An energy absorbing seat belt retractor used with a seat belt assembly of a motor vehicle. The seat belt retractor includes a reel for winding and unwinding the seat belt and an elongated shaft, with the reel attached to the shaft. In one example, a movable disc is connected to and moves longitudinally along the shaft. At least one of the reel or movable disc includes a friction layer providing a friction surface such that when the movable disc is driven axially toward the real there is frictional engagement between the reel and movable disc that absorbs impact energy on the occupant and limits the load applied to the seat belt.

In a bait retractor (10) comprising a frame (12), a sensor (16) for vehicle-sensitive blocking including a sensor lever (22), a belt reel (14) and a rocker arm (30) coupled to the belt reel (14) via a coupling (32) which is adjustable between a home position in which the sensor lever (22) is blocked and an extended position in which the sensor lever (22) is released, the coupling (32) is a wrap spring coupling comprising a drive element (34) coupled to the belt reel (14) as well as a driven element (40) connected to the rocker arm (30), wherein the drive element (34) and the driven element (40) include a respective annular outer friction surface (38, 44) and are arranged concentrically to each other and a coil spring (46) is provided which contacts the friction surfaces (38, 44) and couples the driven element (40) to the drive element (34).

In a bait retractor (10) comprising a frame (12), a sensor (16) for vehicle-sensitive blocking including a sensor lever (22), a belt reel (14) and a rocker arm (30) coupled to the belt reel (14) via a coupling (32) which is adjustable between a home position in which the sensor lever (22) is blocked and an extended position in which the sensor lever (22) is released, the coupling (32) is a wrap spring coupling comprising a drive element (34) coupled to the belt reel (14) as well as a driven element (40) connected to the rocker arm (30), wherein the drive element (34) and the driven element (40) include a respective annular outer friction surface (38, 44) and are arranged concentrically to each other and a coil spring (46) is provided which contacts the friction surfaces (38, 44) and couples the driven element (40) to the drive element (34).

To provide a seat belt retractor and a seat belt device capable of shortening time taken to restrict rotation of a spool. A seat belt retractor according to the present invention includes a spool 2, a base frame 3, a spring unit 4, a vehicle sensor 5, a locking mechanism 6, and a pretensioner 7. The locking mechanism 6 includes a lock gear 61 and a retainer 62. The lock gear 61 includes an outer circumferential wall 61a that is disposed at an end portion of the spool 2 and engageable with the vehicle sensor 5. The retainer 62 includes an inner circumferential wall 62a disposed on the inner side of the outer circumferential wall 61a and a side wall 62e that defines a space accommodating the lock gear 61. The lock gear 61 becomes engaged with the inner circumferential wall 62a or the side wall 62e of the retainer 62 when the lock gear 61 becomes eccentric relative to the retainer 62.

To provide a seat belt retractor and a seat belt device capable of shortening time taken to restrict rotation of a spool. A seat belt retractor according to the present invention includes a spool 2, a base frame 3, a spring unit 4, a vehicle sensor 5, a locking mechanism 6, and a pretensioner 7. The locking mechanism 6 includes a lock gear 61 and a retainer 62. The lock gear 61 includes an outer circumferential wall 61a that is disposed at an end portion of the spool 2 and engageable with the vehicle sensor 5. The retainer 62 includes an inner circumferential wall 62a disposed on the inner side of the outer circumferential wall 61a and a side wall 62e that defines a space accommodating the lock gear 61. The lock gear 61 becomes engaged with the inner circumferential wall 62a or the side wall 62e of the retainer 62 when the lock gear 61 becomes eccentric relative to the retainer 62.

A webbing winding device includes a spool, a sensor lever, and a solenoid. The sensor lever is displaceable between the first position and the second position. In a state where the sensor lever is disposed at the first position, the rotation in the drawing-out direction of the spool is enabled, and in a state where the sensor lever is disposed at the second position, the rotation in the drawing-out direction of the spool is locked. When the solenoid is actuated, a part of the sensor lever is attracted and the sensor lever is displaced from the first position to the second position. The center of gravity of the sensor lever is set so that the sensor lever is displaced toward the second position when negative acceleration with respect to the direction in which a part of the sensor lever is attracted to the solenoid is generated in the sensor lever.

A webbing winding device includes a spool, a sensor lever, and a solenoid. The sensor lever is displaceable between the first position and the second position. In a state where the sensor lever is disposed at the first position, the rotation in the drawing-out direction of the spool is enabled, and in a state where the sensor lever is disposed at the second position, the rotation in the drawing-out direction of the spool is locked. When the solenoid is actuated, a part of the sensor lever is attracted and the sensor lever is displaced from the first position to the second position. The center of gravity of the sensor lever is set so that the sensor lever is displaced toward the second position when negative acceleration with respect to the direction in which a part of the sensor lever is attracted to the solenoid is generated in the sensor lever.

A seat belt retractor including a fixed frame connected to a vehicle body; a spool mounted on the fixed frame so as to be rotatable about a shaft arranged in a predetermined direction, in which a seat belt is wound around the spool; a control disc connected to the shaft about which the spool rotates to rotate together with the spool, and having external teeth; a vehicle sensor unit for detecting a change in acceleration of a vehicle by a fluctuation of an inertial member to prevent the control disc from rotating; and an installation member coupled to a housing which is coupled to one sidewall of the fixed frame, wherein the vehicle sensor unit is directly and rotatably coupled to the installation member.

A seat belt retractor including a fixed frame connected to a vehicle body; a spool mounted on the fixed frame so as to be rotatable about a shaft arranged in a predetermined direction, in which a seat belt is wound around the spool; a control disc connected to the shaft about which the spool rotates to rotate together with the spool, and having external teeth; a vehicle sensor unit for detecting a change in acceleration of a vehicle by a fluctuation of an inertial member to prevent the control disc from rotating; and an installation member coupled to a housing which is coupled to one sidewall of the fixed frame, wherein the vehicle sensor unit is directly and rotatably coupled to the installation member.

On a belt retractor (10) for a vehicle seat belt comprising a frame (12) provided with plural locking teeth (24), a belt reel (14) which is rotatably supported in the frame (12) and includes a locking tooth system (26) corresponding to the locking teeth (24), and comprising a locking mechanism adapted to transfer the belt reel (14) from a home position in which it is freely rotatable into a locking position in which the locking tooth system (26) of the belt reel (14) engages in the locking teeth (24) of the frame (12), wherein at least one pivoting control lever (28) is provided in which one side of the belt reel (14) is rotatably supported and which is adapted to guide the belt reel (14) from the home position into the locking position, an interlock mechanism is provided which releases the pivoting movement of the control lever (28) not before the latter has been rotated in the unwinding direction (A) of the webbing out of a home position into a release position.