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:
Oct. 22, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 26, 1995
William J Fleming, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Barney J Bauer, Fenton, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
In a seat belt system (10), a plurality of sensors (76, 80, 84) sense characteristics of a vehicle occupant and of a vehicle collision. The vehicle occupant sensors (80, 84) cooperate with a controller (90) to control a motor (60) which sets the position of a movable D-ring stop (70). The position of the stop (70) determines the position to which a movable D-ring (28) is repositioned in the event of a vehicle collision. The system (10) also includes a retractor (30) supported for movement on the vehicle. A crushable energy absorbing material, preferably a honeycomb (230), is disposed in the path of movement of a crush plate (160) movable with the retractor (30). The crushable material (230) controls movement of the crush plate (160) and thus of the retractor (30). Together with the repositioning of the D-ring (28), this reduces the abruptness of the load on the vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision.