Retractor with mud shield and vibration reduction

1. A seat belt retractor ( 10 ) having a frame with sides ( 14 , 16 ) and a cover ( 70 ) associated with at least one side, an inertia sensor ( 30 ) positioned between the at least one side of the frame and the cover ( 70 ), a seal ( 80 ) located between the cover ( 70 ) and the frame side ( 16 ) to prevent contaminants from entering a space about the inertia sensor, the inertia sensor ( 30 ) including a movable mass ( 34 ) and a magnet ( 38 ) spaced from the mass ( 34 ) to create a magnetic force upon the mass ( 34 ) preventing the movable mass ( 34 ) from moving excessively if the retractor ( 10 ) is subject to predetermined levels of vibration; wherein the cover ( 70 ) includes a plurality of sides ( 72 ) one of which forms a bottom ( 74 ), each side ( 72 ) including bottom ( 74 ) terminates in a face ( 76 ) which is in general flat and when installed upon side ( 16 ) is parallel to the side ( 16 ) and the face ( 76 ) includes a peripheral recessed portion ( 78 ) which extends about the face, the recessed portion ( 78 ) includes narrow grooved portions ( 78 a ) located in portions of the periphery and wider recessed portions ( 78 b ) located about integrally formed fasteners ( 70 a ) with cylindrically formed clips ( 70 b ) on the cover ( 70 ) and wherein the seal ( 80 ) includes narrow portions ( 80 a ) corresponding to the narrow grooved portions ( 78 a ) and a more flat and wider portion ( 80 b ) corresponding to the wider recessed portions ( 78 b ).

2. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein secured to one side ( 16 ) is the inertia sensor ( 30 ) which further comprises a housing ( 32 ), the movable mass ( 34 ) and a sensor pawl ( 36 ).

3. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 2 wherein the sensor pawl ( 36 ) can comprise a single pawl or a more complex mechanism comprising multiple pawls.

4. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 2 wherein the housing ( 32 ) includes a concave portion ( 32 a ) in which the mass ( 32 ) is located.

5. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the movable mass ( 32 ) is a standing man sensor.

6. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the inertia sensor ( 30 ) is part of a locking mechanism of retractor ( 10 ).

7. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 6 wherein the locking mechanism additionally includes a locking pawl ( 40 ) which pivots about a pin ( 42 ).

8. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 7 wherein the pin ( 42 ) is received within a small opening ( 44 ) in the side of the frame ( 16 ).

9. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 7 wherein the pawl ( 40 ) includes a control pin ( 48 ) that is received within a slot ( 49 ) in a shaft-lock wheel and a ratchet assembly ( 50 ).

10. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 9 wherein the locking mechanism additionally includes the shaft lock wheel and ratchet assembly ( 50 ), the assembly ( 50 ) further includes a shaft ( 52 ) which terminates in an end ( 54 ) which is received within a spring arbor ( 56 ).

11. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein magnet ( 38 ) spaced apart from both the sensor housing ( 32 ) and movable mass ( 34 ).

12. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 11 wherein the magnet ( 38 ) generates the magnetic force or field ( 38 b ) operative upon the mass ( 34 ), the mass ( 34 ) being magnetic or magnetic and covered with a non-magnetic coating.

13. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 12 wherein the mass ( 34 ) is held or biased into the housing ( 32 ) and less prone to being bounced about causing premature and unwanted lock-up of the retractor.

14. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the magnet ( 38 ) is located within a recess ( 38 a ).

15. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein cover ( 70 ) can be made using a 2-shot injection mold process in which the cover is molded with the peripheral recessed portion ( 78 ).

16. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 15 wherein the seal ( 80 ) is made of a seal material and injected into the recessed portion ( 78 ).

17. The seat belt retractor ( 10 ) of claim 15 wherein the seal ( 80 ) is a gasket which is placed upon the face ( 76 ), the gasket being made from a resilient or fibrous non-resilient material.

18. A seat belt retractor ( 10 ) having a frame with sides ( 14 , 16 ) and a cover ( 70 ) associated with at least one side, an inertia sensor ( 30 ) positioned between the at least one side of the frame and the cover ( 70 ), a seal ( 80 ) located between the cover ( 70 ) and the frame side ( 16 ) to prevent contaminants from entering a space about the inertia sensor, the inertia sensor ( 30 ) including a movable mass ( 34 ) and a magnet ( 38 ) spaced from the mass ( 34 ) to create a magnetic force upon the mass ( 34 ) preventing the movable mass ( 34 ) from moving excessively if the retractor ( 10 ) is subject to predetermined levels of vibration, wherein the inertia sensor ( 30 ) is part of a locking mechanism of retractor ( 10 ), the locking mechanism additionally includes a locking pawl ( 40 ) which pivots about a pin ( 42 ), the pin ( 42 ) is received within a small opening ( 44 ) in the side of the frame ( 16 ), and wherein the pawl ( 40 ) includes a control pin ( 48 ) that is received within a slot ( 49 ) in a shaft-lock wheel and a ratchet assembly ( 50 ), wherein the locking mechanism additionally includes the shaft lock wheel and ratchet assembly ( 50 ), the assembly ( 50 ) further includes a shaft ( 52 ) which terminates in an end ( 54 ) which is received within a spring arbor ( 56 ), wherein the seal ( 80 ) includes narrow portions ( 80 a ) corresponding to the narrow grooved portions ( 78 a ) and a more flat and wider portion ( 80 b ) corresponding to the wider recessed portions ( 78 b ).