A retractor of a seat belt apparatus includes a spool that is configured to wind the seat belt while allowing the seat belt to be pulled out, a motor that includes a shaft coupled to the spool and generates a rotational resistance force against the spool rotating in a direction to pull out the seat belt, the rotational resistance force corresponding to the rotation of the spool and the shaft caused by pulling out of the seat belt, a rotational resistance member that is coupled to the spool and generates a rotational resistance force against the spool rotating in the direction to pull out the seat belt when the seat belt is pulled out in the event of vehicle collision, and a reducing mechanism that reduces the rotation of the spool and transmits a reduced rotation to the shaft.

A control device for a vehicle seat belt, includes: a retraction unit that is configured to retract a seat belt through use of a driving force of a motor and to stop retracting the seat belt when the motor is stopped from being driven; an acceleration measurement unit that is configured to measure an acceleration of a vehicle; a state detection unit that is configured to detect whether or not the vehicle is in a stable state while running; and a control unit that is configured to stop driving the motor when the acceleration measured by the acceleration measurement unit during driving of the motor has remained lower than a first set acceleration for at least a first set time and the vehicle has remained in the stable state detected by the state detection unit for at least a second set time.

A method for dynamically securing an occupant strapped into a vehicle seat with a seat belt involves determining a lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a road course ahead of the vehicle. A lateral acceleration to be expected in the course of a bend ahead of the vehicle is predicted based on image data of a vehicle environment acquired by means of at least one camera on the vehicle and/or on the basis of acquired data of a navigation map. In the event that the predicted lateral acceleration exceeds a situation-dependent predetermined trigger threshold for tightening the seat belt, a belt force acting on the seat belt is increased before the lateral acceleration acts on the occupant.

The present invention relates to an ejector clutch (1) for a belt tensioner, comprising a first shaft (10), a second shaft (20), and a coupling part (30), wherein the coupling part (30) is arranged between the first shaft (10) and the second shaft (20) in a longitudinal axis (X) defining an axial direction, wherein the coupling part (30) has at least one clutch finger (40), which engages in a first recess (15) of the first shaft (10) for transmitting a torque (M) and, when a torque (M2) to be transmitted is exceeded, said clutch finger is displaced, against a spring force in the axial direction, from the first recess (15) of the first shaft (10) into a second recess (25) of the second shaft (20). The invention further relates to a belt tensioner with an ejector clutch (1).

A seat belt system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, the system having seat belt webbing connected to a seat belt retractor that includes (a) a frame; (b) a spool with the seat belt webbing wound around, wherein the spool is rotatably mounted to the frame and configured to rotate in a webbing extraction direction and a webbing retraction direction; (c) an energy absorbing device for absorbing energy when the spool is rotated in the webbing extraction direction after an emergency event has occurred; and (d) a mechanism for selectively cancelling the operation of the energy absorbing device by preventing motion of the spool in the webbing extraction direction.

A method for the dynamic fixation of an occupant wearing a seatbelt on a vehicle seat involves determining a lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a road course ahead of the vehicle. The seatbelt is tightened with a predetermined belt force for a predetermined period of time before entering a bend having a certain curvature.

A force to be applied to a seatbelt in response to a deceleration of a vehicle can be produced. Information about the deceleration of the vehicle can be received. A cause of the deceleration can be other than in response to a collision of the vehicle with an object. In response to a receipt of the information, a signal to control an actuator to produce the force can be produced. The actuator can be different from any of a pretensioner of a seatbelt assembly, a load limiter of the seatbelt assembly, and a locking mechanism of a retractor of the seatbelt assembly. A measure of the force can be proportional to a measure of the deceleration. The force can be sufficient to limit a forward movement of a person wearing the seatbelt to be less than a specific distance. The signal can be caused to be communicated to the actuator.

A seatbelt retractor for a seat belt device in a vehicle. The retractor including a frame and a spool. The spool is configured to be fixed to one end of a webbing which is wound around the spool. A pretensioner device configured to rotate the spool in response to an excessive acceleration of the vehicle. The pretensioner device comprises a power transmission element carried in a pretensioner tube that is driven by a piston located in the pretensioner tube. The pretensioner device includes a gas generator for driving the piston into the power transmission element. The pretensioner device includes a seal system that includes a stopper tube located in a downstream end of the pretensioner tube to create a stop location for the piston to prevent operating gas from exiting the end of the pretensioner tube.

A force to be applied to a seatbelt in response to a deceleration of a vehicle can be produced. Information about the deceleration of the vehicle can be received. A cause of the deceleration can be other than in response to a collision of the vehicle with an object. In response to a receipt of the information, a signal to control an actuator to produce the force can be produced. The actuator can be different from any of a pretensioner of a seatbelt assembly, a load limiter of the seatbelt assembly, and a locking mechanism of a retractor of the seatbelt assembly. A measure of the force can be proportional to a measure of the deceleration. The force can be sufficient to limit a forward movement of a person wearing the seatbelt to be less than a specific distance. The signal can be caused to be communicated to the actuator.

A vehicle seatbelt device of an embodiment includes a seatbelt that restrains a portion of the body of a driver of a vehicle, a tension adjustment mechanism that is able to adjust the tension of the seatbelt, and a controller that controls the tension adjustment mechanism such that the tension of the seatbelt varies in response to a sound emitted by a sound instrument.