Vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 20030137140A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Strobel, Ralf, Lutz, Jurgen
• Application Number:
  US10/346,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/185 with stopping means for acting directly upon the belt in an emergency, e.g. by clamping or friction B60R22/195 takes precedence; combined with the retractor B60R22/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1951 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a safety belt arrangement with a belt webbing, a belt buckle and one of an end- and deflection fitting. The restraint system further comprises two tracks with which a vehicle seat is connected and which, for displacement of the vehicle seat, are constructed for engagement into counter-tracks fixed to a floor of the vehicle. An elongated, rigid fastening element is provided which extends beneath the seat between the tracks and which is connected with both of the tracks. At least one belt tensioner is mounted to the fastening element.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising

a safety belt arrangement, which has a belt webbing, a belt buckle and one of an end- and deflection fitting,

two tracks with which a vehicle seat is connected and which, for displacement of said vehicle seat, are constructed for engagement into counter-tracks fixed to a floor of said vehicle,

an elongated, rigid fastening element which extends beneath said seat between said tracks and which is connected with both of said tracks, and

at least one belt tensioner mounted on said fastening element.

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein two belt tensioners are provided, which are both fastened to said fastening element.

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 2, wherein one of said belt tensioners is a buckle tensioner and the other of said belt tensioners is one of an end- and deflection fitting tensioner.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein one of said belt tensioners is connected with an engagement means, which is connected with one of said belt buckle and said end- and deflection fittings, and wherein said fastening element has a deflection for said engagement means.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said fastening element has a guide for one of said end- and deflection fittings, in which said end- and deflection fittings, respectively, moves during a tensioning process of said safety belt.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said fastening element and at least one of said belt tensioners form a pre-assembled unit.

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said fastening element has a deflection for-a belt webbing of said safety belt.

8. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said belt tensioner is one of an end- and deflection fitting tensioner and wherein said fastening element is a strut which is U-shaped in cross-section and extends upwards on a side of said end- and deflection fitting tensioner, respectively, along said seat and in this region forms a U-shaped guide and deflection for said belt webbing.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein, in a case of activation of said at least one belt tensioner, said belt webbing is retracted in a longitudinal direction of said fastening element, a belt webbing section having a reduced width in a region of said fastening element or being reduced in its width during said retraction process.

10. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said belt tensioner is one of an end- and deflection fitting tensioner and wherein said belt webbing is folded during said tensioning process transversely to a longitudinal direction of said belt webbing.

11. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the fastening element is U-shaped in cross-section, wherein a width of said fastening element is reduced downwards to a side of said seat, in order to become narrower than said belt webbing and to fold said belt webbing as it slides along fastening element during said tensioning process.

12. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said belt tensioner is one of an end- and deflection fitting tensioner and wherein a piece of said belt webbing which is to be drawn in is sewn together along its longitudinal direction such that its width is reduced.

13. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said belt tensioner is one of an end- and deflection fitting tensioner which is connected with an engagement means, and wherein a connection between said engagement means and the one of said end- and deflection fittings is realized by a screw coupling.

14. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said belt tensioner is one of an end- and deflection fitting tensioner, which is connected with an engagement means, and wherein a connection between said engagement means and the one of said end- and deflection fittings is realized by a connection element in the form of a coupling mechanism.

15. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 14, wherein said connection element has a threaded sleeve and a thread bolt, one of said two components being connected with said engagement means and the other component being connected with one of said end- and deflection fittings.

16. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 14, wherein said connection element has a first coupling half with at least one opening and a second coupling half with a detent cam, said detent cam being able to engage into said opening and being able to fix said first coupling half and said second coupling half to each other, one of said coupling halves being connected with said engagement means and the other coupling half being connected with one of said end- and deflection fittings.

17. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 14, wherein said connection element has a first coupling half with at least one depression and a second coupling half with a projection, said projection being able to engage into said depression and being able to fix said first coupling half and said second coupling half to each other, one of said coupling halves being connected with said engagement means and the other coupling half being connected with one of said end- and deflection fittings.

18. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 17, wherein said first and second coupling halves are surrounded by a displaceable sleeve.

19. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 14, wherein said connection element is an insert coupling, in particular a ball and socket joint.

20. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 14, wherein a connection point provided between said engagement means and one of said end- and deflection fittings is attached to said fastening element via a detachable component.

21. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 20, wherein said detachable component has a predetermined breaking point.

22. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 13, wherein a retaining device is provided on said fastening element which retaining device is coordinated with a geometry of one of said end- and deflection fittings and which, when one of said end- and deflection fitting tensioners is omitted, permits a direct fastening of said end- and deflection fitting to said fastening element.

23. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 22, wherein said retaining device is formed by a coupling half of said connection element.

24. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 13, wherein one of said end- and deflection fittings has at least one eye and said fastening element has a counter-bore and wherein a screw is provided which extends through said eye and said counter-bore and fixes one of said end- and deflection fittings to said fastening element.

25. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said tracks and said fastening element form a pre-assembled slide to which said vehicle seat can be fastened, and wherein said slide, said belt buckle and said at least one belt tensioner form a pre-assembled unit.

26. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, including a vehicle seat which is connected with said tracks.