US 12,434,660 B2
Load-limiting seatbelt retractor
Dean M. Jaradi, Macomb, MI (US); Mohammad Omar Faruque, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and S. M. Iskander Farooq, Novi, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on May 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/319,533.
Prior Publication US 2024/0383438 A1, Nov. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 22/42 (2006.01); B60R 22/28 (2006.01); B60R 22/38 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 22/42 (2013.01) [B60R 22/38 (2013.01); B60R 22/28 (2013.01); B60R 2022/286 (2013.01); B60R 2022/288 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A restraint system comprising:
a retractor housing;
a webbing spool rotatably coupled to the retractor housing and defining an axis of rotation;
a wire spool lockable to the webbing spool;
a die fixed relative to the retractor housing; and
a wire fixed to the wire spool and engaged with the die;
wherein the die includes an inlet and an outlet;
the wire includes a first segment extending from the wire spool to the outlet of the die and a second segment extending from the inlet of the die; and
the second segment of the wire has a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area permitted through the die.
 
19. A restraint system comprising:
a retractor housing;
a webbing spool rotatably coupled to the retractor housing and defining an axis of rotation;
a wire spool lockable to the webbing spool;
a die fixed relative to the retractor housing; and
a wire fixed to the wire spool and engaged with the die;
wherein the die includes an inlet and an outlet;
the wire includes a first segment extending from the wire spool to the outlet of the die and a second segment extending from the inlet of the die; and
the die is sized to squeeze the second segment to a smaller cross-sectional area of the wire as the second segment of the wire passes through the die.
 
20. A restraint system comprising:
a retractor housing;
a webbing spool rotatably coupled to the retractor housing and defining an axis of rotation;
a wire spool lockable to the webbing spool;
a die fixed relative to the retractor housing; and
a wire fixed to the wire spool and engaged with the die;
wherein the die includes an inlet and an outlet;
the wire includes a first segment extending from the wire spool to the outlet of the die and a second segment extending from the inlet of the die;
the wire includes a third segment extending from the second segment; and
the third segment has a different cross-sectional area than the second segment.
 
21. A restraint system comprising:
a retractor housing;
a webbing spool rotatably coupled to the retractor housing and defining an axis of rotation;
a wire spool lockable to the webbing spool;
a die fixed relative to the retractor housing; and
a wire fixed to the wire spool and engaged with the die;
wherein the die includes an inlet and an outlet;
the wire includes a first segment extending from the wire spool to the outlet of the die and a second segment extending from the inlet of the die; and
the wire is unattached from the inlet of the die through an end of the wire.