Emergency locking retractor with cam-controlled locking member

Claim 2

In a safety seat belt system, the combination comprising: a. a support; b. a reel adapted for connection to a seat belt and journaled on the support for rotation in a winding direction and in the opposite, unwind direction; c. a bias member connected to the reel to urge it to rotate in its winding direction toward the fully wound position; d. a locking member mounted on the support so as to be movable between the locking position in which it is operable to stop rotation of the reel in its unwind direction, and a release position in which it is inoperable to stop reel rotation; e. a clutch member mounted on the support for automatically connecting the reel to the locking member to move it toward its locking position in response to the reel being rotated in the unwind direction with an acceleration greater than a predetermined acceleration, the clutch member being inoperable for such a response during any reel rotation which commences from the fully wound position; f. a cam mounted on said reel; g. a follower engaged in said cam; h. a stop connected to said follower; and i. a stop arm connected to said stop and to said clutch member, said stop arm moving in a cutout portion of said clutch member provided with a projection, said projection preventing said stop arm from moving said clutch member, which moves said locking member to its locking position during unwinding, until said clutch member is rotated slightly in the winding direction whereby said clutch member is operable for said response.

Claim 3

The combination as defined in claim 1, in which the clutch member is so connected to the locking member as to be inoperable for such a response unless the reel has been rotated beyond a predetermined rotational interval in the unwind direction from said predetermined rotational position.

Claim 4

The combination as defined in claim 1, including an inertia member mounted on the reel so as to be moved in a particular motion as the reel is rotated in its predetermined rotation, and wherein the clutch member forms a frictional connection between the reel and the locking member as the inertia member is moved in said particular motion.

Claim 5

The combination as defined in claim 1, including a magnet mounted on the support for biasing the locking member toward its release position.

Claim 6

The combination as defined in claim 1, including a belt connected to a reel so as to be in a fully retracted position when the reel is in said predetermined rotational position, and to be in a partially extended position when the reel has been rotated in the unwind direction through said predetermined rotational interval.

Claim 7

A retracting reel assembly comprising: support means; reel means rotatably supported by said support means; an elongated flexible element connected to said reel means and adapted to be wound thereon and unwound therefrom; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions for respectively preventing and allowing rotation of said reel means; clutch means for moving said locking means to said locked position in response to a predetermined rotational acceleration of said reel means in the unwind direction; and means provided on said clutch means for preventing said locking means from moving into said locking position without rotation in said winding direction.

Claim 8

A retracting reel assembly comprising: support means; reel means rotatably supported by said support means; an elongated flexible element connected to said reel means and adapted to be wound thereon and unwound therefrom; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions for respectively preventing and allowing rotation of said reel means; clutch means for moving said locking means to said locked position in response to a predetermined rotational acceleration of said reel means in the unwind direction; and means provided on said clutch means for preventing said locking means from moving into said locking position without rotation in said winding direction.

Claim 9

An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said clutch means is provided with means for maintaining said locking means in said unlocked position during continuous unwinding rotation of said reel means from the fully wound position.

Claim 10

An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said clutch means is supported for rotation about the axis of rotation of said reel means, and further including inertia means coaxial with said reel means for rendering said clutch means responsive to rotation of said reel means upon said predetermined rotational acceleration of said reel means.

Claim 11

A retracting reel assembly comprising: a support means comprising a generally U-shaped bracket having a base and parallel sidewalls; reel means, rotatably supported by said support means, including a shaft extending between said sidewalls, a cylinder concentrically disposed about said shaft, a circular platelike ratchet member secured to each end of said cylinder, said ratchet members being supported by said shaft for rotation relative to said bracket, said cylinder having a slot extending therealong, an elongated flexible element comprising a seat belt being connected to said shaft and extending through said slot to be wound and unwound about said cylinder, and biasing means for urging said ratchet members and said cylinder to rotate in the winding direction; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions for respectively preventing and allowing rotation of said reel means, said locking means including a pawl supported by and extending between said walls; and control means for moving said locking means to said locked position in response to a predetermined rotational acceleration of said reel means in the unwind direction but only after unwinding rotation commencing from the fully wound position followed by rotation in the winding position, said control means including clutch means comprising a clutch plate rotatably supported on said shaft, a friction member disposed about said shaft, and means biasing said clutch plate and said friction member together, said clutch plate being operatively connected to said locking pawl through an extension of said locking pawl and a slot in said clutch plate.

Claim 12

A retracting reel assembly comprising: a support means comprising a generally U-shaped bracket having a base and parallel sidewalls; reel means, rotatably supported by said support means, including a shaft extending between said sidewalls, a cylinder concentrically disposed about said shaft, a circular platelike ratchet member secured to each end of said cylinder, said ratchet members being supported by said shaft for rotation relative to said bracket, said cylinder having a slot extending therealong, an elongated flexible element comprising a seat belt being connected to said shaft and extending through said slot to be wound and unwound about said cylinder, and biasing means for urging said ratchet members and said cylinder to rotate in the winding direction; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions for respectively preventing and allowing rotation of said reel means, said locking means including a pawl supported by and extending between said walls; and control means for moving said locking means to said locked position in response to a predetermined rotational acceleration of said reel means in the unwind direction but only after unwinding rotation commencing from the fully wound position followed by rotation in the winding position, said control means including clutch means comprising a clutch plate rotatably supported on said shaft, a friction member disposed about said shaft, and means biasing said clutch plate and said friction member together, said clutch plate being operatively connected to said locking pawl through an extension of said locking pawl and a slot in said clutch plate.