Patent ID: 8226122

Claim:
A linear pretensioner for use as part of a motor vehicle occupant belt restraint system of the type mountable to a motor vehicle structure and coupled with a belt restraint system component, and upon being activated, pulls the belt restraint system component to pretension the belt restraint system, the linear pretensioner comprising: at least one base plate having portions forming a slot; at least one closure plate fixedly attached to the at least one base plate, the at least one closure plate and the portions of the at least one base plate cooperating to form a cavity having an open end; a generally flat piston plate having a piston tail slidably disposed within the cavity and a piston head extending from the open end; and a cable coupled with at least one of the piston plate, the at least one base plate, or the at least one closure plate, wherein the piston plate, the portions of the at least one base plate forming the slot, and the at least one closure plate cooperate to form an expanding chamber that enlarges when pressurized by gas from a gas generator, wherein upon activation of the gas generator, the gas drives the piston plate and the at least one base plate relative to each other in a linear direction to exert tension on the cable.