Patent ID: 6676059
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A seat belt retractor comprising:a spool mounted for rotation on a retractor frame for retraction or pay-out of seat belt webbing depending upon the direction of rotation of the spool; a means for locking the spool against rotation when a crash is sensed; a force limiting means for allowing further pay-out of the seat belt webbing after the spool shaft has locked, under the influence of a vehicle occupant's forward momentum, wherein the force limiting means comprises: (a) a torsion bar attached in the force path between the spool and its axis of rotation; (b) a resilient mechanism comprising a wire that is a spring clip selectively connectable to the torsion bar, and means for selectively connecting the resilient mechanism into the force path between the spool and its axis of rotation; and (c) a means for selectively activating the connecting means under control of a control signal.