Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Ford Motor Company Limited

Steven R Loxton

Donald P Czarnecki

Louis R Brown

Timothy G Laske

Roger P Daniel

A seat belt positioning assembly (30) for seat belt webbing (16) includes a structure (50) that has an opening (52) through which the webbing (16) extends. The assembly (30) also includes a movable closure member (60) that blocks the opening (52) and a support assembly (70) for the closure member (60). The closure member (60) has a slot (62) through which the seat belt webbing (16) extends. The support assembly (70) supports the closure member (60) for simultaneous pivotal adjustment about a center (74) as well as for rotational adjustment about a central axis (72).

Apparatus for restraining a vehicle occupant

A seat belt webbing guide assembly (40) includes a closure member (90) which has a slot (164) and is rotatable about a first, generally horizontal, axis (92). The closure member (90) is housed within an inner support member (80) which is rotatable about a second, generally vertical, axis (94). Seat belt webbing extends through the slot (164). Tension in the seat belt webbing adjusts the position of the closure member (90) and slot (164).

Seat belt webbing guide assembly

A seat belt presenter (10) for an active seat belt system (14) for restraining a vehicle occupant includes a guide (82) having surfaces (87) which surround opposite major side surfaces (41, 43) of belt webbing (40). A lift arm (74) has an end portion (78) to which the guide (82) is attached. The lift arm (74) is movable between a presented position in which the guide (82) supports a tongue assembly (48) adjacent to the vehicle occupant and a stored position in which the guide is disposed when the tongue assembly is engaged with a buckle (50). A spring (110) biases the lift arm (74) and the guide (82) to the presented position. A motor (130) when energized moves the lift arm (74) and the guide (82) to the stored position. The guide (82) is maintained at a constant attitude angle as the lift arm (74) moves between the presented and stored positions.

Seat belt presenter

A mechanism connects seat belt webbing to a track of a passive seat belt system of a vehicle. The mechanism comprises a slider slidably engageable with the track. A webbing anchor link includes a first flat portion pivotally connected to the slider and a second flat portion having an opening through which the belt webbing extends. The slider and the first flat portion of the anchor link are pivotally connected in a manner to enable the anchor link to pivot about mutually perpendicular intersecting axes relative to the slider. The first flat portion lies in a first plane and has a first longitudinal axis lying in the first plane. The second flat portion lies in a second plane and has a second longitudinal axis lying in the second plane. The first and second longitudinal axes extend parallel with each other. The first and second planes form between them a predetermined angle. Preferably, the predetermined angle is an angle of 45.degree..

Growing community of inventors

Lakeport, MI, United States of America

Steven R Loxton