Seat-belt safety systems

• US 3,340,523 A
• Filed: 10/14/1964
• Issued: 09/05/1967
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1964
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert L. Whitman
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Whitman
• Inventors: Whitman, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US04/403,727
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4825 for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4841 for sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4858 for sensing pressure on seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/003 Switches operated by other part of human body than hands push-button switches H01H13/16; slide switches H01H15/20; cord switches H01H17/10; other switches H01H19/16 and H01H21/26

Claims

1. A SAFETY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES HAVING AT LEAST TWO SEATS EQUIPPED WITH SEAT BELTS AND A NORMALLY CLOSED SIGNALING CIRCUIT;

A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR EFFECTING THE OPENING OF SAID NORMALL CLOSED SIGNALING CIRCUIT COMPRISING NORMALLY OPENED SWITCH MEANS CONTROLLED BY EACH SEAT BELT AND CONNECTED IN SERIES CIRCUIT RELATION;

A SEAT BELT SWITCH ACTUATOR IN OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OF SAID SEAT-BELT SWITCHES;

SPRING MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ACTUATOR AND WITH SAID SEAT BELT SUCH THAT THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS MAINTAINS SAID ACTUATOR IN POSITION TO HOLD SAID SEAT BELT SWITCH NORMALLY OPEN, SAID SWITCH BEING CLOSED IN RESPONSE TO A SUFFICIENT FORCE EXERTED ON SAID SEAT BELT TO OVERCOME THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS;

A NORMALLY CLOSED PRESSURE-OPERATED SWITCH MEANS MOUNTED TO BE MOVED TO OPEN POSITION IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE APPLIED TO ONE OF THE SEATS, SAID NORMALLY-CLOSED PRESSURE-OPERATED SWITCH BEING CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH CORRESPONDING SEAT BELTS SWITCH;

AND A NORMALLY OPENED OPERATOR ACTUATED TIME DEPENDENT SHORTING MEANS, SAID SHORTING MEANS BEING CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR SHORT CIRCUITING SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR A FINITE TIME INTERVAL AND FOR AUTOMATICALLY RESTORING SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT TO THE NORMAL STATE AFTER SAID TIME INTERVAL.