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An anchorage device for a motor vehicle is provided, including a pretensioning wheel, a pulley connected to the pretensioning wheel via a torsion bar first portion, a seat belt connecting member connected to the pulley, and a locking device coupled with the pulley via a torsion bar second portion. T

An anchorage device for a motor vehicle is provided, including a pretensioning wheel, a pulley connected to the pretensioning wheel via a torsion bar first portion, a seat belt connecting member connected to the pulley, and a locking device coupled with the pulley via a torsion bar second portion. The torsion bar first portion provides resistance to rotation of the pulley during outward locking travel of the seat belt connecting member.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An anchorage device for tensioning a vehicle seat belt, the anchorage device comprising: a pretensioning wheel configured to rotate about an axis; a torsion bar having a first portion coupled to the pretensioning wheel; a pulley coupled with a second portion of the torsion ba

What is claimed is: 1. An anchorage device for tensioning a vehicle seat belt, the anchorage device comprising: a pretensioning wheel configured to rotate about an axis; a torsion bar having a first portion coupled to the pretensioning wheel; a pulley coupled with a second portion of the torsion bar and configured to rotate about the axis based on the rotation of the pretensioning wheel; a seat belt connecting member coupled with the pulley such as to be tensioned based on the rotation of the pulley; and a locking device coupled with a third portion of the torsion bar such that the locking device is configured to rotate about the axis based on the rotation of the pulley, wherein the locking device includes a locking portion configured to selectively prevent rotation of the locking device. 2. An anchorage device as in claim 1, wherein the torsion bar is a single, unitary component. 3. An anchorage device as in claim 2, wherein the first portion has a torsional yield limit. 4. An anchorage device as in claim 3, wherein the second portion has a second torsional yield limit less than the torsional yield limit of the first portion. 5. An anchorage device as in claim 1, wherein the seat belt connecting member is connected to a seat belt buckle. 6. An anchorage device as in claim 1, wherein the seat belt connecting member is connected to an anchor end of the seat belt. 7. An anchorage device as in claim 1, wherein the locking device includes at least one ratcheting mechanism configured to permit the rotation of the locking device in a first direction and to prevent the rotation of the locking device in a second direction. 8. An anchorage device as in claim 7, wherein the at least one ratcheting mechanism has an engaged position to prevent the rotation of the locking device in the second direction and a disengaged position to permit the rotation of the locking device in the second direction. 9. An anchorage device as in claim 8, wherein the at least one ratcheting mechanism is maintained in the disengaged position by a shear pin. 10. An anchorage device as in claim 8, wherein the at least one ratcheting mechanism is maintained in the disengaged position by a locking protrusion configured to selectively engage an upper surface of the ratcheting mechanism. 11. An anchorage device as in claim 9, further comprising an electric motor, a worm, and a worm gear coupling the electric motor and the locking device. 12. An anchorage device as in claim 11, wherein the worm gear and the locking device are coupled with each other via a second shear pin. 13. An anchorage device as in claim 11, further comprising a shear protrusion configured to selectively couple the worm gear and the locking device with each other, wherein the worm gear and the shear protrusion define a single, unitary part. 14. An anchorage device for tensioning a vehicle seat belt, the anchorage device comprising: a pretensioning wheel configured to rotate about an axis based on input from an input device; a pulley coupled with a seat belt connecting member; a first load limiting component to prevent a predetermined maximum first torque between the pretensioning wheel and the pulley; a locking device including a locking portion configured to selectively prevent rotation of the locking device; and a second load limiting component to prevent a predetermined maximum second torque between the locking device and the pulley. 15. An anchorage device as in claim 14, wherein the first load limiting component and the second load limiting component cooperate to define a dual mode torsion bar. 16. An anchorage device as in claim 14, wherein the seat belt connecting member is connected to a seat belt buckle. 17. An anchorage device as in claim 14, wherein the seat belt connecting member is connected to an anchor end of a seat belt. 18. A method of tensioning a vehicle seat belt, the method comprising: coupling a pretensioning wheel and a seat belt connecting member via a first portion of a torsion bar; coupling the seat belt connecting member and a locking device via a second portion of the torsion bar; applying a rotational force to the pretensioning wheel during a first stage of an event to retract the seat belt connecting member; and providing resistance to rotation of the pulley via the first portion of the torsion bar during a second stage of the event. 19. A method as in claim 18, wherein the first stage of the event is pretensioning of the seat belt connecting member. 20. A method as in claim 19, wherein the second stage of the event is outward locking travel of the seat belt connecting member. 21. A method as in claim 20, wherein the first portion of the torsion bar plastically yields during the first stage of the event. 22. A method as in claim 18, further comprising engaging the locking device to substantially prevent the locking device from rotating. 23. A method as in claim 18, further comprising engaging a ratcheting mechanism of the locking device during a third stage of the event to permit the rotation of the locking device in a first direction and to prevent the rotation of the locking device in a second direction via the second portion of the torsion bar. 24. A method as in claim 23, further comprising releasing the resistance to the rotation of the pulley by the first portion of the torsion bar during a fourth stage of the event. 25. A method as in claim 24, further comprising preventing the rotation of the locking device in the second direction via the second portion of the torsion bar during the fourth stage of the event. 26. A method as in claim 18, further comprising substantially maintaining the rotational force to the pretensioning wheel during the second stage of the event.