Patent ID: 9669799
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: B60R

Claim:
1. A seatbelt pretensioning system for acting on a seatbelt of an occupant restraint system of a motor vehicle, the system comprising: a rotatable spool having a generally cylindrical sidewall defining a central longitudinal axis and a cavity centered on the longitudinal axis; a longitudinally translatable sleeve having a generally cylindrical sidewall that is coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis and defining a cavity therein, the sleeve being mounted within the cavity of the spool for longitudinal translation therein; a spiraling flute formed by either the spool sidewall within the cavity or the translatable sleeve, and a follower member formed by the other of the spool sidewall or translatable sleeve, wherein the follower member is coupled to the spiraling flute; a tube member having a generally cylindrical sidewall and defining a cavity therein, the tube being mounted within the sleeve sidewall, wherein the sleeve is translatable along the tube, wherein the cavity of the tube extends from a first end of the generally cylindrical sidewall of the tube member to a second end of the generally cylindrical sidewall of the tube member; a gas generator fluidly coupled to the tube cavity and being configured to produce an increase in pressure within the tube cavity, wherein the sleeve translates longitudinally away from the gas generator and along the tube in response to the increase in pressure caused by the gas generator, wherein the gas generator is in fluid communication with the cavity of the tube member from the first end to the second end thereof such that gas generated by the gas generator will fill the cavity of the tube member; and wherein the longitudinal translation of the sleeve causes the spool to rotate in response in accordance with the shape of the spiraling flute and its coupling to the follower member to cause the seatbelt to be pretensioned.