Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Automotive Systems Deutschland Gmbh

Richard J Neely

David Charles Viano

Mladen Humer

James Peter Nini

David P Kolena

Hans Gert Nilson

Paul A Glinski

Robert Scott Crane

A vehicle seat (10) has a lower seat frame (14) and a seat back (16) pivoted about a recliner axis (20). An occupant (22) restraining shoulder belt (26) has an upper attachment point provided by a sliding belt guide (40) fixed to the top of a resilient, flexible elongated tower (36) attached to one side of the seat back (16). The tower (36) is normally unflexed, with the same orientation as the seat back (16), but is capable of bending with the belt guide (40) down and forwardly relative to the seat back and closer to the recliner axis (20) when a forward and downward force is applied to the belt guide (40). An inertially locking belt retractor (24) is rigidly fixed to the seat (10) below the belt guide (40). The retractor (24) provides a reserve length of belt (50) that extends up along the back of the tower (36) and over the belt guide (40) and then continues into the shoulder belt (26). In the event of rapid vehicle deceleration, the belt retractor (24) locks to the belt reserve length (50) as the occupant (22) moves relatively forward into the shoulder belt (26), thereby rapidly increasing tension in the shoulder belt (26) and applying a forward and downward bending force to the upper belt guide (40) and tower (36). In response, the tower (36) bends over and downwardly, allowing the belt reserve length (50) to move more horizontally along with the bending tower (36) as the upper guide (40) and shoulder belt (26) move forwardly with the occupant. This compound belt motion reduces the resulting tension load in the shoulder belt (26) considerably, as well as the moment applied to the seat back (16) about the recliner axis (20).

Vehicle seat with integral, load limiting belt system

A vehicle seat is providing including a seat bottom frame; a generally U-shaped seat back frame with an upper cross member with legs pivotally mounted with respect to the seat bottom frame, the seat back cross member being generally at least approximately 470 millimeters along a line generally parallel to the torso of a seated occupant from an H point of the seated occupant, and the cross member being concavely bowed if under approximately 525 millimeters from the H point of the seated occupant; and a deformable lower cross member having ends fixably connected to the seat back legs being concavely bowed, the cross member having a major dimension oriented generally parallel to the torso of the seated occupant, the lower cross member having an upper and a lower end, the lower cross member upper end being vertically above the H point of a seated occupant when the seat back frame is positioned in a normal seating position and where in a rear crash situation, the lower cross member deforms to pivot its lower end further away from the seat back frame legs than its top end to capture the seated occupant's pelvic region between the lower cross member and the bottom frame.

Vehicle seat with perimeter frame and pelvic catcher

A vehicle seat and headrest arrangement is provided including a seat bun frame having fore and aft ends, a seatback frame joined to the bun frame adjacent the aft end of the bun frame, and a headrest pivotally attached with the seatback frame along a pivotal axis generally perpendicular to the fore and aft direction whereby, upon a rear vehicle impact, the headrest moves in a forward direction toward the head of a vehicle seat occupant.

Vehicle pivotal headrest

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Casco, MI, United States of America

Richard J Neely