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:
Mar. 31, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 03, 1997
Robert D Sayles, Rochester, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A vehicle seat belt system (10) includes a length of seat belt webbing (14). An energy absorber (32) connected with the belt webbing (14) is actuatable in response to the tensile load on the belt webbing exceeding a predetermined load. The system (10) includes a D-ring (24) having a webbing opening (46) through which the belt webbing (14) extends. The D-ring (24) is supported for movement from a first position to a second position upon actuation of the energy absorber (32). A signalling mechanism (40, 72) is actuatable in response to movement of the D-ring (24) from the first position to the second position for providing a signal perceptible to the vehicle occupant and indicative of actuation of the energy absorber (32). In a preferred embodiment, the signalling mechanism (40, 72) includes an electric switch (40) which is actuated in response to movement of the D-ring (24) from the first position to the second position, and a lamp (72) which is energized in response to the actuation of the electric switch.