Safety belt system in a vehicle

• US 4,032,174 A
• Filed: 11/28/1975
• Issued: 06/28/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Andres, Rudolf, Knoll, Heinz W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schrecengost, R.
• Application Number:
  US05/635,753
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 280/744, 280/745, 280/746, 280/747, 180/82 C, 297/388, 244/122 AG, 244/122 B, 242/107.1
• US Class Current: 297/480
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1951 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt

Abstract

A safety belt system in a motor vehicle in which the belt band, when reaching a predetermined deceleration value, is tightened against the user with an initial load precluding injury by the use of a tensioning device actuated by an auxiliary force; the tensioning device is thereby constructed as a structural part which is adapted to be set into rotary movement and at least partly surrounds the belt band whereby the belt band runs through the structural part during normal operation in a substantially frictionless manner.

Claims

1. A safety belt system for a vehicle, which comprises a belt band means for encompassing a user and a tensioning means for tightening the belt band means against said user with an initial load precluding injury upon reaching a predetermined deceleration value, characterized in that the tensioning means includes a structural part being rotatable and at least partly surrounding the belt band means, said belt band means being freely movable through the structural part during normal operation.

2. A safety belt system according to claim 1, characterized in that the tensioning means is actuated by an auxiliary force triggered by a shifting command upon reaching the predetermined deceleration.

3. A safety belt system according to claim 2, characterized in that the belt band means is freely movable through the structural part substantially frictionless during normal operation.

4. A safety belt system according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural part is an approximately fork-shaped flat member being rotatable in the manner of a winch.

5. A safety belt system according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural part is constructed as roller means.

6. A safety belt system according to claim 5, characterized in that the roller means has a circularly shaped cross section.

7. A safety belt system according to claim 1, characterized in that the belt band means extends through a longitudinal slot of the structural part, said slot extending approximately in the direction of the axis of rotation.

8. A safety belt system according to claim 7, characterized in that the longitudinal slot is constructed as elongated aperture.

9. A safety belt system according to claim 8, characterized in that the structural part replaces a deflection fitting in the belt system.

10. A safety belt system according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural part is set into rotary movement by a driving means, and in that the driving means of the structural part is connected with a fixed vehicle part by way of a deformation member.

11. A safety belt system according to claim 10, characterized in that the deformation member is bent approximately in the shape of a hair pin.

12. A safety belt system according to claim 11, characterized in that the tensioning means is actuated by an auxiliary force triggered by a shifting command upon reaching the predetermined deceleration.

13. A safety belt system for a vehicle, which comprises a belt band means and a tensioning means for tightening the belt band means against a user with an initial load precluding injury upon reaching a predetermined deceleration value, characterized in that the tensioning means is constructed as a structural part operable to be set into rotary movement and at least partly surrounding the belt band means, and the belt band means running through the structural part during normal operation,

characterized in that the belt band means extends through a longitudinal slot of the structural part, said slot extending approximately in the direction of the axis of rotation, and

characterized in that beginning with a predetermined tensional load acting on the structural part, the structural part is displaceable in the direction of the already tightened section of the belt band means.

14. A safety belt system according to claim 13, characterized in that the structural part is set into rotary movement by a driving means, and in that the driving means of the structural part is connected with a fixed vehicle part by way of a deformation member.

15. A safety belt system according to claim 14, characterized in that the deformation member is bent approximately in the shape of a hair pin.

16. A safety belt system according to claim 15, characterized in that the tensioning means is actuated by an auxiliary force triggered by a shifting command upon reaching the predetermined decleration.

17. A safety belt system according to claim 15, characterized in that the structural part is an approximately fork-shaped flat member in the manner of a winch.

18. A safety belt system according to claim 15, characterized in that the structural part is constructed as roller means.

19. A safety belt system according to claim 13, characterized in that the tensioning means is actuated by an auxiliary force triggered by a shifting command upon reaching the predetermined deceleration.

20. A safety belt system according to claim 19, characterized in that the belt band means runs through the structural part substantially frictionless during normal operation.

21. A safety belt system according to claim 13, characterized in that the structural part is an approximately fork-shaped flat member in the manner of a winch.

22. A safety belt system according to claim 13, characterized in that the structural part is constructed as roller means.

23. A safety belt system according to claim 22, characterized in that the roller means has a circularly shaped cross section.

24. A safety belt system according to claim 13, characterized in that the longitudinal slot is constructed as elongated aperture.

25. A safety belt system for a vehicle, which comprises a belt band means and a tensioning means for tightening the belt band means against a user with an initial load precluding injury upon reaching a predetermined deceleration value, characterized in that the tensioning means is constructed as a structural part operable to be set into rotary movement and at least partly surrounding the belt band means, and the belt band means running through the structural part during normal operation, and

characterized in that beginning with a predetermined tensional load acting on the structural part, the structural part is displaceable in the direction of the already tightened section of the belt band means.

26. A safety belt system according to claim 25, characterized in that the structural part is set into rotary movement by a driving means, and in that the driving means of the structural part is connected with a fixed vehicle part by way of a deformation member.

27. A safety belt system according to claim 26, characterized in that the deformation member is bent approximately in the shape of a hair pin.

28. A safety belt system according to claim 25, characterized in that the tensioning means is actuated by an auxiliary force triggered by a shifting command upon reaching the predetermined deceleration.

29. A safety belt system according to claim 28, characterized in that the belt band means runs through the structural part substantially frictionless during normal operation.

30. A safety belt system according to claim 25, characterized in that the structural part is an approximately fork-shaped flat member in the manner of a winch.

31. A safety belt system according to claim 25, characterized in that the structural part is constructed as roller means.

32. A safety belt system according to claim 31, characterized in that the roller means has a circularly shaped cross section.