Belt system with inflatable section within an outer belt section and method of restraint
First Claim
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1. An inflatable seat belt system, comprising:
- a rear retractor and pay-out anchor mounted to a vehicle seat;
a belt guide enclosure disposed near the rear retractor and pay-out anchor;
a belt webbing connected at a first end to and extending from said rear retractor and pay-out anchor to and within said belt guide enclosure;
an inflator confined within said belt guide enclosure and movable therein coextensively with the pay-out and retraction of said belt webbing;
an inner inflatable tubular belt component, having a fist end attached to a second end of said belt webbing, wherein said inflatable tubular component surrounds the inflator and extends from said second end of the belt webbing through said belt guide enclosure and beyond an end of said bell guide enclosure which is most remote from The location of said rear retractor and pay-out anchor, said inner inflatable tubular belt component being movable to retract and pay-out co-extensively with the movement of said inflator and said belt webbing;
an outer tubular belt component having a first end attached to said second end of said belt webbing, said outer tubular belt component surrounds and encompasses said inner inflatable tubular belt component when said inner tubular belt component is not inflated, said outer tubular belt component includes a frangible line extending longitudinally along a side edge of said outer tubular belt component, said frangible line functions to rupture along its length and transform at least a portion of the outer tubular belt component into a non-tubular webbing when said inner inflatable tubular belt component is inflated by said inflator;
a connector attached to a second end of said inner tubular belt component and a second end of said outer tubular belt component; and
a lap belt section attached at a first end to said connector and attached at a second end to a side retractor and payout anchor mounted adjacent a side of the vehicle seat such that said side retractor and pay-out anchor is operable to pay-out and retract said lap belt section;
wherein said outer tubular belt component and said inner inflatable tubular belt component both bear the load of restraining an occupant of the vehicle seat during a crash event as well as during a non-crash event of the vehicle.
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Abstract
An inflatable belt system and method of operation for a vehicle occupant restraint in which a lap belt section or torso belt section or both have dual load bearing portions with an inner portion being inflatable. During inflation of the inner portion the other outer belt portion ruptures along a frangible line. The outer belt portion is a woven cylindrical member.
38 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An inflatable seat belt system, comprising:
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a rear retractor and pay-out anchor mounted to a vehicle seat;
a belt guide enclosure disposed near the rear retractor and pay-out anchor;
a belt webbing connected at a first end to and extending from said rear retractor and pay-out anchor to and within said belt guide enclosure;
an inflator confined within said belt guide enclosure and movable therein coextensively with the pay-out and retraction of said belt webbing;
an inner inflatable tubular belt component, having a fist end attached to a second end of said belt webbing, wherein said inflatable tubular component surrounds the inflator and extends from said second end of the belt webbing through said belt guide enclosure and beyond an end of said bell guide enclosure which is most remote from The location of said rear retractor and pay-out anchor, said inner inflatable tubular belt component being movable to retract and pay-out co-extensively with the movement of said inflator and said belt webbing;
an outer tubular belt component having a first end attached to said second end of said belt webbing, said outer tubular belt component surrounds and encompasses said inner inflatable tubular belt component when said inner tubular belt component is not inflated, said outer tubular belt component includes a frangible line extending longitudinally along a side edge of said outer tubular belt component, said frangible line functions to rupture along its length and transform at least a portion of the outer tubular belt component into a non-tubular webbing when said inner inflatable tubular belt component is inflated by said inflator;
a connector attached to a second end of said inner tubular belt component and a second end of said outer tubular belt component; and
a lap belt section attached at a first end to said connector and attached at a second end to a side retractor and payout anchor mounted adjacent a side of the vehicle seat such that said side retractor and pay-out anchor is operable to pay-out and retract said lap belt section;
wherein said outer tubular belt component and said inner inflatable tubular belt component both bear the load of restraining an occupant of the vehicle seat during a crash event as well as during a non-crash event of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An inflatable seat belt system, comprising:
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a retractor and pay-out anchor mounted to a frame of a vehicle associated with a vehicle seat;
a belt guide enclosure mounted adjacent to the vehicle seat and extending from said retractor and pay-out anchor;
a belt webbing connected at a first end to and extending from said retractor and pay-out anchor to and within said belt guide enclosure;
an inflator confined within said belt guide enclosure and movable within the confines of said belt guide enclosure co-extensively with the retraction and payout of said belt webbing to and from said retractor and pay-out anchor;
an inner inflatable tubular belt component having a first end attached to a second end of said belt webbing, wherein said inner inflatable tubular belt component surrounds said inflator, and extends co-extensively from said belt webbing through said belt guide enclosure beyond an end of said belt guide enclosure that is most remote from the location of said retractor and pay-out anchor, said inner inflatable tubular belt component being movable to retractor and pay-out co-extensively with the movement of said inflator and said belt webbing;
an outer tubular belt component having a first end attached to said second end of said belt webbing, said outer tubular belt component surrounds and encompasses said inner tubular belt component when said inner inflatable tubular belt component is not inflated, said outer tubular belt component includes a frangible line extending longitudinally along a side edge of said outer tubular belt component, said frangible line functions to rupture along its length and transform at least a portion of the outer tubular belt component into a non-tubular webbing when said inner tubular belt component is inflated by said inflator;
a connector attached to a second end of said inner tabular belt component and to a second end of said outer tubular belt component, said connector functions to removably attach both of said second ends to the vehicle seat; and
a lap belt section attached at a first end to said connector and attached at a second end to a side retractor and pay-out anchor mounted adjacent a side of the vehicle seat such that said side retractor and pay-out anchor operates to pay-out and retract said lap belt section, wherein said outer tubular belt component and said inner tubular belt component both bear the load of restraining an occupant of the vehicle seat during a crash event as well as during a non-crash event of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. In a vehicle having a seat for an occupant, a belt restraint system comprising:
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a belt member restraining the occupant during vehicle deceleration and other movement of the occupant relative to the seat, said belt member being loaded by forces imposed by the occupant;
said belt member including an inflatable torso belt section anchored between a first anchor adjacent the seat and a second anchor behind the seat;
a belt guide enclosure between the occupant and said second anchor;
an inflator in fluid communication with said torso belt section;
said inflatable torso belt section including an outer belt component and an inner belt component;
(i) said components being connected to one another at spaced-apart locations along said torso belt section; and
(ii) said components sharing said load forces of said belt member during vehicle deceleration; and
said outer belt component having a frangible portion that functions to create an opening when said frangible portion is stressed, said opening through which said inner belt component emerges upon its inflation;
whereby said inflator is disposed inside said inner belt component and inflates said inner belt component upon the vehicle encountering a crash event, causing said frangible portion of said outer component to rupture creating said opening allowing said inner belt component to emerge from said opening to provide an inflated torso belt section; and
wherein said inflator and a portion of said inflatable torso belt section are located wherein said belt guide enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of restraining an occupant in a seat in a vehicle comprising:
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providing a woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member anchored at two anchor locations within the vehicle, with the first of said anchor locations being adjacent the seat and the second of said anchor locations being located at a remote location within the vehicle, said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member adapted to be loaded by the forces required to decelerate the occupant upon deceleration of the vehicle and by other movements of the occupant relative to the seat;
locating within said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member an inner inflatable tubular belt member, said inner inflatable tubular belt member having two ends and a middle portion with said middle portion extending across at least a portion of the occupant and the two ends of said inner inflatable tubular belt member being secured, respectively, to the corresponding ends of said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member;
providing as part of said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member a frangible portion rupturable upon inflation of said inner inflatable tubular belt member so as to permit said inner inflatable tubular belt member to exit said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member, said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member and inner tubular belt member substantially share the occupant deceleration load during vehicle deceleration upon the vehicle encountering a crash event;
providing an inflator inside the inner tubular belt member;
providing a belt guide enclosure between the occupant and said remote anchor location, said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member and said inner inflatable tubular belt member simultaneously reciprocating from and within said belt guide enclosure; and
locating said inflator within said belt guide enclosure and in communication with said inner inflatable tubular belt member so that upon a crash event causing deceleration of the vehicle, said inflator inflates said inner inflatable tubular belt member causing it to exit said woven cylindrical outer tubular belt member to assist in decelerating the occupant as the vehicle decelerates. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification