Richard D Grabowski

US Patent:

49401939, Jul 10, 1990

Filed:

Jan 26, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/303283

Inventors:

Richard M. Grabowski - Lockport IL

Assignee:

Gateway Industries, Inc. - Olympia Fields IL

International Classification:

B60R 2240
B60R 2204

US Classification:

2421073

Abstract:

A safety belt retraction apparatus is provided for use in a vehicle having at least one door and a chassis. The apparatus includes a safety belt retractor mechanism mounted on the vehicle door, and having a reel about which the webbing of the safety belt is wound. The reel is adapted to take up and let out the webbing. The safety belt retraction apparatus further inlcudes a resiliently compressible bellows of blow-molded plastic. The bellows is mounted at one end to a housing containing the retractor mechanism, and has an opposite web-engaging free end adjacent the reel. The bellows is dimensioned so that its free end is spaced from the reel during initial take-up operations. Thereafeter, upon continued winding of the webbing about the take-up reel, the free end of the bellows engages the webbing, and with continued winding is compressed so as to exert a friction force on the webbing during continued take-up. The friction force precludes loose winding of the webbing about the reel. The bellows may have either a cylindrical or a wedge-shaped configuration.