Seat belt system

• US 9,283,913 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Johnson, Kenneth R., Rozan, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gooden, Jr., Barry
• Application Number:
  US13/781,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20140246845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 280/733, 280/736, 280/740, 280/801.1, 280/801.2, 280/807, 280/808, 180/268, 297/468, 297/470, 297/471, 297/473
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1806 for buckles
• 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 22/18 Anchoring devices

Abstract

A seat belt system (20) includes a manifold assembly (60) having an inner housing (68) and an outer housing (70) which extends at least part way around the inner housing. One of the housings (68 or 70) is movable relative to a vehicle with a portion of the seat belt system. The other housing is connected with a source (54) of inflation fluid. In one specific embodiment of the invention, inner and outer housings (68 and 70) of the manifold assembly (60) extend around a portion of an anchor (36) for a seat belt (40). In this embodiment, the housings (68 and 70) have arcuate configurations and have axes which are coincident with a central axis (84) of the anchor (36). In addition to being pivotal relative to each other, the housings (68 and 70) may be movable transversely to each other. A seal (136) may be provided between the housings.

Claims

1. A seat belt system having a seat belt which is connected with a vehicle and an inflatable component, said seat belt system comprising:

a manifold assembly which includes a first housing and a second housing which extends at least part way around said first housing, said first and second housings having openings and annular passages with coincident centers of curvature through which inflation fluid flows upon inflation of said inflatable component,

one of said housings being movable with a portion of said seat belt system relative to the vehicle, and

another of said housings being connected with a source of inflation fluid and with the vehicle.

2. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second housings extend at least part way around an anchor that connects the seat belt system to the vehicle.

3. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said another housing of said first and second housings is fixedly connected with the source of inflation fluid and with the vehicle by an anchor for said seat belt.

4. A seat bait system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one of said first and second housings has an arcuate side wall which is disposed in engagement with and is movable along an arcuate side wall of said another of said housings, said openings in said one of said housings being disposed in said arcuate side wall of said one of said housings, said openings in said another of said housings being disposed in said arcuate side wall of said another of said housings.

5. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one of said housings if pivotal about an axis which is coincident with a central axis of an anchor member connected with the vehicle.

6. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said another housing of said first and second housings includes stop surfaces which are engagable by said one housing of said first and second housings to limit movement of said one housing relative to said another housing.

7. A seat bell system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one of said housings extends at least part way around said another of said housings and is movable with said portion of said seat belt system relative to said another of said housings.

8. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one of said housings extends at least part way around and is slidable along an outer side of said another of said housings, said one of said housings is movable with said portion of said seat belt system relative to said another of said housings.

9. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an anchor that connects the seat belt system to the vehicle, said first and second housings extending at least part way around said anchor, and

a connector member that connects the seat belt system with said anchor, force being transmitted between the seat belt system and said anchor via only said connector member.

10. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second housing includes a seal which slidably engages said first housing to accommodate relative movement between said first and second housings upon movement of said one of said first and second housings with the portion of the seat belt system.

11. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the source of inflation fluid is operable between an inactive condition in which the source of inflation fluid is ineffective to supply said inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable component and an active condition in which the source of inflation fluid is effective to supply said inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable component, said seal being ruptured under an influence of fluid pressure conducted from the source of inflation fluid when said source of inflation fluid is in the active condition.

12. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an anchor that connects the seat belt system to the vehicle,

the annular passages extending around a portion of the anchor, and

a connector member which connects the seat belt with the anchor when the seat belt is secured across a portion of an occupant of the vehicle,

said first housing being connected with the inflatable component of said seat belt system and extending around the portion of the anchor, said first housing having an arcuate configuration with a central axis which is coincident with a central axis of the portion of the anchor, and

said second housing being connected with said source of inflation fluid and extending around the portion of the anchor, said second housing having an arcuate configuration with a central axis which is coincident with the central axis of the portion of the anchor and with the central axis of said first housing.

13. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 12 wherein one of said first and second housings is pivotal about the respective central axis with the portion of said seat belt system and is pivotal about an axis which extends transverse to the central axis of another of said first and second housings with the portion of said seat belt system.

14. A seat belt system a set forth in claim 12 wherein said first housing has an arcuate outer side which is engaged by an arcuate inner side of said second housing, said first housing being connected with and being pivotal with the portion of said seat belt system about the central axis of the portion of the anchor, said second housing being secured against movement relative to the portion of the anchor.

15. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the source of inflation fluid is fixedly connected to a portion of a vehicle seat.

16. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said seat belt system is utilized in association with a vehicle seat having bottom and back cushion portions, one of the bottom and back cushion portions being pivotal relative to another of the bottom and back cushion portions, said one of said first and second housings being movable with said one of the bottom and back cushion portions relative to the other of the bottom and back cushion portions.

17. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 12 wherein one of said first and second housings is movable with a portion of said seat belt system relative to the anchor.

18. A seat belt system as set forth in claim 17 wherein one of said first and second housings is fixedly connected with the vehicle.

19. A seat belt system having a seat belt which is connected with a vehicle and an inflatable component, said seat belt system comprising:

a manifold assembly which includes a first housing and a second housing which extends at least part way around said first housing, said first and second housings having openings through which inflation fluid flows upon inflation of said inflatable component,

one of said housings being movable with a portion of said seat belt system relative to the vehicle,

another of said housings being connected with a source of inflation fluid and with the vehicle,

said one of said housings being pivotal relative to said another of said housings about an axis extending transverse to the central axis of the anchor member.