Abstract: A serviceable seatbelt buckle mounted belt tensioner for use with a vehicle seat having a seat frame includes a bracket fixed to the seat frame and a pre-tensioning assembly releasably attached to the bracket, the pre-tensioning assembly includes a housing, a seatbelt attachment portion such as a seatbelt buckle, a cylindrical container and a cable connecting the seatbelt buckle and the cylindrical container, the cable passing through the housing. Both the bracket and the housing include attachment interfaces in the forms of flanges, tabs, pins, and slots. A fastener such as a screw or a clip is used to prevent movement of the housing relative to the bracket once the components are fitted together.

Abstract: A serviceable seatbelt buckle mounted belt tensioner for use with a vehicle seat having a seat frame includes a bracket fixed to the seat frame and a pre-tensioning assembly releasably attached to the bracket, the pre-tensioning assembly includes a housing, a seatbelt attachment portion such as a seatbelt buckle, a cylindrical container and a cable connecting the seatbelt buckle and the cylindrical container, the cable passing through the housing. Both the bracket and the housing include attachment interfaces in the forms of flanges, tabs, pins, and slots. A fastener such as a screw or a clip is used to prevent movement of the housing relative to the bracket once the components are fitted together.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide a vehicle seat assembly that is coupled to a floor of a vehicle. The assembly comprises a seat back frame, a seat cushion frame, at least one leg and at least one blocking member. The seat cushion frame is pivotally coupled to the seat back frame. The leg is pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and pivotally coupled to the floor of the vehicle. The blocking member is coupled to the seat cushion frame and capable of moving into engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position. The blocking member is adapted to block movement of the leg and to stabilize the seat assembly in the event of a vehicle collision.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide a vehicle seat assembly that is coupled to a floor of a vehicle. The assembly comprises a seat back frame, a seat cushion frame, at least one leg and at least one blocking member. The seat cushion frame is pivotally coupled to the seat back frame. The leg is pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and pivotally coupled to the floor of the vehicle. The blocking member is coupled to the seat cushion frame and capable of moving into engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position. The blocking member is adapted to block movement of the leg and to stabilize the seat assembly in the event of a vehicle collision.

Abstract: A seat belt restraint system for securing a child seat on a vehicle passenger seat in a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle. The system includes a seat belt tension sensor located between one end of a seat belt for the child seat. A releasable mini-buckle attaches the seat belt end to the seat belt tension sensor. The seat belt tension sensor is anchored to a structural floor of the passenger compartment whereby the seat belt tension sensor can be removed readily from the restraint system for servicing.

Abstract: A sensing system and method for automatically deactivating an airbag (46) in a vehicle (10). The sensing system includes a seat weight sensor (52) mounted, for example, in a front passenger seat (16), and an ALR sensor (34) for detecting if an automatic locking retractor (32) is active. Signals from these sensors are received by a seat weight sensor module (50). If the automatic locking retractor (32) is active, then a predetermined weight is subtracted from the weight reading detected by the seat weight sensor (52) to produce a weight value prior to comparing the weight value to a predetermined threshold value. If the threshold value is larger, then the sensor module (50) signals the airbag module (48) to deactivate the airbag (46).