Automatic seatbelt system

Abstract

An automatic seatbelt system which has a flexible tape extending continuously along a vehicle body form a roof side portion through a center pillar to a door so as to move a shoulder webbing connected to the roof side portion and a lap webbing connected to the door at the same time by a single driving sprocket wheel in response to an occupant entering or leaving a vehicle. The tape has a plurality of openings along the longitudinal direction thereof and the sprocket wheel is meshed with the tape by the openings. The tape extends continuously between the vehicle body and vehicle door and has a stepped portion substantially extending in a vertical direction, for example, a direction which is aligned with the rotation center of door hinges so as to twist itself around the longitudinal center thereof during opening or closing the door. When the sprocket wheel rotates, both shoulder and lap seatbelt webbings are simultaneously moved through the tape toward either the front side of the vehicle to provide an enough space for the occupant to enter the vehicle, or the rear side of the vehicle to place the webbings over the occupant at a seat.