Three-point seat belt system

• US 6,565,121 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Meyer, Rudolf, Knych, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US09/972,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: B60/R 2.2195, 280/806, 280/808, 280/807, 297/480
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1818 Belt guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/185 with stopping means for acting directly upon the belt in an emergency, e.g. by clamping or friction B60R22/195 takes precedence; combined with the retractor B60R22/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1951 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1952 Transmission of tensioning power by cable; Return motion locking means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A three-point seat belt system for a motor vehicle front seat has a belt tightening drive fastened to the front seat. The belt tightening drive engages an anchoring point of the seat belt fastened to the vehicle seat. The drive element of the belt tightening drive is securely connected to a belt webbing part, which derives from the lap belt and is guided through a belt webbing guide fastened to the seat substructure.

Claims

1. A three-point seat belt system for a motor vehicle seat comprising a belt tightening drive that is fastened to a vehicle seat and is adapted to tighten a seat belt in a belt tightening pulling direction during a crash, the belt tightening drive engages an anchoring point of the seat belt, wherein a drive element of the belt tightening drive is securely connected to a belt webbing part that is guided from a lap belt through a belt webbing guide fastened to a seat substructure, wherein the belt webbing guide comprises a fastening device and a flexible bar which delimits a belt slot of the guide, the belt webbing part is guided through the belt slot, and the belt webbing part is pressed by the fastening device on the flexible bar of the guide so that a movement of the lap belt in a direction opposite the belt tightening direction is blocked by the fastening device.

2. The three-point seat belt system of claim 1 wherein the belt tightening drive is a linear belt tightener.

3. The three-point seat belt system of claim 1 wherein the drive element is connected to an end of the belt webbing part that is guided through the belt webbing guide.

4. The three-point seat belt system of claim 2 wherein the drive element is securely connected to the end of the belt webbing part that is guided through the belt webbing guide.

5. The three-point seat belt system of claim 1 wherein the belt webbing guide is secured to a side of the seat substructure that is opposite the seat side where a belt buckle is located.

6. The three-point seat belt system of claim 1 wherein the belt webbing guide is fastened to a substructure of the seat in a region where a backrest and a seat surface meet.

7. The three-point seat belt system of claim 1 wherein the belt webbing guide is fixed to the seat substructure so that a guiding surface, around which the belt webbing part guided through the belt webbing guide is guided, assumes with regard to the tightening pulling direction, a fixed predetermined angle.

8. The three-point seat belt system of claim 1 further comprising lateral guide projections provided on the fastening device.

9. The three-point seat belt system of claim 1 wherein the fastening device comprises a clamping jaw with a clamping surface abutting the belt webbing part positioned in the belt slot.

10. The three-point seat belt system of claim 9 wherein the belt slot is formed between a guiding surface of the flexible bar and the clamping surface of the clamping jaw.

11. The three-point seat belt system of claim 9 wherein the clamping surface is provided with teeth.