Patent ID: 7025297

Claim:
A seat belt retractor comprising: a spool mounted for rotation to allow retraction or pay-out of seat-belt webbing wound thereon depending upon the rotation direction of the spool; a locking ring connected to the spool for rotation therewith; a locking plate connected to the spool for rotation therewith; a lock bar activated by a crash sensor to engage the locking ring to prevent rotation when a crash condition is sensed; a first and a second force limiting means for controlling pay-out of the seat belt webbing after the locking ring has been locked against rotation; the first force limiting means comprising resilient means having one end connected to the locking ring and the other end connected to the spool in the force path between the spool and the lock bar; the second force limiting means comprising a wire having one end located in a recess in the spool and the other end connected to the locking plate; a means for selectively connecting the locking plate to the lockbar such that when the locking plate is secured against rotation the second force limiting means is activated; a means for selectively releasing the wire from the force path at a predetermined time during a crash; and wherein the locking plate is selectively disconnected from the locking ring by a means for moving the locking plate in a direction parallel to the axis of the spool.