Patent ID: 6113022
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A retractor for a seat belt comprising:a retractor base formed into a substantially U-shape and having opposite side plates, each of said opposite side plates including a through hole;a shaft rotatively attached to said retractor base, said shaft having a first non-circular portion at one end thereof and a second non-circular portion at an other end thereof;a bobbin secured to said first non-circular portion of said shaft and around which a webbing is wound;a locking member secured to said second non-circular portion of said shaft;an emergency locking mechanism for inhibiting rotation of said locking member in a direction in which said webbing is drawn out in an emergency of a vehicle, said emergency locking mechanism including a pawl which supported by said locking member and being kept in a non-engagement position where said pawl is disengaged from an inner peripheral surface of said through hole and said pawl allowing said shaft to rotate relative to said retractor base; anda rotation restriction mechanism disposed between said bobbin and said locking member to restrict an amount of torsion of said shaft to a predetermined amount when rotation of said locking member has been inhibited by said pawl;wherein said rotation restriction mechanism includes:an engaging protrusion which formed on one of said bobbin and said locking member; andan engaged portion which is formed on the other of said bobbin and said locking member and is brought into engagement with said engaging protrusion in a radial direction so as to restrict a further rotation of said bobbin relative to said locking member when said bobbin has been rotated by the predetermined amount.