Patent attributes
A seatbelt retractor reduces the temporary weight during seatbelt withdrawal to increase an occupant's comfort. When a seatbelt is not being worn by an occupant (off), projections of an internal gear are placed in a circumferential center between adjacent projections by the spring force of springs. When a spool rotates in the belt withdrawing direction, the internal gear also rotates in the belt withdrawing direction. This arrangement disables a reduction mechanism's power transmission to cut off the direct connection between the spool and electric motor connected to a sun gear to reduce the temporary weight during withdrawal of the seatbelt. When the internal gear rotates at a predetermined angle, the projections come into contact with the projections to thereby stop the rotation of the internal gear. This enables the power transmission of the reduction mechanism, whereby the spool and electric motor are brought into direct connection via the reduction mechanism.
