Seat belt retractor having a comfort mechanism with full memory and slack set

Claim 1

An apparatus comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually movable member; and means responsive to movement of said manually movable member for rotating said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction, said means responsive to movement of said manually movable member comprising a ratchet member connectable with the spindle, a pawl member engageable with the ratchet member, and a spring which overcomes said spring means to move said pawl member and thereby rotate said ratchet member.

Claim 2

An apparatus comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually movable member; and means responsive to movement of said manually movable member for rotating said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction, said means responsive to movement of said manually movable member comprising a ratchet member connectable with the spindle, a pawl member engageable with the ratchet member, and a spring which overcomes said spring means to move said pawl member and thereby rotate said ratchet member.

Claim 8

An apparatus comprising: a spindle with belt webbing wound thereon and supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; a spring biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a stub shaft connected to and rotatable with said spindle; a drum supported for rotation relative to said stub shaft; first means for blocking rotation of said drum; a latch carried by said drum and movable relative thereto; second means on said stub shaft for receiving a portion of said latch to block rotation of said stub shaft in the belt retraction direction relative to said drum; and third means for moving said latch away from said stub shaft during rotation of said stub shaft in the belt withdrawal direction through an angular displacement and for subsequently enabling said latch to move toward said stub shaft to block rotation of said stub shaft in the belt retraction direction relative to said drum after rotation of said stub shaft in the belt retraction direction back through said angular displacement.

Claim 9

An apparatus comprising: a spindle with belt webbing wound thereon and supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; a spring biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a stub shaft connected to and rotatable with said spindle; a drum supported for rotation relative to said stub shaft; first means for blocking rotation of said drum; a latch carried by said drum and movable relative thereto; second means on said stub shaft for receiving a portion of said latch to block rotation of said stub shaft in the belt retraction direction relative to said drum; and third means for moving said latch away from said stub shaft during rotation of said stub shaft in the belt withdrawal direction through an angular displacement and for subsequently enabling said latch to move toward said stub shaft to block rotation of said stub shaft in the belt retraction direction relative to said drum after rotation of said stub shaft in the belt retraction direction back through said angular displacement.

Claim 15

An apparatus comprising: a spindle with belt webbing wound thereon and supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; means biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a member supported for movement relative to said spindle; a latch carried by said member and movable relative thereto between a first position blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction relative to said member and a second position enabling rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction relative to said member; manually operable means having a first condition blocking movement of said member and a second condition allowing movement of said member; and a spring member for biasing said member to a predetermined position relative to said spindle when said manually operable means is in said second condition and for moving said latch to the second position from the first position during rotation of said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction through an angular displacement and for subsequently enabling said latch to move back to said first position from the second position after rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction back through said angular displacement.

Claim 16

An apparatus comprising: a spindle with belt webbing wound thereon and supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; means biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a member supported for movement relative to said spindle; a latch carried by said member and movable relative thereto between a first position blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction relative to said member and a second position enabling rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction relative to said member; manually operable means having a first condition blocking movement of said member and a second condition allowing movement of said member; and a spring member for biasing said member to a predetermined position relative to said spindle when said manually operable means is in said second condition and for moving said latch to the second position from the first position during rotation of said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction through an angular displacement and for subsequently enabling said latch to move back to said first position from the second position after rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction back through said angular displacement.

Claim 17

An apparatus comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually actuatable member; and means responsive to actuation of said manually actuatable member for rotating said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction by said spring means, said means responsive to actuation of said manually movable member comprising a ratchet member connectable with the spindle, a pawl member engageable with the ratchet member and a spring which overcomes said spring means to move said pawl member and thereby rotate said ratchet member.

Claim 18

An apparatus comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually actuatable member; and means responsive to actuation of said manually actuatable member for rotating said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction by said spring means, said means responsive to actuation of said manually movable member comprising a ratchet member connectable with the spindle, a pawl member engageable with the ratchet member and a spring which overcomes said spring means to move said pawl member and thereby rotate said ratchet member.

Claim 23

An apparatus comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually movable member; means connectable with said spindle for joint rotation therewith in response to movement of said manually movable member in one direction from an initial position; and means for rotating said connectable means with said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction in response to movement of said manually movable member in a second direction opposite the one direction and toward the initial position.

Claim 24

An apparatus comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually movable member; means connectable with said spindle for joint rotation therewith in response to movement of said manually movable member in one direction from an initial position; and means for rotating said connectable means with said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction in response to movement of said manually movable member in a second direction opposite the one direction and toward the initial position.

Claim 25

An apparatus for use in protecting an occupant of a vehicle and comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually movable member having a portion for engagement by the hand of the vehicle occupant and to which a force is applied by the occupant to move said manually movable member; and means for rotating said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle in response to movement of said manually movable member by the vehicle occupant engaging said portion and applying a force thereto and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction.

Claim 26

An apparatus for use in protecting an occupant of a vehicle and comprising: a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon, said spindle being supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions; spring means for biasing said spindle to rotate in the belt retraction direction; a manually movable member having a portion for engagement by the hand of the vehicle occupant and to which a force is applied by the occupant to move said manually movable member; and means for rotating said spindle in the belt withdrawal direction to pay out a predetermined amount of belt webbing from said spindle in response to movement of said manually movable member by the vehicle occupant engaging said portion and applying a force thereto and for thereafter blocking rotation of said spindle in the belt retraction direction.