Patent ID: 7370822

Claim:
A seatbelt retractor, comprising: a spool configured to retract a seatbelt, a locking mechanism including a locking member configured to rotate normally with the spool by transmission of rotation of the spool via a rotation transmission shaft and stop the rotation in the seatbelt extracting direction in an emergency, and first and second seatbelt-load limit mechanisms configured to limit the load applied to the seatbelt when the rotation of the locking member in the seatbelt extracting direction is stopped and the spool rotates relative to the locking member in the seatbelt extracting direction, wherein the first seatbelt-load limit mechanism is a torsion bar disposed between the spool and the locking member, wherein the torsion bar is configured to be twisted into deformation, the rotation transmission shaft is formed by the torsion bar, wherein the second seatbelt-load limit mechanism is provided on a second rotation shaft that is rotated by the rotation of the spool in an emergency, wherein the second rotation shaft is located parallel to the torsion bar seatbelt-load limit mechanism includes a limit-load setting device configured to set a limit load for the seatbelt and a limit-load control device configured to control the limit-load setting device so as to vary the limit load of the seatbelt in an emergency depending on the situation of the emergency, wherein the limit-load setting device includes a first energy absorbing mechanism and a second energy absorbing mechanism, wherein each of the first and second energy absorbing mechanisms includes a first energy-absorbing-member support member provided on the rotation shaft such that it can rotate therewith, a second energy-absorbing-member support member provided on the rotation shaft such that it can rotate relative thereto, an energy absorbing member disposed between the first and second energy-absorbing-member support members, wherein the energy absorbing member is configured to absorb energy during relative rotation between the first and second energy-absorbing-member support members, and a brake system that controls the rotation of the second energy-absorbing-member support member, wherein the brake system includes at least one rotation member having at least one flat surface on the outer circumference, wherein the second energy-absorbing-member support member is the rotation member, at least one operation control member configured to control the rotation of the rotation member, and at least one drive member configured to drive the operation control member, wherein the operation control member includes a rotation stop portion, wherein the rotation stop portion is configured to come in contact with the flat surface of the rotation member and stop rotation of the rotation member, and a rotation allowable portion provided in a position adjacent to the rotation stop portion, wherein the rotation allowable portion is configured to allow the rotation of the rotation member.