Patent ID: 7392957

Claim:
A seatbelt retractor system comprising: a substantially cylindrical rotatable member operable to retract a seatbelt; a twistable shaft member disposed in an inner periphery of the substantially cylindrical member, and having a first axial end connected to the substantially cylindrical member in such a manner as to rotate therewith and a second axial end; a mounting member disposed in the inner periphery of an axial end of the substantially cylindrical member to form an annular space relative to the inner periphery, and connected to an outer periphery of the second axial end of the shaft member in such a manner as to rotate therewith; a locking mechanism capable of stopping rotation of the mounting member in a seatbelt withdrawing direction; and an energy absorbing member disposed in the annular space and having substantially a rod shape with a smooth curved portion in section, said energy absorbing member including a first end fixed to the outer periphery of the mounting member, a bent portion near the first end and a second end engaging the inner periphery of the axial end of the substantially cylindrical member so that the energy absorbing member extends in one direction from the first end to the bent portion, changes a direction opposite to the one direction at the bent portion and extends to the second end, the energy absorbing member operable to absorb an impact load applied to the seatbelt while changing a location of the bent portion in the energy absorbing member when the locking mechanism is activated.