Resettable Load-Limiting Adaptive Seatbelt Apparatus

• US 20150048609A1
• Filed: 12/24/2012
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael R. Schramm
• Original Assignee: Michael R. Schramm
• Inventors: Schramm, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US13/726,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20150048609A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2549 Fastening of other buckle elements to the main buckle buckles with several tongues released by the same mechanism A44B11/2507 - A44B11/2542
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/321 using electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4007 Lock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4044 Sliding part or wedge

Abstract

The present invention is a resettable load-limiting adaptive seatbelt apparatus having the means to readily allow release or disengagement of the seatbelt apparatus at a predetermined load in response to a first situation, and having the means to prevent release or disengagement of the seatbelt apparatus at the predetermined load in response to a second situation, and yet having the means to allow limited non-disengagement load-limiting payout of the seatbelt apparatus at a variable predetermined load in response to a third situation.

Claims

1. A seatbelt apparatus having a limited non-disengagement crash-load-limiting payout slip (limited slip) belt engagement device, wherein the threshold of resistance to slip of said apparatus varies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said limited slip occurs in response to an adaptively variable load.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said threshold of resistance to slip adaptively varies in response to at least one of vehicle speed, occupant mass, and vehicle crush resistance.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said limited slip defines a peak belt load mitigating slip.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said limited slip defines at least a partial slip of a belt male connection member from a belt female connection member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said limited slip occurs in response to a crash.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is adapted such that in a first scenario said apparatus allows limited release of a seatbelt in response to a seatbelt tension disengagement load, and wherein in a second scenario said apparatus allows complete release of a seatbelt in response to a hands-free seatbelt tension disengagement load.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a load required to cause said limited slip in said first scenario is greater than the load required to cause complete release of said seatbelt in said second scenario.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said load of said first scenario defines a load in the range of 20 to 750 pounds, and wherein said load of said second scenario defines a load in the range of 1 to 200 pounds.

10. A seatbelt apparatus adapted such that in a first scenario said apparatus allows limited non-disengagement crash-load-limiting payout release (limited release) of a seatbelt in response to a seatbelt tension disengagement load, and wherein in a second scenario said apparatus allows complete release (complete disconnection) of a seatbelt in response to a hands-free seatbelt tension disengagement load, wherein the threshold of resistance to release of said seatbelt varies.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said limited release defines a limited slip of a limited slip belt engagement device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said limited release of a seatbelt occurs in response to an adaptively variable load.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said threshold of resistance to release of said seatbelt adaptively varies in response to at least one of vehicle speed, occupant mass, and vehicle crush resistance.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said limited release of a seatbelt defines a peak belt load mitigating limited release.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said limited release of a seatbelt defines at least a partial release of a first belt connection member from a second belt connection member.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first belt connection member defines a belt male connection member and wherein said second belt connection member defines a belt female connection member.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said limited release of a seatbelt occurs in response to a crash.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a load required to cause said limited release of a seatbelt in said first scenario is greater than the load required to cause complete release of said seatbelt in said second scenario.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said load of said first scenario defines a load in the range of 20 to 750 pounds, and wherein said load of said second scenario defines a load in the range of 1 to 200 pounds.

20. A seatbelt apparatus that disengages in response to a hands-free seatbelt tension disengagement load.