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Passive seat belt system

  • US 4,253,681 A
  • Filed: 05/21/1979
  • Issued: 03/03/1981
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1979
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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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 restraint system comprising:

  • a fixed length restraint belt having an upper outboard end mounted on the vehicle body generally adjacent the occupant shoulder and a lower outboard end mounted on the lower rear corner of the door;

    a junction ring slidably encircling the restraint belt and dividing the belt into a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion;

    a control belt having an outboard end attached to the junction ring and an inboard end;

    a control belt retractor mounted on the vehicle body inboard the occupant for retracting and extending the control belt;

    a track mounted on the vehicle body and extending longitudinally forward from the outboard shoulder belt end;

    a carriage slidably receiving the shoulder belt portion of the restraint belt and being movable along the track between a rearward position disposing the lap belt portion and shoulder belt portion in restraining positions adjacent the occupant and a forward position disposing the shoulder belt portion forwardly of the occupant and lifting the lap belt portion upwardly and outwardly as permitted by extension of the control belt from the control belt retractor;

    and a catch element fixedly attached to the restraint belt lap belt portion at a point thereon always spaced from the junction ring when the lap and shoulder belts are in restraining position, whereby the catch element is engaged by and limits downward sliding movement of the junction ring upon upward and outward movement of the lap belt portion during forward movement of the carriage and lifts the junction ring and the control belt substantially upwardly and forwardly away from the seated occupant.

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