ZF Makes Industry Benchmark Lightweight Seatbelt Retractor Pretensioner

ZF has made a lightweight seatbelt retractor pretensioner that has set an industry benchmark in terms of weight and packaging. The innovative component was made using a plastic piston instead of metal components that are normally used to transfer tensioning torque through the torsion bar to the spool. The result is a lightweight pretensioner with a simpler design and more compact packaging and industry leading system weight.
ZF is now delivering this innovative SPR8 (Snake Pretensioner Retractor) seatbelt system for use in the 2018 Wrangler.

Commenting on the technological breakthrough, Peter Lake, member of the board of management at ZF, responsible for Corporate Market, said that the company was very pleased to launch the next- generation product on the iconic Jeep Wrangler. The company will follow this launch with another product that it will be making for a European manufacturer that will integrate ACR technology.

The SPR8 works in such a functional manner that when vehicle sensors trigger the seatbelt system, a pyrotechnical gas generator is ignited. This releases a gas that expands and builds up pressure in the guiding tube. This pressure is exerted on the snake-like plastic piston in order to propel it into a pinion instead of the commonly used steel elements. The pinion then transmits adequate torque to the belt retractor spool to pre-tension the seatbelt. The entire pyrotechnical system is sealed and this means that there will be no emission of gas during the pretensioning process, and the entire process takes only 10 seconds.

“This unique technology utilizes lighter weight with plastic material allowing the overall system weight to be reduced by up to more than 20 percent,” said Norbert Kagerer, senior vice-president, ZF Occupant Safety Systems. “The system architecture allows great flexibility for packaging and delivering various load limiting options such as switchable, degressive and load limiting with stop to help manage occupant energy.”
ZF Makes Industry Benchmark Lightweight Seatbelt Retractor Pretensioner

ZF has made a lightweight seatbelt retractor pretensioner that has set an industry benchmark in terms of weight and packaging. The innovative component was made using a plastic piston instead of metal components that are normally used to transfer tensioning torque through the torsion bar to the spool. The result is a lightweight pretensioner with a simpler design and more compact packaging and industry leading system weight.
ZF is now delivering this innovative SPR8 (Snake Pretensioner Retractor) seatbelt system for use in the 2018 Wrangler.

Commenting on the technological breakthrough, Peter Lake, member of the board of management at ZF, responsible for Corporate Market, said that the company was very pleased to launch the next- generation product on the iconic Jeep Wrangler. The company will follow this launch with another product that it will be making for a European manufacturer that will integrate ACR technology.

The SPR8 works in such a functional manner that when vehicle sensors trigger the seatbelt system, a pyrotechnical gas generator is ignited. This releases a gas that expands and builds up pressure in the guiding tube. This pressure is exerted on the snake-like plastic piston in order to propel it into a pinion instead of the commonly used steel elements. The pinion then transmits adequate torque to the belt retractor spool to pre-tension the seatbelt. The entire pyrotechnical system is sealed and this means that there will be no emission of gas during the pretensioning process, and the entire process takes only 10 seconds.

“This unique technology utilizes lighter weight with plastic material allowing the overall system weight to be reduced by up to more than 20 percent,” said Norbert Kagerer, senior vice-president, ZF Occupant Safety Systems. “The system architecture allows great flexibility for packaging and delivering various load limiting options such as switchable, degressive and load limiting with stop to help manage occupant energy.”