IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,662,538
Granted Patent B2
US 8,662,538 · App. 13/384,670 · Granted Mar 4, 2014

Belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,662,538
App. No.
13/384,670
Granted
Mar 4, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt, comprising a belt reel 2 onto which the safety belt is wound when the belt strap is reeled in and from which the safety belt can be unwound when the belt strap is pulled out, a belt strap-sensitive blocking mechanism 12 which blocks extension of the belt strap when the belt strap is extended with excessive acceleration, wherein a retarding device 1 which prevents activation of the belt strap-sensitive blocking mechanism along a specified length of belt strap extension at the beginning of the belt strap extension process is rotatably connected to the belt reel 2.

Claims (15)

1. A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt, comprising a belt reel onto which the safety belt is wound when the belt strap is reeled in and from which the safety belt can be unwound when the belt strap is pulled out, a belt strap-sensitive blocking mechanism which blocks extension of the belt strap when the belt strap is extended with excessive acceleration, and/or a vehicle-sensitive blocking mechanism which blocks extension of the belt strap when the vehicle accelerates excessively, characterized in that a retarding device ( 1 ) is rotatably connected to the belt reel ( 2 ) and has a circular segmental track ( 3 ) which is moved about the belt reel axis ( 6 ) with gear reduction and embodied as a segmentally shaped guideway, along which a belt strap-sensitive latch ( 4 ) is guided with engagement or abuttingly in order to prevent any latching movement which initiates blocking along a specified length of belt strap extension at the beginning of the belt strap extension process.

2. The belt retractor according to claim 1 , characterized in that the specified length of belt strap extension, during which blocking is prevented, corresponds to about three to five turns of the belt reel.

3. The belt retractor according to claim 2 , characterized in that the retarding device ( 1 ) prevents activation of the belt strap-sensitive blocking mechanism ( 12 ) as soon as strap extension begins.

4. The belt retractor according to claim 3 , characterized in that a reduction gear mechanism ( 5 ) which reduces the rotation of the retarding device ( 1 ) in relation to the rotation of the belt reel ( 2 ) is connected between the belt reel ( 2 ) and the retarding device ( 1 ).

5. The belt retractor according to claim 1 , characterized in that the stop face ( 3 ) extends along a circular segment about the belt reel axis ( 6 ) and is connected in rotatably driven communication to the belt reel ( 2 ) about the belt reel axis ( 6 ) at the reduced rotor speed produced by the reduction gear mechanism ( 5 ).

6. The belt retractor according to claim 5 , characterized in that the reduction gear mechanism ( 5 ) transfers the rotational movement of the belt reel ( 2 ) to the segmentally shaped guideway ( 3 ).

7. The belt retractor according to claim 6 , characterized in that the retarding device ( 1 ) is disposed between the reduction gear mechanism ( 5 ) and the belt reel ( 2 ).

8. The belt retractor according to claim 7 , characterized in that the reduction gear mechanism ( 5 ) has a drive wheel ( 7 ) which is driven by the belt reel ( 2 ) and which is in rotatable engagement with a control wheel ( 8 ) that is non-rotatingly connected to a guide face of the retarding device ( 1 ).

9. The belt retractor according to claim 8 , characterized in that ( 7 ) the drive wheel is embodied as an inner wheel and the control wheel ( 8 ) is embodied as an outer wheel.

10. The belt retractor according to claim 9 , characterized in that the drive wheel ( 7 ) is mounted rotatably about the belt reel axis ( 6 ) and the control wheel ( 8 ) performs an eccentric movement about the belt reel axis ( 6 ).

11. The belt retractor according to claim 10 , characterized in that the rotational movement of the drive wheel ( 7 ) can be transferred via an intermediate gear wheel to the control wheel ( 8 ) that is rotatable about the belt reel axis.

12. The belt retractor according to claim 11 , characterized in that the control wheel ( 8 ) is non-rotatingly connected to the segmentally shaped guide face ( 3 ) via a driving pin ( 10 ) which engages with a radially extending elongate hole ( 9 ).

13. The belt retractor according to claim 12 , characterized in that a stop member ( 11 ) which is embodied as a stop pin, in particular, is formed on the belt strap-sensitive latch ( 4 ), and that the stop member ( 11 ) abuts the guideway embodied as a stop face ( 3 ) in order to prevent activation of the belt strap-sensitive blocking mechanism ( 12 ).

14. The belt retractor according to claim 13 , characterized in that activation of the belt strap-sensitive blocking mechanism ( 12 ) is prevented by the retarding device ( 1 ) when the safety belt is completely reeled in.

15. The belt retractor according to claim 14 , characterized in that activation of the belt strap-sensitive blocking mechanism ( 12 ) is required up to a length of belt extension that is approximately required to fasten the belt of a vehicle passenger, or is prevented up to a shorter length of belt extension.

Assignments (11)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jan 13, 2026
From: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLC; JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS JAPAN G.K.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
Reel/Frame 074331/0585 →
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 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 →
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 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 2, 2014
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 033673/0524 →
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 →
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 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 4, 2013
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEM, INC.; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 029565/0193 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2012
From: SPECHT, MARTIN; WOLFF, REINER
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029481/0708 →