Safety belt for a vehicle

• US 8,596,677 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Burczyk, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker, Robert A
• Application Number:
  US13/808,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20130134695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 885 Days
• Field of Search: 280/733, 280/801.1, 280/808
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/023 Three-point seat belt systems comprising two side lower and one side upper anchoring devices B60R22/022, B60R22/03 take precedence

Abstract

A seat belt for a vehicle includes a belt webbing with several belt webbing layers and, in a shoulder belt region and a lap belt region, a belt interior located between at least two belt webbing layers to which a gas can be applied. The belt webbing is routed through an opening of a latch plate which is insertable into a buckle, by means of which latch plate the belt webbing is, if the seat belt is fastened, deflected at a lower deflection point in a transitional region from the lap belt region to the shoulder belt region. A gas passage connecting at least two sections of the belt interior is provided at the lower deflection point between the at least two belt webbing layers. The gas passage is a tube that is flexible at least in the radial direction. The flexible tube is plastically or elastically deformable.

Claims

1. A seat belt for a vehicle, comprising:

a belt webbing comprising

several belt webbing layers; and

at least one belt interior in a shoulder belt region and a lap belt region of the seat belt, the at least one belt interior being located between at least two belt webbing layers of the several belt webbing layers and the at least one belt interior being configured to receive a gas;

a latch plate with an opening through which the belt webbing is routed, the latch plate configured to be insertable a buckle, wherein the latch plate is configured so that when the seat belt is fastened the belt webbing is deflected at a lower deflection point in a transitional region from the lap belt region to the shoulder belt region; and

a gas passage connecting at least two sections of the belt interior is arranged at the lower deflection point between the at least two belt webbing layers, wherein the gas passage is a tube that is flexible at least in the radial direction, wherein the flexible tube is plastically or elastically deformable, and wherein the tube is configured so that when no gas is applied to the belt webbing the tube is compressed flat between the belt webbing layers.

2. The seat belt according to claim 1, wherein the tube is at least so plastic or elastic that an internal cavity radius reversibly increases at least partially by 10% or more under gas pressure relative to normal pressure.

3. The seat belt according to claim 1, wherein the tube is more plastic or more elastic perpendicular to its longitudinal dimension than along its longitudinal dimension.

4. The seat belt according to claim 1, wherein when the latch plate is inserted into the buckle and at a minimum pay-out length the tube extends no further than an upper deflection point.

5. The seat belt according to claim 4, wherein the width of the belt webbing is divided into three parts of approximately equal width, the belt webbing being folded twice parallel to its longitudinal dimension in such a way that it has a flattened Z-shape.

6. The seat belt according to claim 1, wherein a width of the belt webbing is divided into several parts of approximately equal width, the belt webbing being folded once or several times parallel to its longitudinal dimension.

7. The seat belt according to claim 6, wherein the folded layers of the belt webbing are joined to one another, at least at the edges, by seams extending in a longitudinal direction of the belt webbing.

8. The seat belt according to claim 7, wherein the seams are tear-open threads configured to break when the gas is applied to the belt interior.

9. The seat belt according to claim 1, wherein the flexible tube is plastically deformable.

10. The seat belt according to claim 9, wherein the tube is made of a fluid-tight woven fabric.

11. The seat belt according to claim 1, wherein the tube is secured to at least one of the several belt webbing layers.