Energy absorbing device for use with vehicular seat belt

摘要

An energy absorbing device for use with a vehicular seat belt includes a housing adapted to be secured to the vehicle and defines a circular interior space and a narrow passage extending between the interior space and the outer surface of the housing. An elongated rod-like strip of a metal has a coiled end portion having a plurality of turns disposed in the circular space. An intermediate portion of the metal strip extends from the interior space outwardly through the narrow passage and terminates in the other end which is adapted to be connected to the seat belt. The junction between the circular space and the narrow passage is shaped to bend successive portions of the metal strip and guide them into the narrow passage when a tension of a magnitude greater than the bending stress of the metal strip is applied to the outer end of the strip during a collision.