Vehicle seat belt having tubes for air delivery

• US 10,479,162 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2017
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Elson, John Craig, Gath, Kerrie, Maranville, Clay Wesley, Schein, Victoria
• Primary Examiner(s): Gooden, Jr., Barry
• Application Number:
  US15/834,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20190176567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00271 HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2225 arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1806 for buckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/12 Construction of belts or harnesses B60R21/18 takes precedence ; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/14 incorporating enlarged restraint areas, e.g. vests, nets , crash pads, optionally for children crash pads for occupants' safety on vehicles in general B60R21/02

Abstract

A vehicle seat belt system is provided. The vehicle seat belt system includes a seat belt comprising first and second seat belt webbings each defining a passageway, and one or more tubular extension members extending between the first and second seat belt webbings. The vehicle seat belt system also includes a plurality of exhaust openings formed in at least one of the first and second webbings, and an air delivery device supplying air to the seat belt.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt comprising first and second seat belt webbings each defining a passageway;

one or more tubular extension members extending between the first and second seat belt webbings;

a plurality of exhaust openings formed in at least one of the first and second webbings and formed in the one or more tubular extension members; and

an air delivery device supplying air to the seat belt.

2. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the first webbing comprises a shoulder belt webbing and the second webbing comprises a lap belt webbing.

3. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the one or more tubular extension members comprises a plurality of tubular extension members.

4. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of exhaust openings are formed in both the first and second webbings.

5. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1 further comprising a buckle for connecting with the seat belt, wherein the air from the air delivery system enters the first and second webbings through the buckle.

6. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1 further comprising a heater provided on or in the one or more tubular extension members.

7. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1 further comprising a heater provided on the seat belt.

8. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 7, wherein the heater is provided on at least one of the first and second seat belt webbings.

9. A vehicle seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt comprising a shoulder belt webbing and a lap belt webbing each defining a passageway;

one or more tubular extension members extending between the shoulder belt webbing and the lap belt webbing, wherein the one or more tubular extension members stretch to an extended position across a body of a user and retract to a stowed position;

a plurality of exhaust openings formed in at least one of the shoulder and lap belt webbings; and

an air delivery device supplying air to the passageways in the shoulder and lap belt webbings and a passageway in each of the one or more extension members.

10. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 9, wherein the one or more tubular extension members comprises a plurality of tubular extension members.

11. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of exhaust openings are further formed in the one or more tubular extension members.

12. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of exhaust openings are formed in both the shoulder and lap belt webbings.

13. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 9 further comprising a buckle for connecting with the seat belt, wherein the air from the air delivery system enters the shoulder and lap belt webbings through the buckle.

14. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 9 further comprising a heater provided on the seat belt, wherein the heater is provided on at least one of the shoulder and lap belt webbings.

15. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 9, wherein each extension member has a passageway operatively coupled to the passageways of the shoulder and lap belt webbings.

16. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 9 further comprising a heater provided on or in the one or more tubular extension members.

17. A vehicle seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt comprising first and second seat belt webbings;

one or more extension members extending between the first and second seat belt webbings, wherein the one or more extension members stretch between an extended position across a body of a user and retract to a stowed position; and

a heater comprising a heating element provided on or in at least one of the one or more extension members.

18. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 17, wherein the one or more extension members comprise a planar material having a resistive heating element provided on or within the planar material.

19. The vehicle seat belt system of claim 17, wherein the one or more extension members comprise one or more tubular extension members, wherein the heater is provided on or within a passageway in the one or more tubular extension members.