INFLATABLE SEAT BELT SYSTEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An inflatable seat belt system comprising:
- a shoulder belt member and a lap belt member, one or both of the shoulder or lap belt members include a tubular seat belt sleeve with an inflatable member being contained within the sleeve;
a source of inflation gas;
a buckle assembly including a latch mechanism;
a seat belt anchor having a tongue that is selectively engaged by the latch mechanism in a latched state in which the seat belt anchor is secured to the buckle assembly and is disengaged in a released state in which the seat belt anchor may be removed from the buckle assembly;
the buckle has a first hollow tube that defines a first gas flow path through which an inflation gas is provided through the buckle to the tongue from the source of inflation gas, the first hollow tube having a first and second end, the first end includes a first seal surface, the second end receives the inflation gas from the source of inflation gas;
the tongue defines a second gas flow path through which the inflation gas flows from the first gas flow path to the inflatable member, the tongue includes a hollow second tube having a first and second end, the first end of the second tube includes a second seal surface to create a gas seal with the first end of the first hollow tube when the latch mechanism is in the latched state, and the second end of the second hollow tube is in communication with an inlet of the inflatable member; and
a spring biases the first end of the hollow tube into engagement with the tongue when the latch mechanism is in the latched state to hold the first and second seal surfaces together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inflatable member is inflated by compressed gas that flows through the latch and hollow tubular tongue of a seat belt anchor. The inflatable member is retained in an uninflated condition in a split two layer belt. The latch is pivotally secured to a conduit that receives compressed inflation gas from a cylinder that is provided with a diffuser.
33 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An inflatable seat belt system comprising:
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a shoulder belt member and a lap belt member, one or both of the shoulder or lap belt members include a tubular seat belt sleeve with an inflatable member being contained within the sleeve; a source of inflation gas; a buckle assembly including a latch mechanism; a seat belt anchor having a tongue that is selectively engaged by the latch mechanism in a latched state in which the seat belt anchor is secured to the buckle assembly and is disengaged in a released state in which the seat belt anchor may be removed from the buckle assembly; the buckle has a first hollow tube that defines a first gas flow path through which an inflation gas is provided through the buckle to the tongue from the source of inflation gas, the first hollow tube having a first and second end, the first end includes a first seal surface, the second end receives the inflation gas from the source of inflation gas; the tongue defines a second gas flow path through which the inflation gas flows from the first gas flow path to the inflatable member, the tongue includes a hollow second tube having a first and second end, the first end of the second tube includes a second seal surface to create a gas seal with the first end of the first hollow tube when the latch mechanism is in the latched state, and the second end of the second hollow tube is in communication with an inlet of the inflatable member; and a spring biases the first end of the hollow tube into engagement with the tongue when the latch mechanism is in the latched state to hold the first and second seal surfaces together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An inflatable seat belt system comprising:
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a seat belt including a tubular sleeve in which an inflatable member is received; a source of inflation gas; a buckle including a latch mechanism, the buckle has a manifold that defines an enclosed cavity, a conduit is received in the cavity and defines an axis of rotation, wherein the housing receives the conduit and rotates about the axis of rotation, wherein the conduit, the manifold and a first hollow tube defines a first gas flow path through which inflation gas is provided through the buckle from the source of inflation gas; and a seat belt anchor having a tongue that is selectively engaged by the latch mechanism in a latched state in which the seat belt is secured to the buckle assembly and is disengaged in a released state in which the seat belt anchor may be removed from the buckle assembly, the tongue defines a second gas flow path through which inflation gas flows from the first gas flow path to the inlet of the inflatable member. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An inflatable seat belt system comprising:
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a source of inflation gas; a buckle including a latch mechanism that defines a first gas flow path through which inflation gas is provided through the buckle from the source of inflation gas; an anchor having a tongue that is selectively engaged by the latch mechanism in a latched state in which the anchor is secured to the buckle and is disengaged in a released state in which the anchor may be removed from the buckle assembly, wherein the tongue defines a second gas flow path within the tongue; and a seat belt including a tubular sleeve in which an inflatable member is received, the inflatable member being attached to the seat belt at a first end and the inflatable member being attached to the seat belt at a second end at a location that is closer to the tongue than the first end, the inflatable member having an inlet tube that receives inflation gas that flows from the second gas flow path to the inlet of the inflatable member. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification