Saturn Corporation

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Thomas J Corbett

Michele A Smith

Keith D Childress

Barry C Worrell

George J Strnad

Peter J Gareau

Alethea Keesia Morris

Ronald Dickson

Joseph William Tiberia

Michael S Mortier

Vaughn D Everhart

Chris C McGowen

A break away trim panel assembly for a panel in an occupant compartment of a vehicle includes a trim panel having an inner side and an outer side and a reinforcement attached to the outer side of the trim panel. The reinforcement includes a channel. The break away trim panel assembly also includes a fastener disposed within the channel for attaching the trim panel to the panel, such that application of a force from a predetermined angle pushes the fastener through the channel to break away the trim panel from the panel in a predetermined direction.

Break away trim panel assembly

A restraint system mounting includes a plurality of hollow support members mounted within the hub portion of the steering wheel in a predetermined pattern. The support members interfit with mounting members which depend from a restraint system module and are arranged in the same pattern. Aligned recesses in the interfitting annular members receive a leg of a spring clip to releasably secure the members to each other. A key inserted through an opening in the hub portion into each pair of interfitting members cams the spring leg out of engagement with the mounting members to release the restraint system module for removal.

Restraint system mounting

The ends of a cable are attached to the seat belt buckle so that a loop of cable projects from the buckle. A mounting bracket comprised of a stamped metal strap is folded into a U-shape and receives the loop of cable. The ends of the metal strap are attached to the vehicle body. A sleeve of ductile metal is swaged over the cable and interposed between the cable and the bracket. The sleeve has a length greater than the width of the bracket so that the sleeve extends beyond the bracket somewhat to prevent the cable from contact with the bracket. The ductile sleeve yields when a load is imposed upon the cable.

Cable mount for seat belt buckle

The present invention provides a new and improved bezel assembly for a seat belt retractor and particularly promotes low friction extension and retraction of the belt regardless of variation in the relative locations between the retractor reel and the aperture of the trim panel.

Bezel assembly for retractor

According to the invention an improved latch plate assembly for a continuous loop single retractor seat belt system includes a housing having a base wall with flanges slotted to slidably mount a lock bar. The housing is oriented with the flanges facing toward the occupant torso and the belt being routed through the space between the base wall and the sliding bar so that when the belt is stored in the generally vertically extending position between the upper and lower anchors, the belt extends in a minimally convoluted path through the latch plate thereby permitting gravity induced sliding movement of the latch plate along the belt toward the lower end of the belt. The housing is further characterized by an abutment structure adapted upon migration of the lock bar along the slot with the occurrence of generally colinear orientation of the lap and shoulder belts upon buckling of the belt to introduce a substantially convoluted path of belt through the latch plate and trap the belt between the sliding bar and the flange structure so that the travel of the belt through the latch plate is effectively prevented at least in the direction which would extend the length of the lap belt portion.

Free falling latch plate assembly

An auxiliary anchorage for a shoulder belt is comprised of an anchor ring which is mounted on a structural member of the vehicle body by an anchor belt which passes through an opening in the seat back cushion. The anchor ring is C-shaped and has an entry opening smaller than the width of the shoulder belt. The shoulder belt is removably inserted into the opening in the C-shaped ring. As the belt unfolds the belt obstructs the opening of the C-shaped ring. The C-shaped ring is mounted at a height lower than the shoulder belt retractor so that the C-shaped ring effectively lowers the height of the shoulder belt anchorage whereby the shoulder belt dwells at an adjusted angle of repose. The anchor belt may be stiffened by a plastic sheath so that the C-shaped ring is held at a readily accessible presence relative the opening in the seat back cushion and may be swung into a stored position in the opening in readiness for subsequent withdrawal from the opening to enable the insertion of the shoulder belt therein.

Growing community of inventors

Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

Thomas J Corbett