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:
Apr. 21, 1987
Filed:
Sep. 11, 1985
John J Sack, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Nazareth Stamboulian, Van Nuys, CA (US);
Akira Tanaka, Northridge, CA (US);
American Safety Equipment Corp., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A seat belt system of the conventional three point restraint type includes an electric motor which replaces the usual rewind spring on the belt retractor. When the seat belt is buckled up, the motor is set into operation and pulls the shoulder belt up into engagement with the body of the occupant in the seat, and then is pulsed backward to provide safe tensionless comfort in which the seat belt is located close to the body of the person being restrained but safely spaced away from the body of the occupant. The cycle of tightening of the belt and then releasing it by a predetermined short distance to provide the tensionless comfort position is repeated whenever the occupant either closes the seat belt buckle, shifts the position of the seat by operating the seat release or seat reclining levers, or leans forward beyond the tensionless range, thereby applying tension to the seat belt. The motor may be pulsed backward by a capacitor, or other means in combination with a switching circuit which applies a reverse pulse from such capacitor or other means to the motor, following tightening up of the belt. The system includes a seat sensor means, a belt tension sensor means, a vehicle speed sensor means for causing re-check of belt tension, and a system operation signal light.