Safety Belt Or Harness (e.g., Lap Belt Or Shoulder Harness) Patents (Class 280/801.1)
  • Patent number: 11904794
    Abstract: A pet restraint system for a vehicle is provided. The pet restraint system includes a leash configured to connect to a restraint device on a pet, a wearable device comprising one of a collar and a harness configured to be worn on the pet and connected to the leash, a retractor device coupled to the leash and configured to be secured to a support structure on the vehicle, a sensor for detecting an expected condition of the vehicle, and a controller for controlling the retractor to retract or lock the leash based on the determined expected condition of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pietro Buttolo, Stuart C. Salter, Marguerite Lynn Kimball, Benjamin Yilma, Annette Lynn Huebner
  • Patent number: 11845564
    Abstract: The aircraft seatbelt buckle fasten indication system comprises a monitoring circuit, a plurality of tracking structures, a plurality of lap belts, and a plurality of vehicle seats. Each of the plurality of tracking structures attaches to a lap belt selected from the plurality of lap belts. Each individual tracking structure selected from the plurality of tracking structures attaches to a lap belt selected from the plurality of lap belts such that the selected individual tracking structure monitors the status of the lap belt. The status of the lap belt is selected from the group consisting of: a) the lap belt is properly fastened; and, b) the lap belt is not properly fastened. The monitoring circuit monitors each of the plurality of tracking structures to individually determine the status of each individual lap belt. The monitoring circuit provides a visual display of the status of each individual lap belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: Isah Umar
  • Patent number: 11814125
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-releasable safety belt for motorcycle or equivalent vehicles (100) comprising a lap belt (101) whereby both ends of said lap belt are affixed with a tongue connector (102), characterized in that, each of the tongue connector (102) is connected to a buckle (103) coupled to a swivel bracket (104), the swivel bracket (104) is fastened at both sides of the lower part of the vehicle's frame, the buckle (103) comprises a trigger button (105), the swivel bracket (104) comprises a pair of arms (107) which in parallel with the trigger button (105), wherein the lap belt (101) is fastened across the wearer's lap for holding the wearer in position during riding and whereby the trigger button (105) is triggered by the pair of arms (107) via swing force to detach the tongue connector (102) from the buckle (103) and release the lap belt (101) when the vehicle falls horizontally to ground to any direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: GREEN 5 HOLDING PTE LTD
    Inventor: Steven Chen Huat Lai
  • Patent number: 11760304
    Abstract: A restraint system for a utility vehicle comprising a first restraint including a first retractor coupled to the utility vehicle at a first retractor anchor point, a first webbing retractable into the first retractor and having a first end and a second end, a first latch moveably engaged with the first webbing, and a first latch receiver configured to receive the first latch, and a second restraint including a second retractor coupled to the utility vehicle at a second retractor anchor point, a second webbing extendable from and retractable into the second retractor and having a first end coupled to the second retractor and a second end, a second latch coupled to the second webbing, and a second latch receiver positioned at a second receiver anchor point and configured to receive the second latch and retain the second end of the second webbing adjacent the second receiver anchor point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Hicke, Jonathon P. Graus
  • Patent number: 11673531
    Abstract: An ejector element with a trigger for a belt buckle sensor includes a plate-shaped ejector body and a trigger blade of a magnetic and/or metallic material for producing a change in a magnetic field of a Hall sensor or an inductive sensor. The ejector element is distinguished by the fact that the trigger blade is connected in one piece to the ejector body, wherein the one-piece connection between the trigger blade and the ejector body is produced by an injection-molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Marian Cristea, EyĆ¼p Aslan, Jose-Luis Serrada
  • Patent number: 11666035
    Abstract: A reversible harness for an animal having a neck region and a waist region. The harness includes a chest piece, and a back piece having a back-side tethering strap. A leash connector is rotatably disposed on the tethering strap. The reversible harness further includes a first adjustable strap to secure the chest piece to the back piece about the neck region of the animal, and a second adjustable strap to secure the chest piece to the back piece about the waist region of the animal. The harness is adapted to fit a wide variety of sizes of animals. Additionally, owing to at least one top fabric portion and at the least one bottom fabric portion of the back piece, and a first chest-side fabric portion and a second chest-side fabric portion of the chest piece, the harness is reversible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Frenchie Bulldog, LLC
    Inventors: Austin Stevens, Bridget Daly
  • Patent number: 11654861
    Abstract: A seat belt fastened/unfastened state detection switch includes: a printed substrate that includes a circuit for detecting a fastened/unfastened state of a seat belt; a rotor that is rotatably attached to the printed substrate, includes a contact portion, the contact portion coming into contact with a tongue of the seat belt, and rotates in a forward direction in accordance with pushing of the tongue into a buckle; a spring that makes the rotor, the rotor being in a rotated state in the forward direction, rotate in a reverse direction in accordance with pulling of the tongue from the buckle; and an electric brush that is attached to a surface of the rotor, the surface facing the printed substrate, and includes a leg portion whose contact/non-contact state with respect to a conductive part of the circuit changes depending on a rotation state of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: HOSIDEN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenjiro Desaki
  • Patent number: 11603061
    Abstract: A secondary bar securing device (3) of a safety bar (4) of an amusement ride has a primary securing device that keeps the safety bar (4) in an angular position adapted to the anatomy of the passenger during travel of the amusement ride, and first and second blocking elements (21, 22) arranged at a distance (25) to each other. In the event of a malfunction of the primary securing device, the safety bar (4) can be moved in a tolerance opening angle, which correlates to the distance (25) between the blocking elements (21, 22). If the tolerance opening angle is exceeded, one of the blocking elements (21, 22) block the safety bar (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: MACK RIDES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Michael Kraus, Guenter Burger
  • Patent number: 11603063
    Abstract: An occupant protection device, which protects an occupant seated in a seat, includes: an airbag; and a holder configured to accommodate and hold the folded airbag. The holder is arranged in front of a waist of the occupant seated on the seat. The airbag inflows inflation gas into the inside and inflates so as to protrude from the holder and toward the occupant side, the airbag including: a lower inflation portion configured to cover an upper surface of the thigh; an upper inflation portion which configured to cover a front surface of an upper body; and a cross-inflation portion arranged between the lower inflation portion and the upper inflation portion. A length dimension of the holder is set to a dimension which secures a space for arranging the inflated cross-inflation portion between the waist and the holder when the inflation of the airbag is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeki Hayashi, Kazumi Fukaura, Shinji Yamada
  • Patent number: 11560119
    Abstract: A pregnancy seat belt that secures an expectant mother and her unborn baby due to the absence of a lap belt traversing the expectant mother's abdomen. The expectant mother is secured instead by a center belt and/or thigh-belts that secure the mother at her thighs and avoid traverse of her abdomen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Inventors: Bill Birgen, Wes Cross
  • Patent number: 11548472
    Abstract: A seat belt assembly unit includes a seat belt retractor, seat back, seat back frame, a rear wall interconnecting the side walls of a vehicle, a tubular member extending along the length of the rear wall and a belt guide disposed adjacent to the seat back and rigidly attached to the tubular member. The seat belt guide is a rod-shaped member formed substantially into a U-shape with its side portions inserted into holes on the tubular member. A shoulder belt extending from the retractor and passing through the seat belt guide, restrains occupants to the seat. The pulling force of the shoulder belt which restrains the occupant in the seat is transferred to the tubular member via the belt guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Igor Tchepikov, Nuttaphon Boonyarangkavorn, Alan Dyer, Christian Trentin, Brett Carroll
  • Patent number: 11541842
    Abstract: A system includes a seatbelt retractor and a webbing payable from the seatbelt retractor. A marker is fixed to the webbing. A proximity sensor is fixed relative to the seatbelt retractor. The proximity sensor is designed to detect the marker when the marker is within sensing range of the proximity sensor. The marker is positioned along the webbing to be out of sensing range of the proximity sensor when the webbing is engaged with a 6-year-old anthropomorphic test device and to be in sensing range of the proximity sensor when the webbing is engaged with a child seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, S.M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Robert William McCoy
  • Patent number: 11535263
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for predicting movement of a user of a vehicle. The apparatus may include an acceleration sensor that senses an acceleration of the vehicle, a braking controller that automatically controls a deceleration of the vehicle, a steering controller that automatically controls a direction of the vehicle, and a control circuit electrically connected to the acceleration sensor, the braking controller, and the steering controller, where the control circuit may monitor an operation of the braking controller, and predict a movement of the user of the vehicle based on a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle sensed by the acceleration sensor and a first predetermined parameter when braking by the braking controller is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae Myeong Jang, Se Kyung Choi, Min Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 11526177
    Abstract: A method and device for operating a vehicle comprising a step of recording environment data values, which represent an environment of the vehicle, the environment comprising at least one environmental feature; a step of determining a comparative value of a comparison between the at least one environmental feature and a map, the map comprising at least one map feature, the at least one environmental feature corresponding the at least one map feature; a step of determining an up-to-dateness of the map, based on a comparison of the comparative value with a threshold value; and a step of operating the vehicle, as a function of the up-to-dateness of the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Passmann, Jan Rohde
  • Patent number: 11498516
    Abstract: A locking apparatus of a buckle of a seat belt for vehicles includes a sector gear bracket configured to be integrally coupled to a rear pipe which is coupled to a seat cushion frame, wherein the sector gear bracket has: an arc-shaped locking hole; and a sector gear arranged along the locking hole as an internal gear; a pole bracket located at one side of the sector gear bracket, wherein the pole bracket has a shaft part which is configured to pass through the locking hole and the seat cushion frame and then be integrally coupled to a lower end of the buckle; and a lock gear arranged on the pole bracket as an external gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION, DAEWON PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byeong Seon Son, Tae Hoon Lee, Sang Ho Kim, Ji Hwan Kim, Sang Hoon Park, Seon Chae Na, Byoung Tae Seo
  • Patent number: 11498505
    Abstract: An occupant protection device, protecting an occupant seated in a seat, includes: a seat belt; and an airbag which is arranged in an area of a lap belt in the seat belt. The airbag includes a bag body and a regulatory tether. A thigh abutment surface abutting on a thigh of the occupant is arranged on a lower surface side of the bag body, and an upper body restraining surface restraining an upper body of the occupant is arranged on a rear surface side. The regulatory tether connects a base end to a rear surface side of an upper-lower intermediate portion of the bag body and connects a tip extending downward from the base end to the lap belt side and a length dimension is set a dimension in which a connecting portion connecting the base end of the bag body can be pulled toward the lap belt side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazumi Fukaura, Shinji Yamada, Takeki Hayashi, Atsushi Nakamura, Yasushi Masuda, Yuji Sato
  • Patent number: 11453302
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to harvesting electrical energy from RF signals that may be present in a vehicle. The RF signals may include cellular signals and Wi-Fi signals, for example. In an example system, an RF signal strength evaluator may be used to evaluate the RF signals in order to identify a strongest RF signal or a strongest band of RF signals that can be harvested to obtain electrical energy. An RF-to-electrical energy converter converts the RF signals(s) to electrical energy, which can be stored in an energy storage element. The energy storage element can be coupled to a device charger for charging various types of devices in the vehicle. In some instances, the system can be used to generate an ambient RF energy map that may be used by one or more vehicles to identify an optimal spot to park for harvesting RF signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Somak Datta Gupta, Brian Bennie, Oliver Lei
  • Patent number: 11450907
    Abstract: A battery comprises: at least one electrical energy storage cell; an enclosure in which the at least one electrical energy storage cell is housed, the enclosure having a bottom made from a material with low thermal conductivity having at least one flow channel for a cooling fluid; a thermal plate made from a material with a high thermal conductivity, laying down on the bottom the thermal plate being in thermal contact with the at least one electrical energy storage cell; and a cradle, facing the bottom and separated from the bottom by a space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: FAURECIA SYSTEMES D'ECHAPPEMENT
    Inventors: Jean-Baptiste Cassard, Denis Lattay
  • Patent number: 11420749
    Abstract: An electrical connecting system for a seat, in particular a passenger seat in a means of transportation, including an elongated carrier foil that is provided at least in regions with conductor tracks, the carrier foil having a first section so as to be arranged on a seat frame, a second section so as to be arranged on a backrest that may pivot and a transition section that lies between said first section and second section, wherein the transition section is embodied as V-shaped. As a consequence, an electrical connection may be achieved between an electronic unit that is arranged on a passenger seat and components that are arranged on the passenger seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventors: Dennis Hahn, Sander Schroeder, Felix Brenner, Saurabh Awati, Guido Kaiser
  • Patent number: 11394215
    Abstract: A quick release and connect system that provides battery power for a wearable electronic device and a method for reducing battery charging down time of a wearable electronic device are disclosed. The quick release and connect system that provides battery power for a wearable electronic device and the method for reducing battery charging down time of a wearable electronic device reduces battery charging down time of a wearable electronic device by swapping of attachable-detachable auxiliary components with auxiliary batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventor: Raghunand Bhagwan
  • Patent number: 11376463
    Abstract: A trampoline has a trampoline frame, springs connecting to the trampoline frame, a trampoline bed, and spring connectors formed on the trampoline bed at a bed edge of the trampoline bed. The spring connectors connect to the springs. A link retainer is formed on the spring connector. The link retainer has a link opening and a link notch. An outer cover has a hook opening and a strap slot. The outer cover covers the link retainer. The hook opening of the outer cover aligns with the link notch of the link retainer, and the strap slot aligns with the link opening of the outer cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Samuel Chen
  • Patent number: 11351957
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a seat bottom; a seat back pivotably coupled to the seat bottom; and a seat belt buckle assembly coupled to the seat bottom and the seat back and movable from a first configuration to a second configuration when the seat back is pivoted relative to the seat bottom such that the seat belt buckle assembly does not interfere with the seat back when the seat back is collapsed against the seat bottom. Optionally, the seat belt buckle assembly is translated downwards with respect to the seat bottom from the first configuration to the second configuration when the seat back is pivoted forwards relative to the seat bottom. Optionally, the seat belt buckle assembly is pivoted forwards with respect to the seat bottom from the first configuration to the second configuration when the seat back is pivoted forwards relative to the seat bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Setterberg, Lars Modh
  • Patent number: 11325560
    Abstract: An attention calling device is configured to call attention of a driver of a vehicle with a drive mode switchable among manual driving, drive assist, and driver-centered automated driving. The attention calling device includes: a drive mode recognition unit configured to recognize the drive mode being executed; a driver state recognition unit configured to recognize a driver state based on a captured image from a driver monitor camera provided in the vehicle; a determination unit configured to determine based on the driver state whether it is necessary to call the attention; and a control unit configured to control a stimulus application device of the vehicle so as to apply a stimulus at an intensity that matches the drive mode being executed to the driver to direct the attention of the driver to driving of the vehicle when the determination unit determines that it is necessary to call the attention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Shunichiroh Sawai, Toshihiro Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 11312268
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat having a seat back that can be folded forward, in which the buckle is prevented from interfering with the seat hack when the seat back is folded forward. A seat cushion frame (F1) rotatably attached to the seat back frame (F2) includes a pair of side frames (11) extending in a fore and aft direction, a front frame (12) extending between front parts of the side frames, and a rear frame (13) extending between rear parts of the side frames and provided with a curved portion (13A) protruding forward in a middle part thereof. A buckle support arm is located behind the curved portion, the curved portion being dimensioned so as not to interfere with the buckle when the buckle support arm is in a stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Miyazaki, Shigekazu Otake
  • Patent number: 11210539
    Abstract: A system of detecting vehicle components in operation in a vehicle includes at least one light source configured to emit a predetermined wavelength of light onto structures within the vehicle, wherein at least one of the structures may include a passenger seat belt assembly having a pattern of reflection and retroreflective surfaces tuned to a predetermined wavelength at a preferred luminance. At least one 3-D time of flight camera is positioned in the vehicle to receive reflected light from the structures in the vehicle and provide images of the structures that distinguish the preferred luminance of the pattern from other structures in the vehicle. A computer processor connected to computer memory and the camera includes computer readable instructions causing the processor to reconstruct 3-D information in regard to respective images of the structures and calculate a depth measurement of the distance of the reflective pattern on the passenger seat belt assembly from the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Ramaglia, Len Cech
  • Patent number: 11192520
    Abstract: A seat belt device for a vehicle seat, having a seat belt, the belt tongue of which in an engaged state is releasably connected to a seat-side belt buckle. The belt buckle is guided via at least one wire rope through a sleeve-like deflection element, which defines the course of the wire rope between its connection point on the seat side and its connection point on the belt buckle side. The sleeve-like deflection element has a predetermined deformation point, at which the deflection element is deformed in the event of a head-on collision, more specifically with the belt buckle being displaced from its use position into a crash position in which the tilt or twist moments acting on the belt buckle are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Carsten Moeker
  • Patent number: 11173871
    Abstract: Disclosed is a retrofitting seatbelt system for a motor coach, the system including: a base plate, the base plate configured to connect to a floor rail of the motor coach; a longitudinal post configured to support a belt, the longitudinal post defines a longitudinal post inner end connected to the base plate, wherein the longitudinal post extends away from the base plate in a longitudinal direction to a longitudinal post outer end, wherein the longitudinal post defines a forward-side that faces a forward direction, and an aft-side that faces an aft direction, wherein the forward direction and the aft direction are disposed along a forward-aft axis; and a first motion damper connected to the longitudinal post near the longitudinal post outer end, the first motion damper extends in the aft direction, beyond the aft-side of the longitudinal post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
    Inventors: Douglas Eddy, Sundar Krishnamurty, Shreyas Patil, Anne Schewe
  • Patent number: 11135996
    Abstract: A seatbelt device includes a webbing; a tongue; a buckle, in buckled up the webbing, a portion of the webbing configures a lap webbing; a lower restraint member a portion thereof disposed inside a vehicle seat cushion, the lower restraint member, together with the lap webbing, forming a loop opening along a seat front-rear direction, a length direction one side of the lower restraint member being pulled so as to tighten the loop, and the lower restraint member configured to press the body of the occupant from a seat lower side; and a tensioning device actuated in a case of a front-on collision or in a case in which a front-on collision is predicted, the tensioning device pulling the length direction one side of the lower restraint member to tighten the loop, and the tensioning device pulling the lap webbing so as to move toward a seat lower front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhito Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11040714
    Abstract: According to various examples, a vehicle controller is described comprising a determiner configured to determine information about surroundings of a vehicle, the information about the surroundings comprising information about velocities of objects in the surroundings of the vehicle and a velocity controller configured to input the information about the surroundings of the vehicle and a specification of a path of the vehicle to a convolutional neural network, to determine a target velocity of the vehicle along the path based on an output of the convolutional neural network and to control the vehicle according to the determined target velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koba Natroshvili, Kay-Ulrich Scholl
  • Patent number: 11014528
    Abstract: A vehicle D-ring attachment bracket assembly includes a vehicle D-ring attachment bracket having a first mounting hole, a second mounting hole, and a D-ring bolt hole positioned between the first and second mounting holes. The assembly also includes a first energy absorber attached to the attachment bracket. The first energy absorber includes a first energy absorber first hole positioned coaxially or substantially coaxially with the bracket first mounting hole, and a first energy absorber second hole positioned coaxially or substantially coaxially with the bracket second mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Williams, Todd Rupert Muck, Yuji Yagi
  • Patent number: 10946830
    Abstract: A seatbelt control device comprises a kinesthetic warning control part that is provided with a fitting operation part performing a fitting operation controlling a time for making the motor operate forward based on a motor current value when making the motor operate forward and controlling a belt tightness to an initial belt tightness, and a kinesthetic warning operation part performing a kinesthetic warning operation making the tightness of the seatbelt rise in stages from the initial belt tightness by repeating a forward operation making the motor operate forward and at least one operation of a braking operation short-circuiting the terminals of the motor to render the motor a short brake state or a reverse operation making the motor operate in reverse and k configured to perform the fitting operation before performing the kinesthetic warning operation on the seated passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunichiroh Sawai, Takeshi Matsumura, Jun Sato
  • Patent number: 10940827
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt retractor comprising a frame (10), a belt reel (12) rotatably arranged within the frame (10), a blocking mechanism (18) by which the belt reel (12) can be blocked within the frame (10), and a load limiter which comprises a corrugated disk (36), characterized in that the corrugated disk (36) is disposed between the belt reel (12) and a cover (38) which is laterally attached to the belt reel (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Daeuber, Stefan Eisele, Michael Sautter, Ralph Stegmaier, Martin Roehrle
  • Patent number: 10906501
    Abstract: An occupant restraint device for a vehicle includes a three-point seatbelt device, a shoulder cover, an attachment portion, and a hard pad provided inside the shoulder cover. The three-point seatbelt device includes a shoulder belt that extends from an upper portion at a seat width direction one end side of a seat back toward a buckle at a lower portion at the seat width direction other end side. The shoulder cover is provided at the upper portion at the seat width direction one end side of the seat back. The shoulder belt is inserted through the shoulder cover, and the shoulder cover is arranged along a restrained surface of the vehicle occupant sitting on a vehicle seat. At the attachment portion, a side of the shoulder cover at which a terminal portion thereof is disposed is attached to the upper portion at the seat width direction one end side of the seat back so as to be relatively movable in an up-and-down direction with respect to the upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 10906502
    Abstract: A vehicle seatbelt assembly includes a load limiter having a seatbelt attachment portion and a seatbelt tension control mechanism that is configured to increase the length of a shoulder portion of a seatbelt in response to rapid or sudden deceleration of a vehicle, thereby reducing a level of tension experience by a seatbelt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Curtis Sharif
  • Patent number: 10899389
    Abstract: A vehicle substructure, comprising a pair of rockers arranged apart in a vehicle width direction, and extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and a floor cross member that extends in the vehicle width direction and connects to the pairs of rockers, wherein the floor cross member includes a pair of floor cross member low-strength sections that are of weaker strength than a center portion, on both sides in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kasai, Shinobu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10899311
    Abstract: A passenger restraining device for a vehicle having a three-point seatbelt device, a shoulder belt extending from above, a seat transverse direction one end side of a seatback of a vehicle seat toward a lower portion; a belt guide at an upper portion side of the seat transverse direction one end side of the seatback, through which the shoulder belt is inserted, that's disposed along a restrained surface of a passenger seated in the vehicle; a fixing portion fixes a rear end portion of the belt guide to a seat shoulder opening at the seat transverse direction one end side of an upper portion of the seatback; and a front side portion at a length direction front side of the belt guide, in a usual state, disposed further toward a vehicle front side than a collarbone of the passenger seated in the vehicle, and structured to be hard to bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Hiroe Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10870379
    Abstract: A belt framework for a vehicle seat or a vehicle-seat bench, wherein the belt framework comprises a vertical support and a horizontally running transverse strut, wherein the transverse strut is arranged on the vertical support, wherein a component of a passenger-restraint system is fastened on an attachment element of the transverse strut when the vehicle seat and the belt framework are in an assembled state. The belt framework is distinguished in that the belt framework comprises a safety element, wherein the safety element is present on the transverse strut, along a longitudinal axis of the transverse strut, wherein the safety element, together with the transverse strut, encloses the vertical supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Aguti Produktentwicklung & Design GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Grieger
  • Patent number: 10843658
    Abstract: A seat system for a motor vehicle has at least one vehicle seat, which can be adjusted between a first position in the forward direction of travel of the motor vehicle, and a second position counter to the forward direction of travel of the motor vehicle. A safety belt device is provided to secure an occupant seated in the vehicle seat in the first and second position. An optimized system in terms of weight, complexity and manufacturing costs, has the safety belt device include a respective belt system, held on corresponding holding points on the motor vehicle body-in-white side, for the first and for the second position of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Boese, Matthias Franz, Harald Lathwesen
  • Patent number: 10710546
    Abstract: A seatbelt of a work vehicle includes: a first stay provided in correspondence with a first fixing portion of a vehicle body on either one of right/left sides of a seat; a belt reeling portion that reels and stores a belt main body and is attached to the first fixing portion via the first stay; a second stay provided in correspondence with a second fixing portion on the other one of the right/left sides of the seat; and a buckle portion that fixes an insertion fixture extending from the belt reeling portion and is attached to the second fixing portion via the second stay. A first cover member is mounted to the first stay and covers an outward exposed portion of the first stay. A second cover member is mounted to the second stay and covers an outward exposed portion of the second stay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Nakaji, Hiromi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10661904
    Abstract: A stowable harness fan assembly for a low-back divan is disclosed. In embodiments, the stowable harness fan assembly includes one or more vertical support members, a horizontal support member, and a repositionable harness fan. The horizontal support member is coupled to the one or more vertical support members. The horizontal support member includes an opening and a pivot disposed at one end of the opening. The repositionable harness fan is coupled to the horizontal support member by the pivot and is at least partially disposed within the opening so that the repositionable harness fan can rotate between an open (e.g., raised) configuration and a closed (e.g., stowed) configuration with respect to the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael L. Oleson
  • Patent number: 10562490
    Abstract: The occupant restraining device for a vehicle has a seatbelt, a collision predicting sensor, a braking device that enlarges a gap between a vehicle occupant and a seatback of a vehicle seat, an explosive-type pretensioner and electric motor that retract the seatbelt, and a control section that, in a case in which a front collision of the vehicle is sensed in advance by the collision predicting sensor, enlarges the gap between the vehicle occupant and the seatback by the braking device and starts retracting of the seatbelt by the explosive-type pretensioner and the electric motor, and at least until forward movement of the vehicle occupant starts after occurrence of the front collision, continues to input load to the vehicle occupant from the seatbelt and continues to move the vehicle occupant toward a vehicle rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Goto, Takashi Hasegawa, Katsunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 10562486
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle body and a seatbelt assembly attached to the vehicle body. The seatbelt assembly includes a webbing and a tongue slidably engaged with the webbing. A pocket is fixed to the webbing. The pocket and the webbing define a cavity therebetween. A magnet is disposed in the cavity and is engageable with the tongue. The magnet is fixed to the webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 10442395
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a floor portion; a row of seating; and a first anchor bracket including: a seatbelt webbing attachment portion to which a first seatbelt webbing, configured to secure an occupant to the row of seating, is attached; and a cargo securement attachment portion to which a cargo securement device, configured to secure one or more pieces of cargo above the floor portion adjacent the row of seating, is attached. The vehicle can further include a second anchor bracket including a seatbelt webbing attachment portion to which a second seatbelt webbing, configured to secure an occupant to the row of seating, is attached, and a cargo securement attachment portion to which the cargo securement device is attached. The first anchor bracket and second anchor bracket can be identically shaped and interchangeable during assembly of the vehicle. The first anchor bracket and second anchor bracket can be shaped differently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sri Adiraju, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Jr., Jeffrey Gabalski, Richard Moss
  • Patent number: 10434975
    Abstract: A seatbelt assembly includes a seatbelt, a conductive sensing conductor and a conductive shield. The seatbelt has a lap band. The conductive sensing conductor is fixed to a first side of the lap band. The conductive shield is fixed to a second side of the lap band and is substantially aligned with and substantially overlaps the sensing conductor. An insulating layer is disposed between the sensing conductor and the conductive shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Cuddihy, Srinivasan Sundararajan
  • Patent number: 10427640
    Abstract: A seatbelt assembly includes a seatbelt retractor, a support spaced from the seatbelt retractor, and a webbing retractably engaged with the seatbelt retractor. The webbing is moveable relative to the support. The seatbelt assembly includes a magnet and a conductive material adjacent the magnet. One of the magnet and the conductive material is fixed to the support, and the other of the magnet and the conductive material is moveable by the webbing relative to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tien Vo, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma
  • Patent number: 10343645
    Abstract: A roll bar system for a motor vehicle includes a roll bar pipe having a first hole formed in the roll bar pipe, a collar disposed within the first hole of the roll bar pipe, a seat belt assembly, and a fastener. The seat belt assembly includes a seat belt and an anchor. The anchor include an engagement mechanism for engaging the seat belt and a flange having a fastener hole. The fastener attaches the flange of the anchor to the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joseph H Korte, Dustin M Schultz, Matthew L. Taracko, Kirk M. Rausch
  • Patent number: 10308205
    Abstract: A safety restraint system for a vehicle seat having a frame, a seat back and a lower seat cushion supported on the frame includes an airbag having an inflatable pelvis restraint portion. The inflatable pelvis restraint portion extends across the lower seat cushion between a first lateral side and a second lateral side of the inflatable pelvis restraint portion. At least one of the first and second lateral sides is laterally movable relative to the lower seat cushion upon inflation of the airbag. The inflatable portion may be secured to the vehicle seat with a mounting strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventor: David Schneider
  • Patent number: 10272808
    Abstract: An upper-front of a seatback is cut, providing a hole at a position the occupant's shoulder may lie, and an engaging means able to engage with a shoulder webbing is fitted in the hole. The engaging means holds the shoulder webbing, which is wrapped around the occupant. The engaging means is, for example, a (second) buckle fitted in the hole. A second tongue (intermediate tongue) is mounted on a middle part of the shoulder webbing. The shoulder webbing is wrapped slantwise around the occupant's shoulder when the second tongue is engaged with the second buckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: TACHI-S CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Koike, Tomohiro Amano
  • Patent number: 10219588
    Abstract: A belt lock housing having a housing cover, a housing base and a plurality of connecting pins, which are fixed in receptacles in the housing cover, characterized in that the housing base is produced in a two-component injection molding process and has a first plastic component, which forms a shell of the housing base, and a second plastic component, which forms a reinforcing element of the housing base having the connecting pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Christian Engel, Kai Wachlin
  • Patent number: 10214132
    Abstract: A kit for securing cargo within an interior of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has an occupant restraint system including a coupling member. The kit includes a harness having at least one connecting ring. The harness is configured to hold the cargo. The kit includes a first strap having a first connector at a first end releasably coupled to the coupling member and a second connector at a second end coupled to the at least one connecting ring. The kit includes an energy absorbing element defined on the strap between the first end and the second end. The energy absorbing element is deformable to absorb a force acting on the cargo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jenne-Tai Wang, Yuxiu Zhang, Chin-Hsu Lin, Paul E. Krajewski