Passive lap and shoulder belt system

• US 4,138,142 A
• Filed: 12/27/1977
• Issued: 02/06/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wize, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Application Number:
  US05/864,551
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 280/745, 280/747, 297/388, 297/389
• US Class Current: 280/803
• 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

A passive three-point lap and shoulder belt system has the inboard ends of the lap and shoulder belts mounted on the vehicle body generally adjacent the hip of the occupant by an emergency release buckle. Lap and shoulder belt retractors are mounted on the door generally adjacent the hip of the occupant for winding the belts thereon upon closing movement of the door and unwinding the belts therefrom upon opening movement of the door. An anchor loop is mounted on the door generally adjacent the shoulder of the occupant and slidably receives the shoulder belt to dispose the shoulder belt diagonally across the chest of the occupant when the door is closed and forwardly of the occupant when the door is open. A guide loop is attached to the shoulder belt at a point thereon which travels between the retractor and the anchor loop during movement of the door between open and closed positions. The guide loop slidably receives the lap belt to lift the lap belt from the retractor and vertically along the door toward the anchor loop during opening movement of the door so that the lap belt assumes a stowed occupant access position generally parallel with the shoulder belt to facilitate occupant ingress and egress. Closing of the door winds the shoulder belt and lowers the lap belt to the restraining position across the lap of the occupant.

Claims

1. In combination with a vehicle body having an occupant compartment in which an occupant seat is accessible through a door opening selectively opened and closed by a movable door, a passive occupant restraining belt arrangement comprising:

a lap belt and a shoulder belt having inboard ends and outboard ends;

means mounting the inboard ends of the lap belt and shoulder belt on the vehicle body generally adjacent the hip of the occupant;

retractor means mounted on the door adjacent the hip of the occupant and mounting the outboard ends of the lap belt and the shoulder belt for winding the belts thereon upon closing movement of the door and unwinding the belts therefrom upon opening movement of the door;

an anchor loop mounted on the door generally adjacent the shoulder of the occupant and slidably receiving the shoulder belt to dispose the shoulder belt diagonally across the chest of the occupant when the door is closed and dispose the shoulder belt in an occupant access position forwardly of the seat when the door is open;

and connecting means acting between the lap belt and the shoulder belt to move the lap belt along the door toward the anchor loop during opening movement of the door whereby the lap belt assumes an occupant access position generally parallel with the access position of the shoulder belt to facilitate occupant ingress and egress.

2. In combination with a vehicle body defining an occupant compartment in which an occupant seat is accessible through a door opening selectively opened and closed by a movable door, a passive occupant restraining belt arrangement comprising:

a lap belt having a first end mounted on the vehicle body inboard the occupant and a second end mounted on the door generally adjacent the hip of the occupant;

a lap belt retractor mounting one of the lap belt ends for winding the lap belt upon closure of the door and unwinding the lap belt upon opening of the door;

a shoulder belt having a first end mounted on the vehicle body generally adjacent the inboard hip of the occupant and having a second end;

an anchor loop mounted on the door generally adjacent the shoulder of the occupant and slidably receiving the shoulder belt intermediate the first and second ends thereof to dispose the shoulder belt diagonally across the chest of the occupant;

a shoulder belt retractor mounted on the door generally adjacent the hip of the occupant for winding the shoulder belt upon closing movement of the door and unwinding the shoulder belt to an occupant access position with the belt disposed generally forwardly of the occupant when the door is moved to the open position;

and a guide loop attached to the shoulder belt at a point thereon traveling generally vertically between the shoulder belt retractor and the anchor loop during shoulder belt winding and unwinding, said guide loop slidably receiving the lap belt to unwind and lift the lap belt vertically upon opening movement of the door whereby the lap belt assumes an occupant access position generally parallel with the access position of the shoulder belt to facilitate occupant ingress and egress.

3. In combination with a vehicle body defining an occupant compartment in which an occupant seat is accessible through a door opening selectively opened and closed by door whose forward edge is pivoted to the vehicle body, a passive occupant restraining belt arrangement comprising:

a lap belt adapted for disposition across the lap of the occupant for restraint of the lower torso;

a shoulder belt adapted for disposition diagonally across the chest of the occupant for restraint of the upper torso;

means mounting the lap and shoulder belts on the vehicle body inboard and generally adjacent the hip of the seated occupant;

an anchor loop mounted on the door generally adjacent the shoulder of the occupant and slidably receiving the shoulder belt to dispose the shoulder belt diagonally across the chest of the occupant;

an inertia locking shoulder belt retractor mounted on the door generally adjacent the hip of the seated occupant for winding the shoulder belt about the occupant upon closing movement of the door and unwinding the belt to an occupant access position disposed generally forwardly of the occupant when the door is moved to the open position;

an inertia locking lap belt retractor mounted on the door generally adjacent the hip of the occupant for winding the lap belt across the lap of the seated occupant upon closing movement of the door and unwinding the lap belt upon opening movement of the door;

and a guide loop attached to the shoulder belt at a point thereon traveling between the shoulder belt retractor and the anchor loop during shoulder belt unwinding and winding upon opening and closing movement of the door, said guide loop slidably receiving the lap belt to lift the lap belt vertically upon unwinding of the shoulder belt from the shoulder belt retractor induced by door opening movement whereby the lap belt assumes an occupant access position generally parallel with the access position of the shoulder belt to facilitate occupant ingress and egress.

4. In combination with a vehicle body defining an occupant compartment in which an occupant seat is accessible through a door opening selectively opened and closed by door whose forward edge is pivoted to the vehicle body, a passive occupant restraining belt arrangement comprising:

a lap belt adapted for disposition across the lap of the occupant for restraint of the lower torso;

a shoulder belt adapted for disposition diagonally across the chest of the occupant for restraint of the upper torso;

emergency release buckle means mounting the lap and shoulder belts on the vehicle body inboard and generally adjacent the hip of the seated occupant;

an anchor loop mounted on the door generally adjacent the shoulder of the occupant and slidably receiving the shoulder belt to dispose the shoulder belt diagonally across the chest of the occupant;

an inertia locking shoulder belt retractor mounted on the door generally adjacent the hip of the seated occupant for winding the shoulder belt about the occupant upon closing movement of the door and unwinding the belt to an occupant access position disposed generally forwardly of the occupant when the door is moved to the open position;

an inertia locking lap belt retractor mounted on the door generally adjacent the hip of the occupant and above the shoulder belt retractor for winding the lap belt across the lap of the seated occupant upon closing movement of the door and unwinding the lap belt upon opening movement of the door;

and a guide loop attached to the shoulder belt at a point thereon traveling between the shoulder belt retractor and the anchor loop during shoulder belt unwinding and winding upon opening and closing movement of the door, said guide loop slidably receiving the lap belt to lift the lap belt vertically upon unwinding of the shoulder belt from the shoulder belt retractor induced by door opening movement whereby the lap belt assumes an occupant access position generally parallel with the access position of the shoulder belt to facilitate occupant ingress and egress.