Seat belt system

• US 6,655,744 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Petri, Patrick A., Poponea, Nicole, Fraley, Greg, Blanco, Ernesto E., Maue, H. Winston
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US10/015,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20020109392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 297/484, 297/478, 297/475, 297/480, 297/468
• US Class Current: 297/478
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2511 acting perpendicularly to the main plane of the buckle, e.g. placed on the front face of the buckle
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2515 acting parallel to the main plane of the buckle and perpendicularly to the direction of the fastening action
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2519 with two buttons acting in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: A44D 2203/00 Fastening by use of magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/027 Four-point seat belt systems, e.g. with the two upper points connected together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/3424 Multi-spool or multi-belt retractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/03 Means for presenting the belt or part thereof to the wearer , e.g. foot-operated
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A seat belt system for a vehicle seat having seat belt segments that are retained on first and second retractors. The retractors each have a spool on which seat belt segments are wound. The spools of the first and second retractors are linked together by a spring that biases the spools to retract the belt segments. Right and left seat belt presenters are provided to move the latches of seat belt segments between a retracted position and a presentation position where the latches are held at a convenient location to be grasped by a person seated in the vehicle seat.

Claims

1. A seat belt retractor system for a vehicle having a seat with a backrest portion and a seat belt, in combination, comprising first and second lap belt segments that are detachably secured together by a latch:

a right lap belt retractor having a first spool for the take-up of the first lap belt segment;

a left lap belt retractor having a second spool for the take-up of the second lap belt segment;

a spring linking the right and left lap belt retractors together and biasing the first and second spools to retract the first and second lap belt segments onto the first and second spools, respectively; and

further comprising a right shoulder belt segment extending from the latch to a back rest portion of the seat and a left shoulder belt segment extending from the latch to the back rest portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the first lap belt segment and first shoulder belt segment are portions of a single length of belt that are divided by the location of the latch.

3. A seat belt retractor system for a vehicle having a seat and a seat belt comprising first and second lap belt segments that are detachably secured together by a latch:

a right lap belt retractor having a first spool for the take-up of the first lap belt segment;

a left lap belt retractor having a second spool for the take-up of the second lap belt segment; and

a spring linking the right and left lap belt retractors together and biasing the first and second spools to retract the first and second lap belt segments onto the first and second spools, respectively.

4. The seat belt retractor system of claim 3 wherein the latch includes a plug portion and a receptacle portion each of which are secured to one of the first and second lap belt segments, respectively.

5. The seat belt retractor system of claim 3 wherein the right and left lap belt retractors further comprise an inertial lock mechanism that locks the first and second lap belt segments when an inertial load is applied to the vehicle that is greater than a predetermined level.

6. The seat belt retractor system of claim 3 in combination with the vehicle seat wherein the first and second spools are fixedly mounted below a lower seat portion of the vehicle seat.

7. A seat belt system and vehicle seat, in combination, the seat having a base portion and a back portion, and a seat belt having first and second lap belt segments and first and second shoulder belt segments, wherein the first lap and shoulder belt segments are joined together and the second lap and shoulder segments are joined together, the system further comprising:

a right side belt presenter moveably secured adjacent a right side of the vehicle seat and engaging the first lap segment and first shoulder segment in a retracted position near the location where the base portion and back portion meet;

a left side seat belt presenter moveably secured adjacent a left side of the vehicle seat and engaging the second lap segment and second shoulder segment in a retracted position near the location where the base portion and back portion meet; and

the right side and left side seat belt presenters being movable to a presentation position above the base portion and forward of the back portion wherein the first lap and shoulder segments and second lap and shoulder segments are held at a convenient location to be grasped by a person seated in the vehicle seat.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the right and left seat belt presenters are pivotally connected to the seat base portion by a pivot connection and the pivot connection is disposed forward of the back portion of the seat.

9. The combination of claim 7 further comprising at least one motor operatively connected to the right and left seat belt presenters for selectively moving the presenters between the retracted position and the presentation position.

10. The combination of claim 7 further comprising pressure sensors secured to the seat that detect when a person sits down on the seat and responds by actuating the right and left seat belt presenters to move the seat belt presenters to the presentation position.

11. The combination of claim 7 wherein the right and left seat belt presenters are disposed in a generally horizontal orientation when in the retracted position and they are disposed in a generally vertical orientation when in the presentation position.

12. The combination of claim 7 wherein the right and left seat belt presenters are detachably secured to a right latch and a left latch, respectively, when the presenters are in the retracted position by a magnetic coupler.

13. The combination of claim 7 wherein a first latch and a second latch are adapted to be detachably secured together in front of a person seated in the vehicle seat to secure the person when in the seat and wherein the first and second lap belt segments are retracted to the retracted position when the first and second latches are released.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein when the first and second latches are detachably secured to the right and left presenters, respectively, when the latches are in the retracted position.

15. The seat combination of claim 13 wherein the first latch is a cylindrical member and the second latch has a cylindrical receptacle opening in which the first latch is received.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein the cylindrical receptacle opening is formed by first and second plates having mating semicircular cut-outs within which the cylindrical member is received.