Patent ID: 6431485
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An automotive seatbelt take-up device comprising:a take-up shaft operatively connected to a seatbelt take-up shaft; a primary spiral spring fixed to said take-up shaft, biasing said take-up shaft in a take-up direction; a spring clutch, including a ring and a clutch spring, fitted to the outside of take-up shaft, transferring rotation of said take-up shaft in a seatbelt drawing-out direction to said ring; a balance spring capable of generating a rotational bias force in a direction opposite to that of said primary spiral spring, one end of said balance spring being fixed to said ring; a ratchet wheel fixed to another end of said balance spring; restricting means capable of restricting said ratchet wheel, thereby preventing rotation in said seatbelt take-up direction; means effective when said ratchet wheel is restricted, for permitting said spring clutch to transfer friction in a direction to wind said balance spring tight, whereby a take-up force on said take-up shaft is reduced; and means, effective when said ratchet wheel is restricted to permit a release elastic force of said balance spring to assist, by way of said spring clutch, rotation of said take-up shaft in said drawing-out direction.