Alliedsignal Inc.

Donald A DiPaola

Mohamed Boumarafi

Carl Pondell

A seat belt system comprising a length of webbing (20) adapted to secure an occupant to a seat; first locking element such as a tongue (24) receivable into second locking element such as a buckle (26), a portion of the buckle being fixedly positioned relative to the seat; a retractor (22) for retracting excess webbing; the webbing supporting a loop (40) of elastic material for resiliently coupling the webbing (20) to the tongue such that the webbing can move relative to the tongue in response to occupant motion and wherein a portion of the webbing (20) proximate the tongue is formed into a second loop (42), which limits the extension of the elastic loop (40) when the webbing is under tension.

Seat belt system providing increased occupant mobility

An adjustable seat belt anchorage (20) comprising: a guide rail (22) adapted to be secured to a portion of a vehicle (24) generally at or above occupant shoulder height, the guide rail (22) forming an open channel (34), and a plurality of pairs of cut-outs (36) oppositely positioned in front walls (28) thereof; a latch plate assembly (50) comprising: a resilient carrier (52) slidingly received within the channel (34); a latching mechanism (54) biased into the guide rail by the carrier (52) and supported by and movable within the carrier (52) including a latch bar (112) extending upwardly from the carrier (52) for engaging a selected pair of cut-outs (36). A flat spring (130) arcuately shaped spring (200) or coiled spring (222) is provided to bias the latch bar (112) into the selected cut-out (36).

Adjustable seat belt anchorage

An auxiliary storage buckle assembly (50), of integral construction for storing a latch plate (36, 60), a safety belt (30) when not restraining an occupant of a vehicle including a base (54), and a cover (8) defining a slot (58) for receiving the latch plate (36, 60), a lock plate (70) having a resilient stem portion (72) cantilevered from a portion of the base (54) proximate the entrance of the slot, and movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the latch plate for interacting with an opening (62) in the latch plate for securing same thereto. Various alternate embodiments of a storage assembly (50') are illustrated wherein such assembly (50') may be inserted within an opening in the interior facia or trim of a vehicle or fabricated as an integral part thereof.

Seat belt buckle storage and system

A safety belt system (22) comprising: a dual spool retractor assembly (30) including first and second retractors, each retractor including safety belt webbing (32), a wheel (50), an interlock mechanism (54) for coacting with the wheel (50) to prevent the extension of the webbing, the retractor assembly further includes first and second levers (60a,b, 80a, b) one associated with each retractor, activated by an occupant, to manually release a corresponding interlock mechanism for its corresponding wheel to permit extension of the webbing; a switch assembly (100) mounted to the dual retractor assembly (30) comprising a single electrical switch (106) for generating a signal indicative of the position of the levers (60,80); a carrier (102) mounted to the dual retractor assembly (30) for mounting the switch (106) and for supporting actuation bar (104), the actuation bar (104) rotatingly and slidingly supported within the carrier (102) for selectively enabling and disabling the switch.

Growing community of inventors

Mount Clemens, MI, United States of America

Donald A DiPaola