This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-122006 filed May 27, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a webbing take-up device that takes up a webbing applied to a vehicle passenger.
2. Related Art
In a webbing take-up device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-202809, when a spool is abruptly rotated in a drawing-out direction, a lock plate provided in a movement groove of the spool is meshed with ratchet teeth of a frame. Thereby, rotation of the spool into the drawing-out direction is regulated.
Further, when the lock plate is meshed with the ratchet teeth of the frame, one side surface of the movement groove of the spool is engaged with the lock plate, and hence receiving load from the lock plate. Thus, it is necessary for the spool to have sufficient strength on the one side surface of the movement groove.
Here, the spool is provided with a slit through which a proximal end portion of the webbing is made to pass. So, it is further necessary for the spool to have sufficient strength.
In consideration of the above-mentioned facts, the present invention has an object to provide a webbing take-up device capable of enhancing strength of a take-up shaft even though the take-up shaft is provided with a slit.
A webbing take-up device of a first aspect of the resent invention includes: a take-up shaft that is provided with a slit through which a webbing to be applied to a vehicle passenger passes, the webbing being taken up on the take-up shaft by the take-up shaft being rotated in a take-up direction, and the take-up shaft being rotated in a drawing-out direction by the webbing being drawn out; a housing chamber that is provided integrally with an end portion of the take-up shaft in an axial direction of the take-up shaft, the housing chamber having an opening opened to an outer side in a radial direction of the take-up shaft, and having one side surface at a side of the take-up direction, an end portion of the one side surface at a side toward the opening begin arranged at a position which is away from a location where the slit is formed in a circumferential direction of the take-up shaft; and a lock member that is housed in the housing chamber, the lock member being engaged with the one side surface of the housing chamber at a predetermined occasion to regulate rotation of the take-up shaft in the drawing-out direction.
The webbing take-up device according to a second aspect of the resent invention is that, in the webbing take-up device according to the first aspect, the housing chamber further includes another side surface at a side toward the drawing-out direction, and the one side surface and the other side surface are away (become more distant) from each other as they go toward the outer side (approaching the outer side thereof) in the radial direction of the take-up shaft, and the one side surface and the other side surface are inclined with respect to a penetrating direction of the slit.
In the webbing take-up device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the webbing to be applied to the vehicle passenger is made to pass through the slit provided in the take-up shaft. The take-up shaft is rotated in the take-up direction, thereby the webbing is taken up about the take-up shaft. Further, the webbing is drawn out from the take-up shaft, thereby the take-up shaft is rotated in the drawing-out direction. Moreover, the housing chamber is provided integrally at the end portion in the axial direction of the take-up shaft, and the housing chamber is opened to the outer side in the radial direction of the take-up shaft.
The lock member is housed in the housing chamber, and the one side surface at the take-up direction side of the housing chamber is engaged with the lock member in the predetermined occasion, and the rotation of the take-up shaft in the drawing-out direction is regulated.
In this context, the end portion at the side of the opening (the opening-side end portion) of the one side surface of the housing chamber is arranged at such a position as to be away (separated) from the slit-formed location in the circumferential direction of the take-up shaft.
Thus, a solid part (wall thickness part) which passes the one side surface of the housing chamber of the take-up shaft and is along the axial direction becomes larger, and hence strength of the take-up shaft can be enhanced.
It is possible that, in the first aspect, the webbing take-up device further includes a lock portion that is provided integrally with the end portion of the take-up shaft in the axial direction, and the housing chamber is formed in the lock portion such that an outer side in the axial direction of the housing chamber is closed by a wall portion at the outer side in the axial direction of the lock portion, and the housing chamber has the one side surface and another side surface at a side toward the drawing-out direction.
In this structure, the outer side of the housing chamber in the axial direction of the take-up shaft is closed. Thus, strength of the housing chamber can be enhanced, and the strength of the take-up shaft can be further enhanced. Moreover, the lock member can be suppressed from being disengaged from the housing chamber to the outer side in the axial direction of the take-up shaft.
In the webbing take-up device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the housing chamber further includes another side surface at a side toward the drawing-out direction, and the one side surface and the other side surface become more distant from each other approaching the outer side thereof in the radial direction of the take-up shaft, and the one side surface and the other side surface are inclined with respect to a penetrating direction of the slit.
Thus, in a case where the take-up shaft is formed by molding, even if a part for forming the housing chamber is provided to the mold for forming shape of the take-up shaft, it is possible that the demolding directions of the mold are only two directions. As a result, a mold structure can be suppressed from being more complicated.
Further, it is possible in the first aspect that the one side surface is formed to be parallel to a penetration direction of the slit.
Further, in this case, it is possible that the other side surface is formed to be parallel to the penetration direction of the slit.
Further, it is possible in the first aspect that the one side surface is formed to be inclined with respect to a penetration direction of the slit.
Further, in this case, it is possible that a sliding surface, which surface-abuts with and slides on the one side surface, is formed at the lock member, and the one side surface intersects with a side surface of the slit extending in the penetration direction of the slit at an intersecting portion when viewed in the axial direction.
Further, in this case, it is possible that at the predetermined occasion, the one side surface is engaged with the sliding surface in a range which is from the end portion of the one side surface at the side toward the opening to the intersecting portion.
Embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures, wherein:
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Upon rotating the spool 20 in one direction about an axis thereof (it is arrow A direction in
As illustrated in
A spiral spring (not shown in the drawings) as a take-up member is arranged on the outside of the leg plate 18 of the frame 12. An outer side end in a spiral direction of the spiral spring is coupled to the leg plate 18 (the frame 12). An inner side end in the spiral direction of the spiral spring is fixed to the support shaft 24 of the spool 20. The spiral spring urges the spool 20 in the take-up direction.
A lock mechanism 40 is provided on the outside of the leg plate 16 of the frame 12. The lock mechanism 40 includes a sensor holder 60. The sensor holder 60 is formed in such a recessed shape which opens to the leg-plate 16 side, and the sensor holder 60 is fixed to the leg plate 16.
As illustrated in
The lock base 41 is provided with an engagement convex portion 49, and the engagement convex portion 49 corresponds to a return spring 68 described later. Further, the lock base 41 is provided with a housing chamber 42. The housing chamber 42 has an opening that is opened to an outer side in the radial direction of the spool 20, and is opened at a portion of an outer side in the axial direction of the spool 20 (at a portion corresponding to a groove 45A mentioned later). A side wall 45 is formed on the outer side of the housing chamber 42 in the radial direction of the spool 20. The housing chamber 42 is closed on the outer side thereof in the axial direction of the spool 20 by the side wall 45, and an outer surface of the side wall 45 in the axial direction of the spool 20 is formed to be flush with the lock base 41. The side wall 45 is provided with the groove 45A, and a guide protrusion 48 of a lock plate 46 described later is made to pass through the groove 45A.
A side surface (inner surface) 43 is formed on a take-up direction side of the housing chamber 42, and an opening-side end portion 43A of the side surface 43 is arranged at a position away from the slit 26 (a position (location) where the slit 26 is formed) in a circumferential direction of the spool 20 (when viewed from the axial direction of the spool 20, the opening-side end portion 43A is arranged at a position not to overlap the slit 26). Further, the side surface 43 is inclined with respect to a penetration direction (right-left direction in
A side surface (inner surface) 44 is formed on a drawing-out direction side of the housing chamber 42. The side surface 44 is inclined in such a direction as to be away from the slit 26 as it goes toward the outer side in the radial direction of the spool 20, and inclined with respect to a penetration direction of the slit 26 in such a direction as to be away from the side surface 43 as it goes toward the outer side in the radial direction of the spool 20.
As illustrated in
A sliding surface 47 is formed at the lock plate 46 on a take-up direction side and an outer side thereof in the radial direction of the spool 20. The sliding surface 47 is held in surface contact (abut) with the side surface 43 of the housing chamber 42. Moreover, ratchet teeth 46B are formed at one end of the lock plate 46. By sliding of the sliding surface 47 of the lock plate 46 to the outer side in the radial direction of the spool 20 with respect to the side surface 43, the ratchet teeth 46B are made to be capable of meshing with the ratchet teeth 16B of the leg plate 16.
As illustrated in
An engagement protrusion (not shown in the drawings) is provided on a side surface on a lock-base 41 side of the V-gear 50. The return spring 68 is bridged between the engagement protrusion and the engagement convex portion 49 of the lock base 41 which is described above. A compression coil spring is provided as the return spring 68 so as to urge the V-gear 50 in the drawing-out direction with respect to the lock base 41.
Further, as illustrated in
Here, when a vehicle abruptly decelerates and when the webbing 30 is abruptly drawn out from the spool 20 and the spool 20 is abruptly rotated in the drawing-out direction (a predetermined occasion), the rotation of the V-gear 50 in the drawing-out direction is regulated. Thus, the lock base 41 (the spool 20) is rotated relative to the V-gear 50 in the drawing-out direction against the urging force of the return spring 68 (the V-gear 50 is rotated relative to the lock base 41 (the spool 20) in the take-up direction), thereby the guide protrusion 48 of the lock plate 46 is moved from the one end of the guide groove 56 of the V-gear 50 to the other end thereof. As a result, the sliding surface 47 of the lock plate 46 is slid to an outer side in the radial direction of the lock base 41 with respect to the side surface 43 of the housing chamber 42 (moved from the state illustrated in
When the ratchet teeth 46B of the lock plate 46 are meshed with the ratchet teeth 16B of the leg plate 16, the side surface 43 of the housing chamber 42 is abutted to the sliding surface 47 of the lock plate 46 in the range 43C from the opening-side end portion 43A to the intersecting portion 43B. Thereby, rotation of the spool 20 (the lock base 41) in the drawing-out direction is regulated (rotation of the lock plate 46 and the spool 20 in the take-up direction is allowed).
Next, description is made of operation of this embodiment.
In the webbing take-up device 10, when the webbing 30 in a state of being taken up by the spool 20 is pulled to the leading end side against an urging force of the spiral spring, the webbing 30 is drawn out from the spool 20, and the spool 20 is rotated in the drawing-out direction.
The webbing 30 drawn out is strapped around a passenger's body. Then, for example, a tongue plate provided in an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the webbing 30 is held by a buckle device provided laterally to a vehicle seat, thereby the webbing 30 is applied to the passenger's body.
When the vehicle abruptly decelerates and when the webbing 30 is abruptly drawn out from the spool 20, and the spool 20 is abruptly rotated in the drawing-out direction, the rotation of the V-gear 50 in the drawing-out direction is regulated. Then, the lock base 41 (the spool 20) is rotated relative to the V-gear 50 in the drawing-out direction against the urging force of the return spring 68 (the V-gear 50 is rotated relative to the lock base 41 in the take-up direction).
When the lock base 41 (the spool 20) is rotated relative to the V-gear 50 in the drawing-out direction, the guide protrusion 48 of the lock plate 46 is moved from the one end to the other end of the guide groove 56 of the V-gear 50. In this case, the sliding surface 47 of the lock plate 46 is slid to the outer side in the radial direction of the lock base 41 with respect to the side surface 43 of the housing chamber 42. Thus, the ratchet teeth 46B of the lock plate 46 are meshed with the ratchet teeth 16B of the leg plate 16, and the rotation of the lock plate 46 into the drawing-out direction is regulated (the state illustrated in
At a time that the rotation of the lock plate 46 in the drawing-out direction is regulated, the side surface 43 of the housing chamber 42 of the spool 20 is engaged with the sliding surface 47 of the lock plate 46 in the range 43C from the opening-side end portion 43A to the intersecting portion 43B. Thereby, the rotation of the spool 20 in the drawing-out direction is regulated, and the passenger's body is reliably bound and held by the webbing 30.
At this time (state), a pulling force from the webbing 30 causes a rotational force in the drawing-out direction to act on the spool 20. Meanwhile, the side surface 43 of the housing chamber 42 of the spool 20 is engaged with the sliding surface 47 of the lock plate 46 in the range 43C from the opening-side end portion 43A to the intersecting portion 43B. Thus, a force from the sliding surface 47 of the lock plate 46 toward the take-up direction side is applied on the side surface 43 of the spool 20. Therefore, with respect to an end portion 43D (refer to
Here, the range 43C (including opening-side end portion 43A) of the side surface 43 of the housing chamber 42 is arranged at a position as to be away from the slit 26 of the spool 20 in the circumferential direction of the spool 20 (when viewed from the axial direction of the spool 20, at least the opening-side end portion 43A is arranged at a position as not to overlap the slit 26).
Thus, a solid part (wall thickness part) which passes the range 43C and is along the axial direction of the spool 20 becomes larger, and hence strength of the spool 20 can be enhanced.
Further, the outer side of the housing chamber 42 in the axial direction of the spool 20 is closed by the side wall 45. Thus, the side surface 43 and the side surface 44 of the housing chamber 42 are bridged by the side wall 45. As a result, strength of the housing chamber 42 of the spool 20 can be enhanced, and hence the strength of the spool 20 can be further enhanced.
Still further, the side wall 45 regulates movement of the lock plate 46 to the outer side in the axial direction of the spool 20. Thus, the lock plate 46 can be suppressed from being disengaged from the housing chamber 42 to the outer side in the axial direction of the spool 20.
Yet further, the side surface 43 and the side surface 44 of the housing chamber 42 are away from each other as they go toward the outer side in the radial direction of the spool 20, and inclined in such directions as to be away from the slit 26 of the spool 20. Thus, in a case where the spool 20 is formed by a mold (die), even if a part for forming the housing chamber 42 is provided to the mold for forming a shape (outline) of the spool 20, it is possible that the demolding directions of the mold are only two directions. As a result, a mold structure can be suppressed from being more complicated.
Note that, in this embodiment, the side surface 43 and the side surface 44 are constituted so as to be inclined with respect to the slit 26 of the spool 20. Alternatively, one of the side surface 43 and the side surface 44, or both of them may be parallel to the slit 26 (the penetration direction of the slit 26). Also in this case, when the spool 20 is formed by the mold, it is possible that the demolding directions of the mold are only two directions. In particular, under a state in which the side surface 43 is away from the slit 26 in the circumferential direction of the spool 20, if the side surface 43 is caused to be parallel with the slit 26, the side surface 43 and the slit 26 do not overlap each other when viewed from the axial direction of the spool 20 (the intersecting portion 43B does not exist). Thus, the strength of the spool 20 can be further enhanced.
Further, in this embodiment, a boundary portion between the side surface 43 and an inner side surface of the housing chamber 42 in the axial direction of the spool 20 may be formed in a curved shape (in particular, circular-arc shape). Thereby, stress concentration on the boundary portion between the side surface 43 and the inner side surface of the housing chamber 42 in the axial direction of the spool 20 can be alleviated. As a result, the strength of the spool 20 can be further enhanced.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-122006 | May 2010 | JP | national |