Inertia locking retractor

Claim 2

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to rotate about a longitudinal axis, a belt mounted on said reel means for unwinding therefrom to be positioned about an occupant, biasing means biasing said reel means to rewind said belt on said reel means, a pair of ratchet wheels mounted on opposite sides of said reel means and turnable therewith, pawl means including a pair of pawls pivotally mounted on said support for movement into engagement with said ratchet wheels to block unwinding of said belt from said reel means, inertia operable means for pivoting said pawls into blocking engagement with said ratchet wheels at time of an accident, tension relieving means operable by manipulation of said belt comprising a member coupled to said reel means and a detent means engageable with said member to hold said reel means against turning in the retracting direction and relieving the extended belt from the tension of said biasing means, and means including a cam means operable upon a subsequent protraction of said belt for disabling said detent means and allowing said reel means to rewind the protracted belt.

Claim 3

A seat belt retractor in accordance with claim 1 in which said member is disk-shaped with a plurality of stop surfaces spaced angularly thereabout and in which said detent means is engageable with a stop surface after partial rewind of said belt following the protraction thereof.

Claim 4

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and rewinding on said reel means, reel biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis in the direction to retract said belt, ratchet means rotatable with said reel means and having a shoulder thereon, pawl means movable from a release position spaced from said shoulder to a blocking position for engagement with said shoulder to block said reel means against turning in the belt extending direction, pawl biasing means urging said pawl means to said release position, inertia means coupled to said reel means and operative in response to an angulaR acceleration of said reel means greater than a predetermined acceleration in the belt extending direction to actuate said pawl means against the urging of said pawl biasing means from said release position to said blocking position to block further extension of said belt, tension on said belt maintaining said pawl means at said blocking position until the belt tension is released, said reel biasing means turning said reel means in the rewind direction from said blocking position with release of belt tension to shift said pawl means from said shoulder allowing said pawl biasing means to shift said pawl means from said blocking position towards said release position, means on said inertia means and engageable with said pawl means when moving toward said release position from said blocking position to hold said reel means against turning in the rewind direction and to relieve the extended belt from the tension of said reel biasing means, and means associated with said reel means and operable with a subsequent extension of said belt to operate said last-mentioned means to release said pawl means for return by said pawl biasing means to said release position thereby releasing said reel means for turning in the belt extending direction or in the belt rewind direction.

Claim 5

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and rewinding on said reel means, reel biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis in the direction to retract said belt, ratchet means rotatable with said reel means and having a shoulder thereon, pawl means movable from a release position spaced from said shoulder to a blocking position for engagement with said shoulder to block said reel means against turning in the belt extending direction, pawl biasing means urging said pawl means to said release position, inertia means coupled to said reel means and operative in response to an angulaR acceleration of said reel means greater than a predetermined acceleration in the belt extending direction to actuate said pawl means against the urging of said pawl biasing means from said release position to said blocking position to block further extension of said belt, tension on said belt maintaining said pawl means at said blocking position until the belt tension is released, said reel biasing means turning said reel means in the rewind direction from said blocking position with release of belt tension to shift said pawl means from said shoulder allowing said pawl biasing means to shift said pawl means from said blocking position towards said release position, means on said inertia means and engageable with said pawl means when moving toward said release position from said blocking position to hold said reel means against turning in the rewind direction and to relieve the extended belt from the tension of said reel biasing means, and means associated with said reel means and operable with a subsequent extension of said belt to operate said last-mentioned means to release said pawl means for return by said pawl biasing means to said release position thereby releasing said reel means for turning in the belt extending direction or in the belt rewind direction.

Claim 6

A retractor in accordance with claim 3 in which said inertia means comprises an inertia wheel means mounted coaxially with said reel means and in which said means on said inertia means engageable with said pawl means is on said inertia wheel means.

Claim 7

A retractor in accordance with claim 4 in which said means associated with said inertia means is operable with a subsequent extension of said belt and comprises a camming means on said inertia wheel means and on said reel means to couple said inertia wheel means and said reel means for rotation together at accelerations below said predetermined acceleration, said camming means causing said inertia wheel means to move longitudinally in a first direction and rotationally relative to said reel means when said belt is extended and said reel means is accelerated faster than a predetermined acceleration to move said pawl means to said first blocking position.

Claim 8

A retractor in accordance with claim 3 in which said pawl means comprises a pair of pawls each having a pawl nose at one end thereof, said pawl biasing means urging said pawl noses towards said release position, and said ratchet means comprising a pair of ratchet wheels having a plurality of shoulders equally spaced about the circumference of said ratchet wheels and further comprises slide surfaces disposed intermediate said shoulders and along which said pawl noses may slide to abut one of said shoulders at a position spaced radially inward of the outer radial extremity of said shoulders thereby preventing shearing of shoulders with exertion of strong pulling forces on said belt means.

Claim 9

A retractor in accordance with claim 5 in which a biasing means biases said inertia wheel means to slide longitudinally relative to said reel means in a direction opposite to said first direction and a friction means retards rotational movement of said inertia wheel.

Claim 10

A retractor in accordance with claim 7 in which said camming means on said reel means and said inertia wheel means comprises elongated cam slots inclined to said longitudinal axis and further comprises cam followers projecting radially into said slots, said inertia wheel means turning relative to said reel means and shifting longitudinally as said cam followers travel in said cam slots.

Claim 11

A retractor in accordance with claim 8 in which said inertia wheel means comprises a bell-shaped member having radially extending spokes constituting a portion of said camming means, in which said means on said inertia means and engageable with said pawl means comprises a flange on said bell-shaped member for overlying and capturing a portion of said pawl means to hold said reel means against turning in the rewind direction and tensioning the belt about the oCcupant, and in which projections are spaced angularly about said bell-shaped member for actuating said pawl means to said blocking position.

Claim 12

A retractor in accordance with claim 8 in which said inertia wheel means comprises an inner inertia wheel member having pins serving as said camming means for projecting into said cam slots, an outer inertia wheel member, said means associated with said reel means and engageable with said pawl means comprising a flange on said outer inertia wheel member for overlying and capturing said pawl means to hold said reel means against turning in the rewind direction thereby holding said belt tensionless on the occupant, and projections spaced angularly about said outer inertia wheel member for actuating said pawl means to said blocking position.

Claim 13

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to rotate about a longitudinal axis, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and to a position about an occupant and for retraction and rewinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to retract said belt, a ratchet wheel coaxial with said reel means and rotatable therewith and having a plurality of ratchet teeth and having surfaces intermediate said teeth and spacing the teeth from each other, an inertia wheel means coaxial with and coupled to said reel means for turning in a first plane and positioned adjacent said ratchet wheel when said reel means accelerates below a predetermined angular acceleration, cam means coupling said inertia wheel means and said reel means and allowing said inertia wheel means to turn relative to said reel means to a limited extent and to shift longitudinally relative to said reel means for a limited extent to an actuating position when said reel means accelerates above said predetermined acceleration, said cam means including an inertia cam member having a curved supporting surface, said curved supporting surface extending in a direction away from said ratchet wheel, said inertia wheel means telescoped on said curved supporting surface to shift longitudinally and angularly with respect thereto, projecting actuators on said inertia wheel means having a predetermined angular relationship with respective teeth on said ratchet wheel, pawl means including a member located in a path of travel of said projecting actuators for engagement thereby and including a pawl pivotally mounted on said support means for pivoting between a release position spaced from said ratchet wheel and an operative position for engaging said ratchet teeth, means for limiting the relative rotation between said reel means and said inertia wheel to a limited angular movement and for limiting the longitudinal shifting of said inertia wheel on said curved supporting surface to a predetermined extend, said pawl being shifted to said operative position within a predetermined angular movement by engagement of one of said projecting actuators with said pawl means member and a given turning movement of said ratchet wheel so that said pawl is presented to said surfaces intermediate successive ratchet teeth on said wheel and so that further rotation of said ratchet teeth with further belt extension abuts one of said teeth against said pawl and blocks further extension of said belt.

Claim 14

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to rotate about a longitudinal axis, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and to a position about an occupant and for retraction and rewinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to retract said belt, a ratchet wheel coaxial with said reel means and rotatable therewith and having a plurality of ratchet teeth and having surfaces intermediate said teeth and spacing the teeth from each other, an inertia wheel means coaxial with and coupled to said reel means for turning in a first plane and positioned adjacent said ratchet wheel when said reel means accelerates below a predetermined angular acceleration, cam means coupling said inertia wheel means and said reel means and allowing said inertia wheel means to turn relative to said reel means to a limited extent and to shift longitudinally relative to said reel means for a limited extent to an actuating position when said reel means accelerates above said predetermined acceleration, said cam means including an inertia cam member having a curved supporting surface, said curved supporting surface extending in a direction away from said ratchet wheel, said inertia wheel means telescoped on said curved supporting surface to shift longitudinally and angularly with respect thereto, projecting actuators on said inertia wheel means having a predetermined angular relationship with respective teeth on said ratchet wheel, pawl means including a member located in a path of travel of said projecting actuators for engagement thereby and including a pawl pivotally mounted on said support means for pivoting between a release position spaced from said ratchet wheel and an operative position for engaging said ratchet teeth, means for limiting the relative rotation between said reel means and said inertia wheel to a limited angular movement and for limiting the longitudinal shifting of said inertia wheel on said curved supporting surface to a predetermined extend, said pawl being shifted to said operative position within a predetermined angular movement by engagement of one of said projecting actuators with said pawl means member and a given turning movement of said ratchet wheel so that said pawl is presented to said surfaces intermediate successive ratchet teeth on said wheel and so that further rotation of said ratchet teeth with further belt extension abuts one of said teeth against said pawl and blocks further extension of said belt.

Claim 15

A retractor in accordance with claim 11 in which cooperable means are provided on said inertia wheel means and said pawl to hold said reel means against turning in the rewind direction thereby relieving the extended belt of tension from the reel biasing means.

Claim 16

A retractor in accordance with claim 12 in which said cooperable means comprises a flange on said inertia wheel means and a tang on said pawl for capture by said flange thereby holding said ratchet wheel and reel means against turning in the rewind direction.

Claim 17

A retractor in accordance with claim 13 in which said pawl means comprises a biasing means urging said pawl to said release position, said inerTia wheel flange has notches therein cooperating with said tang to hold said pawl against the urging of said biasing means when said tang is inserted into a notch, a subsequent pull on said belt turning said reel and causing said cam means to shift said inertia wheel and said notch from said tang so that said pawl biasing means may pivot said pawl to said release position.

Claim 18

A retractor in accordance with claim 14 in which spring means urges said inertia wheel means axially along said curved supporting surface toward said ratchet wheel and a retarding means frictionally retards said inertia wheel against turning.

Claim 19

A retractor in accordance with claim 11, in which a holdout means is provided for operation with extension of said belt from a fully retracted position on said reel means to hold said inertia wheel means against being cammed by said camming means to shift longitudinally to a position for actuating said pawl means to said operative position.

Claim 20

A retractor in accordance with claim 16 in which said hold-out means comprises a hold-out member frictionally coupled to said inertia wheel means and a stationary means supported by said support means to engage said hold-out member and to limit movement of the hold-out member and the inertia wheel means by said camming means.

Claim 21

A retractor in accordance with claim 17 in which said stationary means is a cover having an axially extending opening and a hold-out surface spaced angularly therein about said reel rotational axis, and said hold-out member has a portion which turns between positions aligned with said opening and with said hold-out surface.

Claim 22

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means; reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and rewinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis and to retract said belt, ratchet means rotatable with said reel means and having a shoulder thereon, pawl means movable from a release position spaced from said shoulder to blocking position in engagement with said shoulder to block said reel means against turning in the belt extending direction, inertia means coupled to said reel means and operative in response to manipulation of said belt and angular acceleration of said reel means in the extending direction greater than a predetermined rate to actuate said pawl means to engage said shoulder and block further extension of said belt means engageable with said pawl means when said reel means turns from engagement with said shoulder to hold said pawl means adjacent but spaced from one of said shoulders on said ratchet means and for engagement with said shoulder if said belt should be extended with an acceleration greater than a predetermined acceleration and holding said reel means against retracting said belt thereby relieving the extended belt from the tension of said reel biasing means, means for returning said pawl means to said release position after a protraction of said extended tensionless portion of said belt, and hold-out means operative with initial protraction of the fully wound belt on said reel means to block operation of said inertia means and said pawl means from preventing initial extension of said fully wound belt at an acceleration faster than said predetermined acceleration, said hold-out means being shifted by said reel means to an inoperative position with turning of said reel means to rewind said belt.

Claim 23

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means; reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and rewinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis and to retract said belt, ratchet means rotatable with said reel means and having a shoulder thereon, pawl means movable from a release position spaced from said shoulder to blocking position in engagement with said shoulder to block said reel means against turning in the belt extending direction, inertia means coupled to said reel means and operative in response to manipulation of said belt and angular acceleration of said reel means in the extending direction greater than a predetermined rate to actuate said pawl means to engage said shoulder and block further extension of said belt means engageable with said pawl means when said reel means turns from engagement with said shoulder to hold said pawl means adjacent but spaced from one of said shoulders on said ratchet means and for engagement with said shoulder if said belt should be extended with an acceleration greater than a predetermined acceleration and holding said reel means against retracting said belt thereby relieving the extended belt from the tension of said reel biasing means, means for returning said pawl means to said release position after a protraction of said extended tensionless portion of said belt, and hold-out means operative with initial protraction of the fully wound belt on said reel means to block operation of said inertia means and said pawl means from preventing initial extension of said fully wound belt at an acceleration faster than said predetermined acceleration, said hold-out means being shifted by said reel means to an inoperative position with turning of said reel means to rewind said belt.

Claim 24

A seat belt retractor in accordance with claim 19 in which said hold-out means comprises a stationary cover carried by said support means and further comprises a turnable member frictionally coupled to turn with and in the direction of rotation of said reel means, said cover having stopping surface means to limit turning of said turnable member between an operative position to prevent the operatIon of said inertia means and an inoperative position in which said inertia means is free to actuate said pawl means.

Claim 25

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and rewinding on said reel means, reel biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis in the direction to retract said belt, said reel biasing means tensioning said belt about occupant unless said belt is manipulated and accelerated to turn said reel means at an angular acceleration greater than a predetermined angular acceleration, inertia means coupled to said reel means and movable thereby to an actuating position in response to manipulation of said belt and angular acceleration of said reel means greater than a predetermined acceleration in the belt extending direction, means actuated by said inertia means for blocking the motion of said reel means in the belt extending direction, said reel biasing means turning said reel means in the rewind direction after being blocked with release of tension on said belt, and tension relieving means coacting with said inertia means and coupled to said reel means and operative with said inertia means following said blocking the motion of said reel means in the belt extending direction and after a partial rewind of said belt for stopping the rewind motion of said reel means in the belt retracting direction and relieving the extended belt from the tension of said biasing means.

Claim 26

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and rewinding on said reel means, reel biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis in the direction to retract said belt, said reel biasing means tensioning said belt about occupant unless said belt is manipulated and accelerated to turn said reel means at an angular acceleration greater than a predetermined angular acceleration, inertia means coupled to said reel means and movable thereby to an actuating position in response to manipulation of said belt and angular acceleration of said reel means greater than a predetermined acceleration in the belt extending direction, means actuated by said inertia means for blocking the motion of said reel means in the belt extending direction, said reel biasing means turning said reel means in the rewind direction after being blocked with release of tension on said belt, and tension relieving means coacting with said inertia means and coupled to said reel means and operative with said inertia means following said blocking the motion of said reel means in the belt extending direction and after a partial rewind of said belt for stopping the rewind motion of said reel means in the belt retracting direction and relieving the extended belt from the tension of said biasing means.

Claim 27

A retractor in accordance with claim 21 wherein said tension relieving means in operated upon extension of the belt with force producing angular acceleration of said reel means greater than a predetermined acceleration.

Claim 28

A retractor in accordance with claim 22 wherein said tension relieving means is coupled to said inertia means and is operated upon operation thereof to stop extension of the belt.

Claim 29

A retractor in accordance with claim 22 wherein said tension relieving means is disabled by a subsequent pull on the belt.

Claim 30

A retractor comprising a support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and unwinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis in a direction to retract said belt, ratchet means connected to said reel means for turning therewith, pawl means movable from a release position spaced from said ratchet means allowing turning thereof with said reel means to a position to engage said ratchet means to block further extension of the belt, and to an intermediate position to be engaged by said ratchet wheel with protraction of said belt at an acceleration greater than a predetermined acceleration, inertia means coupled to said reel means for moving relative thereto with a predetermined acceleration of said belt to a position for actuating said pawl means to engage said ratchet means to block rotation of said reel means and further extension of said belt, means for coupling said inertia means to said reel means and acting through said inertia means and said pawl means for shifting said inertia means to hold said reel means against retracting and to relieve the extended belt of the tension of said reel biasing means, and means on said coupling means for shifting said coupling means to cause said pawl means to shift to said release position spaced from blocking engagement with said ratchet means and allowing said belt to be extended further or to be retracted.

Claim 31

A retractor comprising a support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to turn about a longitudinal axis through said reel means, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and extending to a position about an occupant and for retracting and unwinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to rotate about said axis in a direction to retract said belt, ratchet means connected to said reel means for turning therewith, pawl means movable from a release position spaced from said ratchet means allowing turning thereof with said reel means to a position to engage said ratchet means to block further extension of the belt, and to an intermediate position to be engaged by said ratchet wheel with protraction of said belt at an acceleration greater than a predetermined acceleration, inertia means coupled to said reel means for moving relative thereto with a predetermined acceleration of said belt to a position for actuating said pawl means to engage said ratchet means to block rotation of said reel means and further extension of said belt, means for coupling said inertia means to said reel means and acting through said inertia means and said pawl means for shifting said inertia means to hold said reel means against retracting and to relieve the extended belt of the tension of said reel biasing means, and means on said coupling means for shifting said coupling means to cause said pawl means to shift to said release position spaced from blocking engagement with said ratchet means and allowing said belt to be extended further or to be retracted.

Claim 32

A retractor in accordance with claim 25 in which said pawl means comprises a pivotally mounted pawl and means for biasing said pawl to the position spaced from said ratchet means and further comprisEs a member on said pawl to be captured by said inertia means to hold said belt tensionless, and said coupling means comprises a cam surface and cam follower for coupling said inertia means to said reel means, said cam surface and said cam follower shifting said inertia means angularly about said longitudinal axis relative to said reel means and longitudinally relative to said reel means.

Claim 33

A seat belt retractor in accordance with claim 26 in which coupling means on said reel means shifts said pawl actuating means in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said reel means away from said ratchet to said actuating position and in which projection means on said pawl actuating means having a predetermined relationship with said teeth on said ratchet are shifted into alignment with a portion of said pawl means to abut the same and to pivot said pawl into engagement with one of said intermediate surfaces on said ratchet.

Claim 34

A seat belt retractor in accordance with claim 26 in which said means for returning said pawl means comprises a spring means urging said pawl to said release position and in which said coupling means shifts said pawl actuating means toward said ratchet to said inactive position with rewinding of said belt onto said reel means.

Claim 35

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to rotate about a longitudinal axis, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and to a position about an occupant and for retraction and rewinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to retract said belt, a ratchet coaxial with said reel means and rotatable therewith and having a plurality of ratchet teeth and having surfaces intermediate said teeth and spacing the teeth from each other, a pawl pivotally mounted on said support means for pivoting between a release position spaced from said ratchet and an operative position for engaging said ratchet teeth, pawl actuating means coupled to said reel means and shiftable from an inactive position when the belt is fully wound on said reel means to an actuating position with belt extension to positively engage and pivot said pawl to abut one of said surfaces intermediate said ratchet teeth, said pawl actuating means having a predetermined relationship relative to said ratchet teeth at said actuating position, and portions of said ratchet teeth rotatable into engagement with said pawl as further belt extension and turning of said reel means abuts one of said portions of said ratchet teeth against said pawl and blocks further extension of said belt, and means for returning said pawl from said operative position to said release position with rewinding of said belt onto said reel means.

Claim 36

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means to rotate about a longitudinal axis, means for mounting a belt on said reel means for unwinding therefrom and to a position about an occupant and for retraction and rewinding on said reel means, biasing means biasing said reel means to retract said belt, a ratchet coaxial with said reel means and rotatable therewith and having a plurality of ratchet teeth and having surfaces intermediate said teeth and spacing the teeth from each other, a pawl pivotally mounted on said support means for pivoting between a release position spaced from said ratchet and an operative position for engaging said ratchet teeth, pawl actuating means coupled to said reel means and shiftable from an inactive position when the belt is fully wound on said reel means to an actuating position with belt extension to positively engage and pivot said pawl to abut one of said surfaces intermediate said ratchet teeth, said pawl actuating means having a predetermined relationship relative to said ratchet teeth at said actuating position, and portions of said ratchet teeth rotatable into engagement with said pawl as further belt extension and turning of said reel means abuts one of said portions of said ratchet teeth against said pawl and blocks further extension of said belt, and means for returning said pawl from said operative position to said release position with rewinding of said belt onto said reel means.

Claim 37

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means for rotation about a longitudinal axis, means for mounting a belt on said reel means, reel spring means urging said reel means to wind said belt on said reel means, a ratchet wheel fixed to turn with said reel means, a plurality of spaced ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheels, pawl engaging surfaces on said ratchet wheel extending circumferentially between adjacent ones of said teeth, a pawl pivotally mounted on said support means for pivoting into engagement with said pawl engaging surfaces and for abutting said ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheels, an actuating member for said pawl, an inertia wheel means mounted coaxially with said reel means adjacent said ratchet wheel for rotation therewith at acceleration rates below a predetermined rate, cam means associated with said reel means including a support surface supporting said inertia member for turning movement relative to said reel means and for shifting longitudinal relative to said reel means, said cam means coupling said inertia wheel means and said reel means together, pawl actuator projections on said inertia wheel means angularly positioned at predetermined locations for turning thrOugh predetermined angular movements to strike said actuating member and to pivot said pawl to a closed position adjacent said pawl engaging surfaces, said ratchet teeth turning to abut and hold said pawl against pivoting to said release position, spring means urging said inertia wheel to shift longitudinally and return to a position adjacent said ratchet wheel before said pawl is released from said ratchet teeth, a flange on said inertia wheel means having a series of spaced notches along an inner circumferentially extending surface thereof, a tang on said pawl adjacent said inertia wheel means for projection into one of said notches when said flange is overlying the same, said pawl holding said inertia wheel means against turning and thereby holding said reel means against turning in the retracting direction so that the extended belt is tensionless.

Claim 38

A seat belt retractor comprising: support means, reel means rotatably mounted on said support means for rotation about a longitudinal axis, means for mounting a belt on said reel means, reel spring means urging said reel means to wind said belt on said reel means, a ratchet wheel fixed to turn with said reel means, a plurality of spaced ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheels, pawl engaging surfaces on said ratchet wheel extending circumferentially between adjacent ones of said teeth, a pawl pivotally mounted on said support means for pivoting into engagement with said pawl engaging surfaces and for abutting said ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheels, an actuating member for said pawl, an inertia wheel means mounted coaxially with said reel means adjacent said ratchet wheel for rotation therewith at acceleration rates below a predetermined rate, cam means associated with said reel means including a support surface supporting said inertia member for turning movement relative to said reel means and for shifting longitudinal relative to said reel means, said cam means coupling said inertia wheel means and said reel means together, pawl actuator projections on said inertia wheel means angularly positioned at predetermined locations for turning thrOugh predetermined angular movements to strike said actuating member and to pivot said pawl to a closed position adjacent said pawl engaging surfaces, said ratchet teeth turning to abut and hold said pawl against pivoting to said release position, spring means urging said inertia wheel to shift longitudinally and return to a position adjacent said ratchet wheel before said pawl is released from said ratchet teeth, a flange on said inertia wheel means having a series of spaced notches along an inner circumferentially extending surface thereof, a tang on said pawl adjacent said inertia wheel means for projection into one of said notches when said flange is overlying the same, said pawl holding said inertia wheel means against turning and thereby holding said reel means against turning in the retracting direction so that the extended belt is tensionless.

Claim 39

A retractor in accordance with claim 30 in which said support means comprises a frame having a pair of upstanding flanges with said ratchet wheel and said reel means being disposed between said flanges, said inertia wheel means being disposed on an outer side of one of said flanges, a hold-out member is positioned adjacent said inertia wheel means for selectively allowing or blocking axial shifting of the inertia wheel means, and a stationary cover means is secured about said inertia wheel member and cooperates with said hold-out member to block or allow axial shifting of said inertia wheel means to its pawl actuating position.