IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,969,022
Granted Patent B2
US 6,969,022 · App. 10/683,704 · Granted Nov 29, 2005

Seat belt retractor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,969,022
App. No.
10/683,704
Granted
Nov 29, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A seat belt retractor has a rotatable spool for retraction or payout of seat belt webbing wound thereon, depending upon the rotation direction of the spool. A locking wheel is attached to one end of the spool. The spool to is locked to the locking wheel when a crash is sensed. A force limiter allows further payout of the seat belt webbing after the spool has locked to the locking wheel, under the influence of a vehicle occupant's forward momentum. The force limiter includes a torsion bar attached at one end to the locking wheel and at the other end to the spool, and a secondary force limiter mechanism releasably coupled in the force path between the spool and the locking wheel, and a mechanism for de-coupling the secondary mechanism after a predetermined number of turns of the torsion bar. The locking mechanism has a locking element that is resiliently biased to a position wherein it locks the spool to the locking wheel and is held out of locking engagement by the secondary force limiting mechanism. The retractor is converted into a standard locking retractor after load limiting ensuring that the vehicle occupant is securely restrained against secondary impacts.

Claims (13)

1. A seat belt retractor comprising:

a rotatable spool having a spool body;

a primary force limiting mechanism comprising a torsion bar attached at one end to a locking wheel and at the other end to the spool; and

a secondary force limiting mechanism releasably coupled in a force path between the spool and the locking wheel and a means for de-coupling the secondary force limiting mechanism after a predetermined amount of twisting of the torsion bar due to a load applied by a vehicle occupant secured by a seat belt webbing that is at least partially wound upon the spool, and wherein a locking means comprises a locking element that is resiliently biased to a position wherein it locks the spool to the locking wheel and is held out of locking engagement by the secondary force limiting mechanism, the locking wheel has a recess therein along which the locking element slides and an abutment at an end of the recess against which the locking element rests.

2. A seat belt retractor according to claim 1 wherein the secondary force limiting mechanism comprises a wire releasably connected between the spool and the locking wheel.

3. A seat belt retractor according to claim 2 wherein the wire is releasably connected to the spool.

4. A seat belt retractor according to claim 2 wherein the wire is housed in a hole in the spool body from which it is pulled during load limiting.

5. A seat belt retractor according to claim 3 wherein the wire is housed in a hole in the spool body from which it is pulled during load limiting.

6. A seat belt retractor according to claim 2 wherein the wire is drawn onto the locking wheel during load limiting.

7. A seat belt retractor according to claim 3 wherein the wire is drawn onto the locking wheel during load limiting.

8. A seat belt retractor according to claim 4 wherein the wire is drawn onto the locking wheel during load limiting.

9. A seat belt retractor according to claim 5 wherein the wire is drawn onto the locking wheel during load limiting.

10. A seat belt retractor according to claim 2 wherein a thickness, length and composition of the wire are chosen to suit a vehicle's crash criteria.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2021
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS SECURITY AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057775/0771 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2021
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS SECURITY AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 057828/0461 →
RELEASE OF INTEREST IN PATENTS- RELEASE OF REEL/FRAME 033673/0524 Recorded Apr 12, 2018
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; KSS HOLDINGS, INC.; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE OF FLORIDA, LLC; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 045933/0563 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Apr 11, 2018
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
Reel/Frame 045927/0330 →
RELEASE OF INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Sep 2, 2014
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; KSS HOLDINGS, INC.; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; HAMLIN INCORPORATED; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE WEST, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE, LP; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY ELECTRONICS OF NEVADA, INC.; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS OF TEXAS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033666/0605 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 2, 2014
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 033673/0524 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE TO RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL AND THE RECEIVING PARTY NAMES PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 031327 FRAME 676. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL. SEE ALSO THE ATTACHED DECLARATION. Recorded Aug 12, 2014
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; KSS HOLDINGS, INC.; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; HAMLIN INCORPORATED; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE, LP; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY ELECTRONICS OF NEVADA, INC.; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS OF TEXAS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033521/0223 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 031327/0676 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 4, 2013
From: CITICORP USA, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 029565/0125 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2007
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC; KSS HOLDINGS, INC; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; AEGIS KEY CORP; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC; HAMLIN INCORPORATED; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE OF FLORIDA, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE WEST, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE, LP; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY ELECTRONICS OF NEVADA, INC; HAMLIN ELECTRONICS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS OF TEXAS, INC
To: CITICORP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 019297/0249 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2004
From: BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY INC.
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 015219/0274 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2004
From: BELL, JOHN; JACK, BRIAN; PALLISER, MARTYN; BARBER, MATTHEW
To: BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 015199/0441 →