Occupant restraint apparatus
First Claim
1. A restraint system for a vehicle occupant seated in a vehicle seat, the seat including a seat back and a head rest positioned above the seat back, wherein the seat back is configured to be positioned so that a top edge of the seat back is proximate a shoulder of the occupant, and wherein a top edge of the head rest is configured to be proximate a head of the occupant, wherein a bottom edge of the head rest is positioned at the same height as or above a top edge of the seat back, the system comprising:
- a shoulder anchor disposed behind a seat in a front-rear direction of a vehicle; and
an occupant restraint belt extending through the shoulder anchor and configured to extend over the shoulder of the occupant and across a torso of the occupant, wherein the restraint belt includes an inflatable portion configured to be positioned adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head; and
an inflator for inflating the inflatable portion,wherein the shoulder anchor is below the top edge of the seat back of the seat, andwherein the occupant restraint belt contacts the top edge of the seat back prior to inflation such that there is no space between the top edge of the seat back and the occupant restraint belt.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An occupant restraint apparatus includes a shoulder anchor and an occupant restraint belt. At least a portion of the occupant restraint belt that is positioned adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head is inflatable. The occupant restraint belt comes into contact with the top edge of the seat back even when the volume of the inflatable portion is reduced. A shoulder anchor is positioned behind a seat in the front-rear direction of a vehicle at substantially the same height or below the top edge of a seat back. Therefore, a shoulder belt section of an occupant restraint apparatus extending from the shoulder anchor along the front side of an occupant is in contact with the top edge of the seat back. Therefore, when the shoulder belt section is inflated, excess inflation of the shoulder belt section toward the seat back can be prevented.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A restraint system for a vehicle occupant seated in a vehicle seat, the seat including a seat back and a head rest positioned above the seat back, wherein the seat back is configured to be positioned so that a top edge of the seat back is proximate a shoulder of the occupant, and wherein a top edge of the head rest is configured to be proximate a head of the occupant, wherein a bottom edge of the head rest is positioned at the same height as or above a top edge of the seat back, the system comprising:
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a shoulder anchor disposed behind a seat in a front-rear direction of a vehicle; and an occupant restraint belt extending through the shoulder anchor and configured to extend over the shoulder of the occupant and across a torso of the occupant, wherein the restraint belt includes an inflatable portion configured to be positioned adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head; and an inflator for inflating the inflatable portion, wherein the shoulder anchor is below the top edge of the seat back of the seat, and wherein the occupant restraint belt contacts the top edge of the seat back prior to inflation such that there is no space between the top edge of the seat back and the occupant restraint belt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A restraint system for a vehicle occupant seated in a vehicle seat, the seat including a seat back and a head rest positioned above the seat back, wherein the seat back is configured to be positioned so that a top edge of the seat back is proximate a shoulder of the occupant, and wherein a top edge of the head rest is configured to be proximate a head of the occupant, wherein a bottom edge of the head rest is positioned at the same height as or above a top edge of the seat back, the system comprising:
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a retractor; a tongue; wherein a shoulder anchor is positioned behind the seat in a front-rear direction of the vehicle and at a location below the top edge of the seat back, so that when an occupant restraint belt is being worn by the occupant the occupant restraint belt passes through the shoulder anchor and then makes contact with the seat without being redirected by any additional components of the restraint system located between the shoulder anchor and the seat; the occupant restraint belt extending through the shoulder anchor and configured to extend over the shoulder of the occupant and across a torso of the occupant, wherein the restraint belt includes an inflatable portion configured to be positioned adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head; and an inflator for inflating the inflatable portion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification