The shoulder belt assemblies will include a box structure defining an interior space having an open rear end and adapted to being fixed to adjacent vehicle structure, a block of a compressible material positioned within the interior space of the box structure, a rear plate in pressing contact with the rear face of the block of compressible material, and an inertial reel assembly carried by the rear plate and including a shoulder web strap which extends through the rear plate, the block of compressible material and the box structure. When a deceleration force of predetermined magnitude is exerted on the shoulder web strap of the inertial reel, the rear plate will responsively be forcibly pressed against the block of compressible material thereby compressively crushing the compressible material within the box structure to thereby absorb shock force of the shoulder web strap against vehicle seat occupant's torso.

A winding drum used for winding a safety belt extends in the axial direction and is rotatably supported in a frame of a retractor. A gear mechanism is installed at one side of the winding drum through a force limiting mechanism and comprises a stop wheel and a ball gear which are riveted and fixedly connected in the axial direction. The stop wheel is rotatably installed on the frame, and the ball gear comprises a penetrating shaft hole. The force limiting mechanism is inserted into the shaft hole in the axial direction and both ends of the force limiting mechanism are respectively connected with the winding drum and the gear mechanism to prevent passengers from being excessively restrained by realizing the force limiting function. The gear mechanism and the force limiting mechanism are directly assembled to the winding drum, with simple steps and few independent components.

A vehicle including a seatbelt retractor having a frame and a spool. The spool has a first end and a second end each rotatably supported by the frame. The spool is elongated along an axis from the first end to the second end. The seatbelt retractor includes a slider slidably engaged with the frame. The slider is slidable from an undeployed position to a deployed position. The seatbelt retractor includes a post supported by the slider and moveable with the slider between the undeployed position and the deployed position. The post is engaged with the spool in the deployed position and disengaged with the spool in the undeployed position. The seatbelt retractor includes a locking device operatively coupled between the spool and the post to engage the spool with the post.

A seatbelt retractor for a vehicle seatbelt webbing includes a frame. A locking disk is rotatable relative to the frame. A spool is rotatably mounted to the frame and is configured to have the seatbelt webbing wound thereon. A torsion bar is connected to the locking disk and the spool. A band is connected to the locking disk and the spool. The seatbelt retractor has a first state in which the torsion bar and the band each deform to at least partially absorb a load on the seatbelt webbing when the spool rotates relative to the locking disk. The seatbelt retractor has a second state in which the band alone deforms to at least partially absorb the load on the seatbelt webbing when the spool rotates relative to the locking disk. The seatbelt retractor is configured to switch from the first state to the second state.