Vehicle seat belt device

• US 6,213,508 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seatbelt Partners Corporation
• Original Assignee: Seatbelt Partners Corporation
• Inventors: Cornell, Leon H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US09/412,569
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801.1, 280/808, 296/68.1, 297/468, 297/482, 297/483
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/02 Semi-passive restraint systems, e.g. systems applied or removed automatically but not both ; Manual restraint systems knee, leg or head belts B60R22/001; devices for releasing in an emergency, remote or automatic unbuckling devices B60R22/32

Abstract

A device for use in conjunction with a standard three-point seat belt harness assembly to provide for restraint of potential rearward motion of a vehicle occupant. The device includes a secondary belt which is fixedly attached to one portion of the harness assembly on one side of the seat and affixedly to the floor attachment post on the opposite side of the harness assembly at the other side of the seat. An adjustable unit is provided on the second belt to tighten across the back of the occupant and for when the seat or the back of the seat is moved or adjusted.

Claims

1. A device for restraint of a user directly sitting in a vehicle seat for use in combination with a vehicle seat restraint of the type known as a three-point shoulder belt and having a first unitary belt, including opposed first and second terminal ends which are in turn respectively fixedly attached to a first vehicle mounting point above the user'"'"'s shoulder and a second vehicle mounting point below the user'"'"'s lap when the user is normally seated upon the vehicle seat, and wherein both said first and second mounting points are located on one side of the seat, and wherein said first belt includes a fastener segment mounted thereon and through which said first belt is adapted to run freely, said fastener segment attached to said vehicle at a third vehicle mounting point located proximate to said seat and on the opposite end thereof from which said first and second vehicle mounting points are located such that the belt is restrained at three points when the fastener segment is releasably attached to said third vehicle mounting point in the normal use position of the three-point shoulder belt, said device comprising a second belt having first and second terminal ends and first and second intermediate runs, said first terminal end of said second belt being fixedly attached to said first belt at a position proximal to said seat and on the same side thereof as said first and second vehicle mounting points, said second belt passing across the seat and in back of the user, said second terminal end of said second belt being fixedly attached to said third vehicle mounting point below said first fastener segment, said first and second intermediate runs of said second belt being adjustedly affixed together, said second belt being in a use position so as to restrain the user from rearward motion as during a vehicle accident.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said first terminal end of said second belt is fixedly attached to said first belt by means of a rivet.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said second intermediate run of said second belt is shorter than said first intermediate run of said second belt.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second intermediate runs of said second belt are adjustedly affixed together by means of a slide buckle unit.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said device includes a padded user backrest positioned on said second belt.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said backrest is inflatable and deflatable.

7. A device for use in combination with a vehicle seat restraint of the type known as a three-point shoulder belt and having a first unitary belt, including opposed first and second terminal ends which are in turn respectively fixedly attached to a first vehicle mounting point above the user'"'"'s shoulder and a second vehicle mounting point below the user'"'"'s lap when the user is normally seated upon the vehicle seat, and wherein both said first and second mounting points are located on one side of the seat, and wherein said first belt includes a fastener segment mounted thereon and through which said first belt is adapted to run freely, said fastener segment attached to said vehicle at a third vehicle mounting point located proximate to said seat and on the opposite end thereof from which said first and second vehicle mounting points are located such that the belt is restrained at three points when the fastener segment is releasably attached to said third vehicle mounting point in the normal use position of the three-point shoulder belt, said device comprising a second belt having first and second terminal ends and first and second intermediate runs, said first terminal end of said second belt being fixedly attached to said first belt at a position proximal to said seat and on the same side thereof as said first and second vehicle mounting points, said second belt passing across the seat and in back of the user, said second terminal end of said second belt being fixedly attached to said third vehicle mounting point below said first fastener segment, said first and second intermediate runs of said second belt being adjustedly affixed together, said second belt being in a use position so as to restrain the user from rearward motion as during a vehicle accident, a third belt having opposed first and second terminal ends and an intermediate run wherein the first and second ends of third belt are fastened to fourth and fifth vehicle mounting points and said intermediate run of said fourth belt passes in back of the user'"'"'s seat to prevent the seat from moving forward as during a vehicle accident.

8. The device of claim 7, which includes a fourth belt having opposed first and second terminal ends and an intermediate run wherein the first and second ends of said third belt are fastened to fourth and fifth vehicle mounting points and said intermediate run of said fourth belt passes in front of the user'"'"'s seat to prevent the seat from moving forward as during a vehicle accident.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said third and fourth belts are interconnected at their respective first and second terminal ends.