Retractor cover, seat belt device, and method for installing the retractor cover

Abstract

The present invention provides a retractable cover and seat belt device that suppresses the diffusion of abnormal noise generated by the retractor into the vehicle while also reducing costs. [Solution] The retractor cover 1 covers the retractor 5 that winds up and unwinds the webbing. The retractor cover 1 comprises a bottom portion 2 and side wall portions 3 that rise from the periphery of the bottom portion 2. The bottom portion 2 and the side wall portions 3 contain elastic foam. The retractor cover 1 has a first elastic foam panel 20 that constitutes the bottom portion 2 and a strip-shaped second elastic foam panel 30 that constitutes the side wall portion 3.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a retractor cover that covers a retractor of a seat belt device provided in a moving body such as an automobile, a seat belt device, and a method for attaching the retractor cover.

Background Art

[0002] A seat belt device installed in an automobile or the like includes a webbing, a retractor that winds up the webbing, a tongue through which the webbing is passed, a buckle to which the tongue is attached, and the like.

[0003] Currently popular electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles have high quietness, and in order to further improve the quietness inside the vehicle, suppression of the diffusion of abnormal noises generated by the retractor is required. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a box-shaped retractor cover formed by three-dimensionally molding a non-woven fabric is attached to the retractor.

[0004] However, in the method of Patent Document 1, it took time to process the molding die. In addition, it was necessary to prepare a die for each type of retractor, which was costly.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a retractor cover, a seat belt device, and a method for attaching the retractor cover that can suppress the diffusion of abnormal noises generated by the retractor into the vehicle interior and reduce costs.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The retractor cover of the present invention is a retractor cover that covers a retractor that winds up and unwinds webbing, and comprises a bottom portion and a side wall portion rising from the periphery of the bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion and the side wall portion contain an elastic foam.

[0008] The seat belt device of the present invention comprises a retractor that winds up and unwinds the webbing, and a retractor cover of the present invention that is attached to the retractor.

[0009] The present invention provides a method for attaching a retractor cover, which involves joining a pair of short sides of a strip-shaped second elastic foam panel to form a cylinder, attaching the cylinder-shaped second elastic foam panel to the outer circumference of a retractor that winds up and unwinds the webbing, and attaching a first elastic foam panel to the lower end of the cylinder-shaped second elastic foam panel to cover the lower side of the retractor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the diffusion of abnormal noise generated by the retractor into the vehicle and reduce costs. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a retractable cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the foamed elastic panel that makes up the retractable cover. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating how to assemble the retractor cover. [Figure 4] This diagram shows an example of attaching a retractor cover to a retractor. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of a retractable cover according to another embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of a retractable cover according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows another example of a foamed elastic panel.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, a retractor cover 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is box-shaped and has a bottom surface portion 2 and side wall portions 3 rising from the periphery of the bottom surface portion 2, and covers a retractor 5 (see FIG. 4) of a seat belt device. The retractor cover 1 attached to the retractor 5 has the up-and-down direction in FIG. 1 as the up-and-down direction in the state of being mounted on a vehicle. Hereinafter, the up-and-down direction of the retractor cover 1 shall be the up-and-down direction in the state of being mounted on a vehicle.

[0014] The retractor cover 1 is made of an elastic foam. As the elastic foam, one or more selected from the group consisting of soft urethane foam, polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, melamine foam, polyimide foam, natural rubber foam, and synthetic rubber foam are preferable.

[0015] When the elastic foam has open cells, the sound absorption property is good. Soft urethane foam is likely to obtain an open cell foam and has good sound absorption property, so it is suitable as the material of the retractor cover 1.

[0016] The thickness of the elastic foam is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferably 1 mm or more and 50 mm or less.

[0017] The elongation rate of the elastic foam is preferably 10% or more and 200% or less. Here, the elongation rate means a value measured in accordance with JIS K 6400 (2012 edition).

[0018] A notch 4 may be formed in a part of the upper edge of the side wall portion 3. The notch 4 serves as a passage area for the webbing unwound from the retractor 5.

[0019] The retractor cover 1 can be manufactured using the first elastic foam panel 20 and the second elastic foam panel 30 as shown in FIG. 2. The first elastic foam panel 20 has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners at the four corners and constitutes the bottom surface portion 2 of the retractor cover 1.

[0020] The second elastic foam panel 30 is strip-shaped with a pair of long sides 31, 32 and a pair of short sides 33, 34, and constitutes the side wall portion 3 of the retractor cover 1. A notch 4 is formed in the middle portion of the long side 31. The lengths of the long sides 31, 32 are preferably slightly shorter than the outer circumference of the retractor 5. For example, when the outer circumference of the retractor 5 is 440 mm, the lengths of the long sides 31, 32 are set to 400 mm. A first engaging portion 35 is formed on the short side 33, and a second engaging portion 36 that engages with the first engaging portion 35 is formed on the short side 34.

[0021] When manufacturing the retractor cover 1, as shown in FIG. 3, the first engaging portion 35 and the second engaging portion 36 of the second elastic foam panel 30 are engaged, the short side 33 and the short side 34 are joined and connected, the second elastic foam panel 30 is made into a cylindrical shape, and an adhesive tape 41 is attached from the outside to the engaging portion.

[0022] Next, the first elastic foam panel 20 is fitted into the lower end portion of the second elastic foam panel 30 made into a cylindrical shape, and an adhesive tape 42 is attached from the outside (lower side) to fix the first elastic foam panel 20 and the second elastic foam panel 30. Thereby, the retractor cover 1 is obtained.

[0023] The materials of the adhesive tapes 41, 42 are not particularly limited, and for example, non-woven fabric tapes can be used. The dimensions of the adhesive tapes 41, 42 are not particularly limited, but in the example shown in FIG. 3, an adhesive tape 42 that is larger in size than the first elastic foam panel 20 is used.

[0024] In the example shown in Figure 2, the first engaging portion 35 is a convex portion and the second engaging portion 36 is a concave portion. However, the shapes of the first engaging portion 35 and the second engaging portion 36 are not particularly limited and should be such that they can connect the short sides 33 and 34. For example, the first engaging portion 35 and the second engaging portion 36 may have the shapes shown in Figure 7.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the retractor 5 includes a frame 50, a spool 51 rotatably held by the frame 50 for winding and unwinding the webbing, a pretensioner 52, a bracket 53 which serves as a mounting member to the vehicle body, and the like.

[0026] The pretensioner 52 is designed to wind the spool 51 with high torque in the webbing winding direction during a vehicle collision, thereby eliminating slack in the webbing. For example, the pretensioner 52 includes a gas generator that generates gas during a vehicle collision, a duct, a power transmission member installed in the duct, and the like.

[0027] The retractor cover 1, made of elastic foam, is stretchable. When attaching the retractor cover 1 to the retractor 5, the opening of the retractor cover 1 is stretched and widened, and the retractor cover 1 is placed over the retractor 5 from the spool 51 side to cover the retractor 5.

[0028] The retractable retractor cover 1 adheres tightly to the retractor 5. Furthermore, the surface friction of the retractor cover 1 (foamed elastic material) prevents the retractor cover 1 from detaching from the retractor 5.

[0029] Because the retractor 5 is covered by the retractor cover 1, it is possible to suppress the diffusion of abnormal noise generated by the retractor 5 into the vehicle and improve the quietness of the vehicle interior.

[0030] The retractor cover 1 can be manufactured simply by assembling foamed elastic panels 20 and 30 into a box shape, as shown in Figure 2, thus keeping costs down.

[0031] Furthermore, installation is easy as it only requires widening the opening of the retractor cover 1 and placing it over the retractor 5.

[0032] The retractor cover 1 is attached to the retractor 5 using the elasticity and surface friction of the elastic foam. Therefore, as long as the circumference of the retractor cover 1 is somewhat shorter than the outer circumference of the retractor, it can be attached to retractors 5 of various shapes, regardless of the external shape of the retractor 5.

[0033] A retractor cover 1A with a circular bottom surface, as shown in Figure 5, may be used. Alternatively, a retractor cover 1B with a side wall corner formed by folding and overlapping elastic foam panels, as shown in Figure 6, may be used.

[0034] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a box-shaped retractor cover 1 is placed over the retractor 5 for attachment, but the method of attaching the retractor cover 1 is not limited to this. For example, a cylindrical body can be created by engaging the first engaging portion 35 and the second engaging portion 36 of the second elastic foam panel 30 and attaching adhesive tape 41 to the engaging portion, and this cylindrical body can be attached to the outer circumference of the retractor 5. Then, the first elastic foam panel 20 can be fitted onto the lower end of the cylindrical body to cover the lower side of the retractor 5, and adhesive tape 42 can be attached to fix the first elastic foam panel 20 and the second elastic foam panel 30, thereby obtaining a retractor 5 with the retractor cover 1 attached.

[0035] The strip-shaped second elastic foam panel 30 may be wrapped around the outer circumference of the retractor 5, and the short sides 33 and 34 may be joined together using adhesive tape.

[0036] The above embodiment is just one example of the present invention, and the present invention may have configurations other than those described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 1, 1A, 1B Retractor Cover 2 Bottom part 3. Side wall section 5 Retractors

Claims

1. A retractor cover that covers a retractor that winds up and unwinds webbing, The bottom part, The side wall portion rising from the periphery of the bottom portion, Equipped with, The bottom portion and the side wall portion include an elastic foam material, and the retractor cover.

2. The retractor cover according to claim 1, wherein a notch is formed in the upper edge of the side wall portion through which the webbing can pass.

3. The first elastic foam panel that constitutes the bottom surface, The strip-shaped second elastic foam panel that constitutes the side wall portion, The retractable cover according to claim 1, having the following features.

4. The pair of short sides of the second elastic foam panel are joined together to form a tube, The retractor cover according to claim 3, wherein the first elastic foam panel is attached to the lower end of the cylindrical second elastic foam panel.

5. The retractor cover according to claim 1, wherein the elastic foam is a soft urethane foam.

6. A retractor that winds up and unwinds the webbing, A retractor cover according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is attached to the retractor, A seat belt system equipped with a seat belt.

7. The short sides of a pair of strip-shaped second elastic foam panels are joined together to form a tube. The cylindrical second elastic foam panel is attached to the outer circumference of the retractor that winds up and unwinds the webbing. A method for attaching a retractor cover, comprising attaching a first elastic foam panel to the lower end of the cylindrical second elastic foam panel to cover the lower surface of the retractor.

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