Patent ID: 7350734

Claim:
A pretensioner mechanism for a safety belt comprising: a frame; a first guide member secured to the frame; a second guide member operably coupled to the frame; a first portion of a safety belt coiled about at least a portion of the first guide member prior to activation of the pretens oner mechanism and extending between a first safety belt securement and the second guide member; and a second portion of the safety belt coiled about at least a portion of the second guide member prior to activation of the pretensioner mechanism and extending between the first guide member and a second safety belt securement, the second guide member being operably coupled to the frame so as to enable movement of the second guide member with respect to the first guide member such that, upon pretensioner mechanism actuation, the second guide member moves with respect to the first guide member so as to increase a length of a portion of the safety belt extending between the second guide member and the second safety belt securement, thereby removing slack from the safety belt, wherein the first guide member is slidably engaged within a slot formed in said frame.