SEAT BELT SYSTEM

• US 3,863,983 A
• Filed: 04/18/1973
• Issued: 02/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfred Wriedt
• Original Assignee: Alfred Wriedt
• Inventors: Wriedt, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Calvert, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US05/352,354
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 297/384-390 281/15SB,179 105/368 254/51
• US Class Current: 297/469
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/04 Passive restraint systems, i.e. systems both applied and removed automatically, e.g. by movement of the vehicle door

Abstract

Apparatus for holding and releasing the occupant of a passenger vehicle in and from a seat therein independently of manual assistance from the occupant, and including a pelvic strap, a shoulder strap, and a releasing strap and guiding and winching devices for lifting and lowering the shoulder strap from and on the seat occupant.

Claims

1. Apparatus for holding and releasing the occupant of a passenger vehicle in and from a seat therein independenTly of manual assistance from the occupant, said apparatus comprising, a pelvic strap connected to and extending between an inner point of attachment to the lower structure of the vehicle near its longitudinal centerline and on one side of the occupant'"'"''"'"'s place and outer point of attachment to the lower structure of the vehicle on the other side of the occupant'"'"''"'"'s place to provide a bight in said strap for passing over the pelvic region of a seat occupant and for holding the pelvic region of the occupant on the base and against the back rest of the seat, said outer point of attachment to which said pelvic strap is connected being movable fore and aft of the vehicle from an aft position for holding the bight of said pelvic strap in a restraining relationship with a chair seat occupant to a forward position permitting unobstructed access to and from the chair seat on the side of said movable point of attachment, a shoulder strap and associated winching means attached to the structure of the vehicle, a releasing strap and associated winching means attached to the structure of the vehicle, guide means for guiding and positioning said shoulder strap and said releasing strap during operation of the apparatus, said guide means comprising a forward guide device attached to the upper vehicle structure forward of the seat and an after guide device attached to the upper vehicle structure behind the seat, said shoulder strap being connected to the bight of said pelvic strap at a point intermediate its ends and extending therefrom to and being guided by said guide means and thence to said associated winching means for guiding, positioning and tensioning said shoulder strap to and between a restraining and a releasing relationship with a seat occupant upon retraction and extension, respectively, of said associated winching means, said releasing strap being connected to said shoulder strap at a point intermediate its ends and extending therefrom to and being guided by said guide means and thence to said associated winching means for guiding, positioning and tensioning said releasing strap to and between positions for lowering said shoulder strap into its restraining relationship with a seat occupant upon extension of said releasing strap winch and for lifting said shoulder strap into its releasing relationship with a seat occupant upon retraction of said releasing strap winch, said shoulder and said releasing strap being operatively related to said guide means whereby said shoulder strap in its restraining relationship with a seat occupant extends from said pelvic strap across the upper torso of the seat occupant to its said after guide device and to its associated winching means and said releasing strap extends from said shoulder strap over said after guide device forward to said forward guide device and thence rearward to said after guide device and to its associated winching means, and whereby said shoulder strap in its releasing relationship with a seat occupant is lifted from the upper torso of the seat occupant and its point of attachment with said releasing strap is carried up to and over said forward guide device by retraction of said releasing strap, means to move said movable point of attachment to which said pelvic strap is connected, the operation of said means and said winching means associated with said shoulder strap and with said releasing strap being coordinated so that said movable point of attachment of said pelvic strap moves forward and said shoulder strap loosens and said releasing strap lifts said shoulder strap forward and away from a chair seat occupant to provide unobstructed access to and from said chair seat, and so that said movable point of attachment of said pelvic strap moves aft and said shoulder strap tightens and said releasing strap allows said shoulder strap to tighten into a restraining relationship with said chair seat occupant.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 together with lock means to releasably dIvide said pelvic strap intermediate its ends and separate said shoulder strap therefrom.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the straps are replaced at least in part by stranded tension members.

4. The combination of two apparatus according to claim 1 in conjunction and in mirror image arrangement.

5. The combination of two apparatus according to claim 1 in conjunction and located one substantially behind the other in a fore and aft direction in relation to the vehicle.