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US3873041A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Pawl lock for retractors

Assignee: ZF Passive Safety Systems US Inc
•
Filing: 1973-09-10
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1993-09-10
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Abstract

Abstract A pawl lock for seat belt retractors wherein a direction sensing element is operably connected to a pawl and when withdrawal of webbing from the retractor occurs, the direction sensing element is biased toward closing the pawl against a ratchet movable with movement of the retractor spool but is prevented from doing so by an interposed latch or hook element blocking the bias toward pawl closure until the latch or hook is displaced, whereupon the pawl can be tilted into locking engagement with the ratchet and so lock the retractor against further withdrawal of seat belt webbing. The moving force acting to displace the interposer or hook is condition sensitive as by volume of webbing on the retractor spool or in partial accord with retraction or an inertially activated bias. The inertial bias may be via vehicle sensitive pendulum means or by webbing acceleration sensitive means. Thus, the same basic retractor structure for seat belts is functional as an automatic locking retractor; a vehicle sensitive locking retractor; a webbing sensitive retractor; or in selected combinations of these. The present invention is a pawl lock structure for retractors in which a spool or drum is rotated by withdrawal of webbing or harness material therefrom or retraction thereon and the lock structure senses the direction of movement of the harness and spool and biases the pawl toward closure with a cooperating lock surface such as a ratchet during withdrawal of webbing and urges the pawl away from lock engagement during retraction of webbing. The invention then includes an interrupter or arrester in the form of a latch or hook interrupting the bias toward closure until another condition overcomes the latch and repositions it. This concept, as will be seen, adapts the present retractors to accommodate vehicle sensitive inertial structures, webbing sensitive inertial structures, automatic locking structures (partial retraction releases hook or lock) and combinations of these features.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert J Rumpf
  • 👤 Wallace C Higbee

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 16:07
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R22/00; B60R22/34; B60R22/347; B60R22/35; B60R22/353; B60R22/36; B60R22/40

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 186 words
A pawl lock for seat belt retractors having a frame, a spool of webbing journalled in said frame, a spring motor biasing said spool to wound-up condition, a ratchet flange on said spool, a pawl movable toward and away from said ratchet in selected prevention of withdrawal of webbing from said spool comprising: a stub shaft secured to said spool and extending axially therefrom; a direction sensing member in friction compression relation on said stub shaft and slippably rotatable therewith and having a first arm extending substantially radially outwardly therefrom and a second arm extending to an operable connection with said pawl and biasing said pawl toward engagement with said ratchet as said webbing is withdrawn from said spool and biasing said pawl away from engagement with said ratchet during rewinding; a disabling latch swingable beneath said first arm and preventing rotation of said direction sensing member during withdrawal of webbing from said spool until said disabling latch is pivoted out of blocking relation of said direction sensor; and a condition sensing element connected to move said disabling latch toward or away from said direction sensor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 186 words
A pawl lock for seat belt retractors having a frame, a spool of webbing journalled in said frame, a spring motor biasing said spool to wound-up condition, a ratchet flange on said spool, a pawl movable toward and away from said ratchet in selected prevention of withdrawal of webbing from said spool comprising: a stub shaft secured to said spool and extending axially therefrom; a direction sensing member in friction compression relation on said stub shaft and slippably rotatable therewith and having a first arm extending substantially radially outwardly therefrom and a second arm extending to an operable connection with said pawl and biasing said pawl toward engagement with said ratchet as said webbing is withdrawn from said spool and biasing said pawl away from engagement with said ratchet during rewinding; a disabling latch swingable beneath said first arm and preventing rotation of said direction sensing member during withdrawal of webbing from said spool until said disabling latch is pivoted out of blocking relation of said direction sensor; and a condition sensing element connected to move said disabling latch toward or away from said direction sensor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
A pawl lock structure in accord with claim 1 wherein said condition sensing element is a webbing feeler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
A pawl lock structure in accord with claim 1 wherein said condition sensing element is an inertial sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
A pawl lock structure in accord with claim 3 wherein said inertial sensor is of the pendulum type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 139 words
In a seat belt retractor, the pawl lock combination comprising: a retractor spool having webbing wound thereupon and having a ratchet secured thereto for rotation therewith and said spool rotatable in a frame and driven to rewind by a motor; a bifurcated sensing element secured to the shaft of said spool for frictional rotation therewith; a pawl element connected to said sensing element at one of the bifurcations thereof and movable by said sensing element toward said ratchet of said spool on withdrawal of webbing from said spool and away from said ratchet on retraction of said webbing to said spool; an interposer blocking one direction of travel of said direction sensing element; and a condition sensing element operably connected to said interposer, said condition sensing element moving said interposer toward and away from blocking said direCtion sensing element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 139 words
In a seat belt retractor, the pawl lock combination comprising: a retractor spool having webbing wound thereupon and having a ratchet secured thereto for rotation therewith and said spool rotatable in a frame and driven to rewind by a motor; a bifurcated sensing element secured to the shaft of said spool for frictional rotation therewith; a pawl element connected to said sensing element at one of the bifurcations thereof and movable by said sensing element toward said ratchet of said spool on withdrawal of webbing from said spool and away from said ratchet on retraction of said webbing to said spool; an interposer blocking one direction of travel of said direction sensing element; and a condition sensing element operably connected to said interposer, said condition sensing element moving said interposer toward and away from blocking said direCtion sensing element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 14 words
The combination of claim 5 wherein said condition sensing element is a webbing feeler.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 14 words
The combination of claim 5 wherein said condition sensing element is an inertial sensor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The combination of claim 7 wherein said inertial sensor is a pendulum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 127 words
A pawl lock construction for safety belt retractors comprising: a spring rewound ratchet flanged webbing drum rotatably connected to a shaft; a frame journalling said drum; webbing stored on said drum and secured thereto; a bifurcated spring element compressibly over said shaft of said drum and movable frictionally with said drum; a pawl bar operably connected to one of said bifurcations of said spring element and movable toward and away from interference engagement with said ratchet flanges of said drum; an interposer element selectively blocking said bifurcated element from rotation on withdrawal of webbing from said drum by engagement with another of said bifurcations; and a condition sensor connected to said interposer and selectively moving said interposer toward and away from blocking engagement with said bifurcated element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 127 words
A pawl lock construction for safety belt retractors comprising: a spring rewound ratchet flanged webbing drum rotatably connected to a shaft; a frame journalling said drum; webbing stored on said drum and secured thereto; a bifurcated spring element compressibly over said shaft of said drum and movable frictionally with said drum; a pawl bar operably connected to one of said bifurcations of said spring element and movable toward and away from interference engagement with said ratchet flanges of said drum; an interposer element selectively blocking said bifurcated element from rotation on withdrawal of webbing from said drum by engagement with another of said bifurcations; and a condition sensor connected to said interposer and selectively moving said interposer toward and away from blocking engagement with said bifurcated element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein said bifurcated spring element includes supplemental friction inducing bias.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 25 words
The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said bias is provided by a spring clamping said bifurcations in compressible relation around said shaft.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3489367A Cited
US3664600A Cited
US3632058A Cited
US3667698A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-03-24 1978-09-23 1979-03-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-03-24 1982-09-23 1983-03-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-03-24 1986-09-23 1987-03-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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