The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 24, 2026
Filed:
Feb. 07, 2024
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Mizuho Takayama, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Yuyang Song, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Gurmeet Singh, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Phouvadol P. Khouphongsy, Saline, MI (US);
Umesh Gandhi, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Koray Benli, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
Systems and methods described herein relate to adaptively adjusting the load limit of a seat belt load limiter. In one embodiment, an adaptive load-limit adjustment system estimates the weight of an occupant of a vehicle seat based on sensor data. The system also adjusts the load limit of the seat belt load limiter in accordance with the estimated weight of the occupant by causing one or more pins to protrude laterally a predetermined length from a torsional bar of the seat belt load limiter to change an effective diameter of the torsional bar and thereby adjust a shear force exerted during a vehicular crash on a STF that surrounds the torsional bar between the torsional bar and a housing of the seat belt load limiter.