Patent ID: 6481777
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: B60N,B60R

Abstract:
An apparatus for tethering a seat to a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:a retractor having a spool assembly, a locking mechanism, and a biasing mechanism; a sensing mechanism, coupled to the retractor, to sense at least one operational characteristic of the vehicle and to output a signal representative of at least one sensed operational characteristic; a first webbing member having a first anchoring end and a first spooling end, the first spooling end being secured to the spool assembly; a second webbing member, having a second anchoring end and a second spooling end, the second spooling end being secured to the spool assembly, wherein the spool assembly is rotatably supported by the retractor so as to selectively (i) rotate in a first direction to wind the first and second webbing members about the spool assembly and retract the first and second webbing members within the retractor and (ii) rotate in a second direction to unwind any portion of the first and second webbing members wound about the spool assembly, wherein in response to prescribed signals output from the sensing mechanism, the locking mechanism is adapted to selectively prevent rotation of the spool assembly, and wherein when the spool assembly is in a freely rotatable state, the biasing mechanism is adapted to bias the spool assembly to rotate in the first direction with a predetermined force.