Automobile seat belt structure and assist apparatus thereof

• US 6,926,357 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keiji Furukawa
• Original Assignee: Keiji Furukawa
• Inventors: Furukawa, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US10/790,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20040164602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/464, 297/487, 297/488, 297/483, 297/486, 297/DIG.3, 280/801.1, 280/728.1, 280/748
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/022 mounted on seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• 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

An automobile seat belt structure and an assist apparatus thereof which can provide a comfortable drive environment by not restraining a chest of an occupant by a seat belt is provided. An automobile seat belt structure and an assist apparatus thereof which can completely prevent a so-called submarine phenomenon, where an occupant slides out from a lower area of a belt when an accident occurs, is also provided.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat belt apparatus comprising:

a seat belt portion attached in tension, without being in contact with a body of an occupant; and

a flexible elastic material mounted to said seat belt portion, said flexible elastic material being capable to expand so as to form a spherical shape when an accident occurs, for preventing the occupant from sliding out from a lower area of the seat belt apparatus.

2. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 1, further comprising right and left supporting columns having fixing positions, and wherein said fixing positions can be freely adjusted in correspondence to a body condition of the occupant.

3. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a belt latch portion and a latch-receiving portion attached by an electric magnet, said electric magnet being disabled to permit separation of said belt latch portion and said latch-receiving portion in response to one of cessation of engine rotation and a power generating function.

4. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an expanded flexible material mounted to a seat belt portion in an assistant driver'"'"'s seat so as to reduce a gap between an occupant in said assistant driver'"'"'s seat and a dash board portion, wherein said expanded flexible material moves and deforms with a motion of the seat belt portion in said assistant driver'"'"'s seat so as to stabilize a head portion and a body when the accident occurs.

5. A vehicle seat belt apparatus comprising:

a seat belt portion attached in tension without being in contact with a body of an occupant; and

an auxiliary air bag mounted to one of said seat belt portion and a belt latch portion, said auxiliary air bag is capable of being expanded when one of an accident and an expansion of another air bag occurs, for preventing the occupant from sliding out from a lower area of the seat belt apparatus.

6. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 5, further comprising right and left supporting columns having fixing positions, and wherein said fixing positions can be freely adjusted in correspondence to a body condition of the occupant.

7. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a belt latch portion and a latch-receiving portion attached by an electric magnet, said electric magnet being disabled to permit separation of said belt latch portion and said latch-receiving portion in response to one of cessation of engine rotation and a power generating function.

8. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an expanded flexible material mounted to a seat belt portion in an assistant driver'"'"'s seat so as to reduce a gap between an occupant in said assistant driver'"'"'s seat and a dash board portion, wherein said expanded flexible material moves and deforms with a motion of the seat belt portion in said assistant driver'"'"'s seat so as to stabilize a head portion and a body when the accident occurs.

9. A vehicle seat belt apparatus comprising:

a seat belt portion, which is adapted to run across an occupant'"'"'s body, attached in tension and adapted not to contact with the body of the occupant, thereby removing a pressure feeling applied by a conventional shoulder belt; and

prevention means for preventing a submarine phenomenon, wherein an occupant slides out from a lower area of the conventional belt when an accident occurs, provided in the seat belt portion.

10. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a belt larch portion and a latch-receiving portion attached by an electric magnet, said electric magnet being disabled to permit separation of said belt latch portion and said latch-receiving portion in response to one of cessation of engine rotation and a power generating function.

11. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an expanded flexible material mounted to a seat belt portion in an assistant driver'"'"'s seat so as to reduce a gap between an occupant in said assistant driver'"'"'s seat and a dash board portion, wherein said expanded flexible material moves and deforms with a motion of the seat belt portion in said assistant driver'"'"'s seat so as to stabilize a head portion and a body when the accident occurs.

12. A vehicle seat belt apparatus of claim 9, further comprising right and left supporting columns having fixing positions, and wherein said fixing positions can be freely adjusted in correspondence to a body condition of the occupant.