PASSENGER RESTRAINT DEVICE FOR VEHICLES

Provided is a vehicle occupant restraint system capable of swiftly protecting the occupant by shortening the time from when the actuation of the motor is started to when the actual winding of the seatbelt around the spindle is started. This vehicle occupant restraint system includes a clutch mechanism 20 which connects or disconnects an electric actuator 55 and a spindle 11, and a power transmission mechanism 50 which can transmit motive power of the electric actuator 55 to the clutch mechanism 20. The power transmission mechanism 50 is provide with a low reduction transmission path which reduces the rotation of the electric actuator 55 at a low reduction ratio, a high reduction transmission path which reduces the rotation of the electric actuator 55 at a high reduction ratio, and switching means 80. When a possibility of collision is detected, the electric actuator 55 is positively rotated and the rotation of the electric actuator 55 is transmitted to the clutch mechanism 20 at a high speed and low torque via the low reduction transmission path at least until the coupling of the clutch mechanism 20 is complete. Subsequently, the power transmission mechanism 50 is switched to the high reduction transmission path and the rotation of the electric actuator 55 is transmitted to the clutch mechanism 20 at a low speed and high torque so as to wind the seatbelt 13 around the spindle 11.