ACTIVE MATERIAL BASED SEATBELT WEBBING PRESENTER
First Claim
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1. An autonomous safety webbing presenter adapted for use with a structure and a safety webbing, said presenter comprising:
- an engaging mechanism drivenly coupled to the safety webbing, and translatable, so as to be caused to achieve deployed and stowed conditions, relative to the structure, wherein the webbing is caused to achieve deployed and stowed conditions respectively;
an actuator including at least one active material element operable to undergo a reversible change in fundamental property when exposed to or occluded from an activation signal, so as to be activated and deactivated respectively, and drivenly coupled to the mechanism, so as to cause the mechanism to translate to one of the deployed and stowed conditions as a result of the change; and
a source operable to generate the signal, so as to expose the element thereto.
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Abstract
A safety belt webbing presenter including an active material actuator configured to selectively cause a webbing engaging mechanism to translate between deployed and stowed conditions, wherein the deployed condition, the mechanism engages a safety belt webbing causing it to translate to a more readily fastened position.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An autonomous safety webbing presenter adapted for use with a structure and a safety webbing, said presenter comprising:
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an engaging mechanism drivenly coupled to the safety webbing, and translatable, so as to be caused to achieve deployed and stowed conditions, relative to the structure, wherein the webbing is caused to achieve deployed and stowed conditions respectively; an actuator including at least one active material element operable to undergo a reversible change in fundamental property when exposed to or occluded from an activation signal, so as to be activated and deactivated respectively, and drivenly coupled to the mechanism, so as to cause the mechanism to translate to one of the deployed and stowed conditions as a result of the change; and a source operable to generate the signal, so as to expose the element thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of selectively presenting a safety belt webbing so as to facilitate the application of a safety belt system, said method comprising:
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a. securing a translatable engaging mechanism relative to the webbing, such that the mechanism is operable to cause the webbing to achieve deployed and stowed conditions; b. detecting a condition; c. activating an active material element for a predetermined period, so as to cause the element to undergo a reversible change in fundamental property; d. translating the mechanism and causing the webbing to achieve the deployed condition as a result of activating the element; and e. presenting the webbing, so as to be more facilely accessed and manipulated by an occupant, when in the deployed condition.
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Specification