BELT-TENSIONER CABLE-GUIDING PART, AND BELT TENSIONER

Abstract

On a belt tensioner cable guide member (10) comprising a guide duct (42) for a cable of a belt tensioner and comprising a pressure duct (40) for fluid communication between an inflator and a pressure chamber to which a displacement body to be driven and being coupled to the cable is assigned, a first sealing element (44) sealing the guide duct (42) against the cable and especially enclosing the cable in the peripheral direction is provided within the guide duct (42).

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A belt tensioner cable guide member comprising a guide duct (42) for a cable (20) of a belt tensioner (12) and comprising a pressure duct (40) for fluid communication between an inflator (14) and a pressure chamber (18) to which a displacement body (60) to be driven and being coupled to the cable (20) is assigned, wherein a first sealing element (44) which seals the guide duct (42) against the cable (20), especially encloses the cable (20) in the circumferential direction, is provided in the guide duct (42), and wherein it is a multi-component injection molded part and at least one sealing element (36, 38, 44) is attached by injection molding.

14. The belt tensioner cable guide member according to claim 13, wherein the belt tensioner cable guide member (10) includes a support member (22) consisting of a first especially fiber-reinforced plastic material.

15. The belt tensioner cable guide member according to claim 14, wherein the first sealing element (44) is hose-shaped and is made of elastic material, wherein the first sealing element (44) is retained in the support member (22) by adhesive bonding and/or by form closure.

16. The belt tensioner cable guide member according claim 13, wherein the first sealing element (44) includes at least one sealing lip (46) having a reduced diameter which is provided especially at an axial end of the first sealing element (44).

17. The belt tensioner cable guide member according to claim 13, wherein it includes a connecting end (26) for the pressure chamber (18) and a second sealing element (36) at the connecting end (26).

18. The belt tensioner cable guide member according to claim 13, wherein it includes a port (24) for an inflator (14) to be arranged which is adapted to provide pressurized fluid.

19. The belt tensioner cable guide member according to claim 18, wherein the pressure duct (40) in portions extends in parallel to the guide duct (42).

20. The belt tensioner cable guide member according to claim 18, wherein the port (24) for the inflator (14) and the connecting end (26) for the pressure chamber (18) are arranged at right angles with each other.

21. The belt tensioner cable guide member according to claim 18, wherein in the area of the port (24) for the inflator (14) a third sealing element (38), especially a seal ring, is provided.

22. A belt tensioner (12) for a seat belt in a vehicle comprising a belt tensioner cable guide member (10) according to claim 13, an inflator (14) for providing pressurized fluid, a pressure chamber (13) being in fluid communication with the inflator (14) and being connected to the assigned connecting end (26) of the belt tensioner cable guide member (10) in a sealing manner, and a cable (20) connected to a displacement body movably supported in the pressure chamber (18) to which displacement body the pressurized fluid can be applied in a tensioning direction (S), wherein the first sealing element (44) seals the guide duct (42) against the cable (20).

23. The belt tensioner according to claim 22, wherein the inflator (14) includes a metal pipe (16) which is mounted especially on an assigned port (24) at the belt tensioner cable guide member (10).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Further advantages and features will be evident from the following description in connection with the enclosed drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a first perspective view of a belt tensioner cable guide member according to the invention,

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a second perspective view of the bell tensioner cable guide member of FIG. 1,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the belt tensioner cable guide member of FIG. 1,

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view across the belt tensioner cable member of FIG. 1,

[0025] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a belt tensioner according to the invention,

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a first mounting step of the belt tensioner of FIG. 5,

[0027] FIG. 7 shows a second mounting stop of the bed tensioner of FIG. 6, and

[0028] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view across a second embodiment of a belt tensioner cable guide member according to the invention including an inflator and a pressure chamber mounted thereon.

DESCRIPTION

[0029] In FIGS. 1 through 4 a belt tensioner cable guide member 10 for a belt tensioner 12 illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7 is shown.

[0030] The belt tensioner 12 includes an inflator 14 arranged in the embodiment shown here within a pipe length 16 which is connected to the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 as well as a pressure chamber 13 formed by a pipe 19 designed to be curved in this embodiment in the pressure chamber 18 a displacement body 60 coupled to a cable 20 is provided. For this purpose, the pipe 19 is connected to the cable guide member 10 on the sloe of the latter facing away from the inflator 14. The cable guide member is inserted into an and of each of the pipe 19 and of the pipe length 16 connected to the inflator.

[0031] The free end of the cable 20 projecting from the belt tensioner 12 is fastened to a component of a seat belt, for example on an end fitting or a belt buckle.

[0032] The belt tensioner cable guide member 10, on the one hand, serves as a connecting piece between the inflator 14 and the pressure chamber 18 so that the fluid may flow from the inflator 14 into the pressure chamber 18. On the other band, the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 serves as a guideway through which the cable 20 is guided out of the pressure chamber 18.

[0033] As is evident from FIGS. 1 to 4, the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 comprises a support member 22 at which a port 24 for the inflator 14 as well as a connecting end 26 for the pressure chamber 18 are provided.

[0034] The support member 22 is made of plastic material. Preferably a fiber-reinforced plastic is used as plastic material.

[0035] Both the port 24 and the connecting end 26 are configured as seats to which the pipe length 16 in which the inflator 14 is inserted and, resp., the pipe 19 can be attached and fixed.

[0036] Each of the connecting end 28 and the port 24 includes a recess 28, 30 peripheral in the peripheral direction for positively mounting the inflator 14 and the pressure chamber 18. Moreover, respective peripheral grooves 32, 34 are provided, in the groove 32 of the connecting end 26 a second sealing element 36 is provided and in the groove 34 at the port a third sealing element 38 is provided. Both sealing elements 38, 38 are configured as seal rings.

[0037] In the embodiment shown here the port 24 for the inflator 14 is arranged substantially at right angles with the connecting end 26 for the pressure chamber 18. On the one hand, this allows a space-saving arrangement of the assembled belt tensioner 12 inside the vehicle. On the other hand, the port 24 and the connecting end 26 are within perfect reach so that sufficient working space is available for mounting the inflator 14 and the pressure chamber 18. The inflator 14 and the pressure chamber 18 in this way can be mounted separately from each other on the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0038] Depending on the mounting conditions, a different arrangement of the inflator 14 is possible, however, it has merely to be ensured that a fluid communication between the inflator 14 and the pressure chamber 18 can be established via the belt tensioner cable guide member 10.

[0039] As is evident especially from FIG. 4, the support member 22 comprises a pressure duct 40 which establishes a fluid communication between the port 24 and the connecting end 26, viz. between the inflator 14 and the pressure chamber 18.

[0040] There is further provided a guide duct 42 which extends in the tensioning direction S through the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 and through which the cable 20 is guided in the tensioning direction S (see FIG. 7).

[0041] As is visible in FIG. 4, the pressure duct 40 is configured to be bent, with the end of the pressure duct 40 opening into the pressure chamber 18 extending substantially in parallel to the guide duct 42, viz. in the tensioning direction S.

[0042] In the guide duct 42 a first sealing element 44 is provided which seals the guide duct 42 against the cable 20.

[0043] Upon activation of the inflator 14 the fluid exiting the inflator 14 flows through the pressure duct 40 of the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 into the pressure chamber 18 and pressurizes the displacement body in the tensioning direction S. The cable 20 coupled to the displacement body 60 is equally pressurized in the tensioning direction S, thus causing an end fitting fastened to the cable 20 or a belt buckle to be moved in the tensioning direction S and the seat belt retained at the end fitting or at the belt buckle to be tensioned.

[0044] The first sealing element 44 encloses the cable 20 in the peripheral direction and seals the guide duct 42 against the cable 20 so that the fluid flowing into the pressure chamber 18 cannot escape from the same.

[0045] In the embodiment shown here the first sealing element 44 is hose-shaped so that an as long sealing stretch as possible is formed between the cable 20 and the sealing element 38.

[0046] At the axial end forward in the tensioning direction S, i.e. facing the pressure chamber 18, the first sealing element 44 includes a sealing lip 46 having an inner diameter which is reduced vis--vis the residual first sealing element 44 and which additionally ensures an improved sealing. The inner diameter of the first sealing element 44 is selected independently thereof so that the first sealing element 44 is in sealing contact with the cable 20 in the circumferential direction, i.e. the inner diameter is equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the cable 20.

[0047] On the outer side, the first sealing element 44 in the embodiment illustrated here is positively retained in the support member 22 of the belt tensioner cable guide member 10. For this purpose, in the guide duct 42 a step 48 is formed to which the first sealing element 44 is adjacent against the tensioning direction S. Upon increase of the pressure in the pressure chamber 18, said pressure urges the first sealing element 44 against the tensioning direction S in the guide duct 42.

[0048] The step 48 reliably prevents the first sealing element 44 from being forced out of the guide duct 42. Instead of such step 48, also a groove may be provided, for example, in which the first sealing element 44 is positively held.

[0049] It is also possible, however, that the first sealing element 44 is held in the guide duct 42 by adhesive bonding and is especially injected in the same. The belt tensioner cable guide member 10 is manufactured, for instance, in a two-component injection molding process so that an adhesive and/or positive connection is established between the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 and, resp., the support member 22 of the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 and the sealing element 44, preferably all sealing elements 38, 38, 44.

[0050] Independently of the fixation and manufacture of the first sealing element 44 in the guide duct 42 the first sealing element 44 may also take a different shape and may be configured as a seal ring, for example. Also the position of the sealing lip 46 may be varied at will.

[0051] It has to be ensured that the first sealing element 44 is safely retained in the support member 22, for example by gluing, injection molding or a positive connection, and that a reliable sealing of the guide duct 42 against the cable 20 is performed by the first sealing element 44.

[0052] The guide duct 42 extends preferably linearly so that the cable 20 is not deflected by the belt tensioner cable guide member 10. It is also possible, however, that a deflection of the cable is provided at the belt tensioner cable guide member 10.

[0053] Of preference, the section of the pressure duct 40 opening info the pressure chamber 18 is orientated in the tensioning direction S so that fluid flowing info the pressure chamber 18 may act directly on the displacement body in the tensioning direction S.

[0054] In FIG. 8 a second embodiment of a belt tensioner cable guide member 10 is illustrated in a stale mounted in a belt tensioner 12. Said belt tensioner cable guide member 10 differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 merely by the fact that the first sealing element 44 includes no additional sealing lip 46 but takes a continuously cylindrical and hose-like shape.

[0055] In addition, in FIG. 8 the fastening of the inflator 14 and of the pressure chamber 18 on the belt tensioner cable guide member 10 is shown in detail.

[0056] The pipe length 16 into which the cartridge-type inflator 14 is inserted as well as the pipe 19 are slipped onto the port 24 and the connecting end 26 until they project from the second and third sealing elements 36, 38 and in this way are seated against the belt tensioner cable guide member 10. Subsequently the pipe length 16 and the pipe 19 are provided with an embossing 50, 52 which is peripheral in the peripheral direction and corresponds to the peripheral recesses 28, 30, said embossing establishing a positive connection to the belt tensioner cable guide member 10.

[0057] The pressure chamber 18 is moreover delimited by an end wall 54 of the pipe 19 which covers the support member against the tensioning direction S and includes an opening 56 corresponding to the guide duct 42 through which opening the cable 20 is guided out of the guide duct 42.