Seat belt comfort device
First Claim
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1. A vehicle seat belt system comprising:
- seat belt webbing adapted to at least extend over the torso of an occupant seated in a seat in said vehicle;
rewind means exerting a biasing force and biasing said webbing in a rewind direction and permitting extension of said webbing against said biasing force, said biasing force causing said webbing to exert pressure against the torso of said occupant;
a tongue and buckle assembly associated with said seat belt webbing to provide a releasable interconnection for fastening said webbing about said occupant; and
comfort means associated with said tongue and buckle assembly and actuable to at least reduce the pressure exerted by said webbing against the torso of said occupant;
said comfort means comprising a contact means for contacting said webbing, said contact means normally being located at a first position at which said webbing is not contacted by said contact means, said contact means being manually movable to a second position at which said webbing is contacted, said contact means including means responsive to release of said tongue from said buckle to automatically move said contact means from said second position to said first position to thereby automatically disengage said comfort means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A seat belt comfort device located in the tongue and buckle interconnection which eliminates the tension exerted by the rewind force of a seat belt retractor. The comfort device is manually actuable between engaged and disengaged positions with the seat belt. Preferably, the comfort device is automatically disengaged when the tongue is inserted into the buckle and when the tongue is released from the buckle.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A vehicle seat belt system comprising:
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seat belt webbing adapted to at least extend over the torso of an occupant seated in a seat in said vehicle; rewind means exerting a biasing force and biasing said webbing in a rewind direction and permitting extension of said webbing against said biasing force, said biasing force causing said webbing to exert pressure against the torso of said occupant; a tongue and buckle assembly associated with said seat belt webbing to provide a releasable interconnection for fastening said webbing about said occupant; and comfort means associated with said tongue and buckle assembly and actuable to at least reduce the pressure exerted by said webbing against the torso of said occupant; said comfort means comprising a contact means for contacting said webbing, said contact means normally being located at a first position at which said webbing is not contacted by said contact means, said contact means being manually movable to a second position at which said webbing is contacted, said contact means including means responsive to release of said tongue from said buckle to automatically move said contact means from said second position to said first position to thereby automatically disengage said comfort means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16)
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- 12. The seat belt system of claim 12 including a seat in said vehicle, said buckle being mounted to said vehicle on the inboard side of said seat, said retractor being mounted on the outboard side of said seat, and said webbing extending and being slidable through said tongue.
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17. A seat belt tongue and buckle assembly comprising:
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a buckle having a contact surface thereon; and a tongue insertable in said buckle, said tongue having a forward portion adapted to be retained by said buckle, a slot adjacent its rearward portion for receipt of seat belt webbing therethrough and a comfort means disposed on said tongue between said forward portion and said slot, said comfort means being manually pivotable between a normal first position and a second position at which said comfort means is in contact with said webbing, said comfort means having a forward cam surface and a rearward cam surface, said rearward cam surface adapted to contact said webbing when said contact means is in its second position to restrict motion of said webbing through said slot, said forward cam surface adapted to engage said contact surface on said buckle following pivoting of said comfort means to its second position after insertion of said tongue into said buckle, whereby said comfort means is retained in its second position, said comfort means being automatically movable from its second position to its first position upon disengagement of said tongue from said buckle and upon insertion of said tongue into said buckle.
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Specification