Having Means For Storage In Nonuse Position Or In Position To Be Handy For Use Patents (Class 297/481)
  • Patent number: 6550867
    Abstract: A seat restraint buckle presenter assembly for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a seat restraint buckle for receiving a latch plate of the seat restraint system. The seat restraint buckle presenter assembly also includes a buckle support connected to the seat restraint buckle and supporting the seat restraint buckle adjacent a seat of the vehicle. The seat restraint buckle presenter assembly further includes a drive mechanism cooperating with the buckle support for moving the buckle support and the seat restraint buckle longitudinally between a forward position and a rearward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd Walker Rogers, Jr., Theodore J Lindsay, Armeta Carson
  • Patent number: 6550805
    Abstract: An occupant restraint belt for use with a seat of a motor vehicle has an inflatable section having a deflated condition wherein the belt assumes a stowed position and an inflated condition wherein the belt assumes a deployed position in which the belt is in a position making it easy for a seat occupant to see and grasp the belt in order to fasten it. The inflatable section is formed by sewing a layer of flexible material to the webbing that constitutes the main restraint member of the belt to form at least one gas-tight inflation chamber. The belt is inflated after an occupant is seated in the seat and ready to don the restraint belt. Inflation of the inflatable section preferably occurs upon activation by an electronic control system that receives inputs from one or more vehicle systems, such as a seat weight sensor, a door open/closed sensor, and/or an ignition switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Per Gyllenspetz, Bjorn Lundell, Gunnar Nilsson, Henrik Wiberg, Per Ferdell
  • Patent number: 6485058
    Abstract: A system (20) comprising a buckle presenter (100) and/or a tongue presenter (200) and mechanism to activate and control each presenter. The buckle presenter and tongue presenter (200) are used to respectively move a seat belt buckle (26) and a corresponding tongue (24) from a stowed position to activated positions generally in front of the occupant to make the process of inserting the tongue into the buckle more convenient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Kohlndorfer, Mark F. Gray, Markell Seitzman, Mohannad F. Murad, Hossam Almasri, Randal Gosk, Lawrence M. Refior
  • Patent number: 6412876
    Abstract: A belt storing bag 25 for storing a belt and a tongue plate 28 of a seat belt 16 is provided so as to be attached to a seat cushion back 24 of an automotive seat 11 comprising a seat cushion 21 and a seat back 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Harutomi Nishide
  • Patent number: 6334628
    Abstract: A ceiling retractable three point seat belt system for restraining a passenger in a vehicle seat includes a seat belt webbing having a first end connected to a retractor secured to the vehicle, a first buckle anchored to the vehicle and disposed on one side of the passenger, and a second buckle anchored to the vehicle and disposed on an opposite side of the passenger. Further, a first latch member is connected to a second end of the seat belt webbing, remote from the first end, wherein the first latch member has a first tongue plate engageable with the, first buckle. A second latch member has a webbing loop, through which the seat belt webbing is threaded, such that the second latch member is slidable along the seat belt webbing, from the first latch member toward the retractor. The second latch member has a second tongue plate engageable with the second buckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Albert Newball, Kathleen Lathrop
  • Patent number: 6308986
    Abstract: A restraint belt presenter assembly includes a restraint belt positioning member carried by a slidable member that is selectively driven by a track drive mechanism to move a restraint belt buckle assembly forward from its unused, storage position to a presentation position for easy grasping by a vehicle seat occupant. The slidable member is connected to a track that may optionally be pivotally mounted to elevate the restraint belt positioning member into the presentation position. Alternatively, the track member may include an inclined distal end, such that the slidable member moves upwardly into the presentation position. Another embodiment includes a pivoting shaft member that pivots the restraint belt buckle assembly forward for a starting position to the presentation position as the slidable member travel upwardly on an inclined track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Joalto Design, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Townsend, John E. Campbell, Mohamed El-Sayed, Arthur L. Guertin, Michael P. Kaczmar, Robert Walker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6279954
    Abstract: A restraint belt presenter assembly includes a restraint belt engaging member that is selectively driven by a track drive mechanism to catch and pull a restraint belt from its unused position to a presentation position for grasping by a vehicle occupant. The restraint belt engaging member includes a housing having an L-shaped slot that receives a finger assembly wherein the finger assembly has a rotary offset with locking movement for maintaining the finger assembly in an actuating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Joalto Design, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Townsend, Mohamed E. M. El-Sayed, Arthur L. Guertin, Paul J. Delorean, John E. Campbell, Michael P. Kaczmar
  • Patent number: 6179329
    Abstract: A restraint harness that reduces frontal and lateral upper body movement of a vehicle occupant during a crash by substantially one-half over conventional restraint harnesses. In addition, the restraint harness further distributes crash load more on the occupant's shoulders, which are better able to handle the load. The restraint harness further distributes the crash load over a greater surface area than conventional restraint harnesses. In the preferred embodiment, the restraint harness is routed in a pulley configuration that restricts occupant movement to approximately one-half the distance that the occupant would move during a crash with a conventional harness restraint. The pulley action reduces slack in the straps, secures the occupant tightly to the seat, and limits the frontal and lateral displacement of the occupant's upper body, arms, and head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Simula, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Furman Bradley
  • Patent number: 6116649
    Abstract: A retainer 30 for a seat belt strap assembly 81 that includes an anchor body 35 having a securement portion 45 and a seat belt engagement portion 79. The securement portion 45 is adapted for being releasably mountable upon a front side panel 92 of a vehicle passenger seat 90. The seat belt engagement portion 79 is adapted for releasable engagement with the seat belt assembly member 84. The securement portion 45 is alternatively substantially U-shaped or J-shaped with an interior leg 50 adapted for abutting engagement with an interior surface 94 of a front side panel 92 of a vehicle passenger seat 90 and an exterior leg 60 adapted for abutting engagement with an exterior surface 96 of the same front side panel 92 of the vehicle passenger seat 90. In the J-shaped configuration, however, the interior leg 50 is shorter than the exterior leg 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Inventor: Donald Lee Compton
  • Patent number: 6048034
    Abstract: In an automobile vehicle, a seat assembly includes a seat belt and a seat belt inertia reel attached to the seat. The reel is equipped with belt locking means. Also included is a seat pan position adjustment means that enables a seat pan to be inclined by pivoting around a transverse horizontal axis. The inertia reel is attached to the seat pan and is installed so as to pivot around an axis that is substantially parallel to the transverse horizontal axis. A correction mechanism corrects the angular position of the inertia reel with respect to the seat pan according to the inclination of the seat pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Aumont, Patrick Daniel
  • Patent number: 6042188
    Abstract: The positioning of the buckle plate of an auto driver's safety belt so that it is within reach of the driver without the need to turn attention away from traffic in front of the auto, a dangerous maneuver often needed when the safety belt, through oversight, has to be buckled after the auto is in motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Inventor: Peter Gold
  • Patent number: 5992884
    Abstract: The present invention is a restraining system for securing a detainee in a seat of a vehicle including a restraining belt extending from an anchoring point in the middle region of the seat to a stowing point outboard of the anchoring point and a latching mechanism adjacent to a side region of the seat. The system is in non-securing operation when the belt extends to the stowing point and in securing operation when the belt is removed from the stowing point and connected to the latching mechanism such that the belt traverses the detainee's torso.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: The City of Portland, Oregon
    Inventors: Donald Chris Gillespie, Richard B. Austria, John Scott Montgomery, Scott M. Reasor, Sam J. Pronesti
  • Patent number: 5979990
    Abstract: Described is a vehicle seat having a safety belt which can be extended from a belt retractor. The belt retractor is mounted to one side of the vehicle seat. A belt end portion which projects from the belt retractor is provided with a spring hook means. An engagement element for retainingly receiving the spring hook means is disposed at the second side of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Grammer AG
    Inventors: Hermann Meiller, Josef Kohl, Theodor Abels
  • Patent number: 5979983
    Abstract: The invention is a car seat with a feature to hold an abdominal shield and/or shoulder straps out of the way while a child enters or exits the seat. A shield, integrally formed with the shoulder straps, has a male element located thereon. A female element, located on the seatback surface of the car seat, forms the other part of the holding feature.To place a child into the seat, the shield and straps are pulled up and out of the body of the car seat. The shield is placed against the seatback surface of the car seat, such that the male element engages the female element. The shield and straps are thus held out of the way of an entering child. Once the child is suitably positioned in the car seat, the shield is pulled apart from the seatback surface of the car seat, disengaging the male element from the female element. The shield and straps may then be placed over the child's head and shoulders, and buckled in the normal manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: John Alexander Galbreath
  • Patent number: 5957499
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat belt for vehicle seats with a webbing secured endwise at anchoring points in the vehicle, said webbing assuming a storage position when the seat is unoccupied, and with a tongue displaceable on the webbing within a webbing segment, said tongue being secured in a belted-in position by inserting it in a belt buckle integral with the vehicle when the seat is occupied. To ensure a favorable gripping position for the tongue in the storage position of the seat belt and to avoid rattling noises caused by the tongue against parts of the body, a pocket for inserting the tongue is disposed on the webbing in an area that is readily accessible to a seat occupant when the webbing is in the stored position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Juergen Kempf
  • Patent number: 5934759
    Abstract: A means for moving a fitting part with an insertion tongue of a vehicle seat belt from a resting position, suitable for a vehicle occupant getting in and out of the vehicle, into an ergonomically favorable presentation position in which the occupant is easily able to grasp the fitting part, includes a stirrup handle gripping the seat belt, a swivel arm to which the stirrup handle is applied and a drive for moving the swivel arm between the resting position and the presentation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Paschek, Dieter Biller, Jurgen Petzi
  • Patent number: 5908223
    Abstract: A seat belt system for restraining a vehicle occupant includes a left webbing having a shoulder portion and a lap portion separated by a tongue assembly, a right webbing having a shoulder portion and a lap portion separated by a right tongue assembly, and a buckle for receiving each of the tongue assemblies. Each tongue assembly includes a tongue defining a latch plate and a webbing slot. In addition, the tongue assemblies include a webbing guide having a channel extending from the top of the webbing assembly to adjacent the slot, the channel maintaining the tongue in substantial alignment with the shoulder portion of the webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter E. Miller
  • Patent number: 5860706
    Abstract: The stiffness of a buckle holder made of a reinforced belt strap for a seat belt in a motor vehicle by means of which the buckle is supported in an upwardly projecting manner at a distance from its fastening point close to the vehicle floor is achieved by means of an additional, inherently stiff strip which is fixed on the belt strap and which still permits a yielding at least in a transverse direction. The strip is sewn to the belt strap by means of several seams which are situated relatively closely side-by-side, in which case the close course of the sewn seam contributes to the increase of the stiffness of the buckle holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Micro Compact Car Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Joachim Fausel
  • Patent number: 5538283
    Abstract: A pivotable armrest is disclosed for presenting a seat belt buckle to a vehicle's occupant when the armrest is extended from a retracted position to a working position. The armrest preferably retracts into an upright position along side of the seat back, but alternatively can be made to downwardly retract adjacent to the seat bottom. The armrest movement may be manually or automatically driven. The armrest is preferably attached to the outboard side of a seat, and is used in conjunction with a conventional shoulder and lap belt arrangement. Preferably, the conventional restraint system is integrally mounted within the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Joalto Design, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Townsend
  • Patent number: 5505491
    Abstract: A pivotable armrest is disclosed for presenting a seat belt buckle to a vehicle's occupant when the armrest is lowered from an upright retracted position to a lowered working position. The armrest movement may be manually or automatically driven. The armrest is preferably attached to the outboard side of a seat, and is used in conjunction with a conventional shoulder and lap belt arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Joalto Design, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Townsend
  • Patent number: 5431446
    Abstract: A seat belt presenter (10) for an active seat belt system (14) for restraining a vehicle occupant includes a guide (82) having surfaces (87) which surround opposite major side surfaces (41, 43) of belt webbing (40). A lift arm (74) has an end portion (78) to which the guide (82) is attached. The lift arm (74) is movable between a presented position in which the guide (82) supports a tongue assembly (48) adjacent to the vehicle occupant and a stored position in which the guide is disposed when the tongue assembly is engaged with a buckle (50). A spring (110) biases the lift arm (74) and the guide (82) to the presented position. A motor (130) when energized moves the lift arm (74) and the guide (82) to the stored position. The guide (82) is maintained at a constant attitude angle as the lift arm (74) moves between the presented and stored positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignees: Ford Motor Company, TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Donald P. Czarnecki, Louis R. Brown, Steven R. Loxton, Roger P. Daniel, Timothy G. Laske
  • Patent number: 5421615
    Abstract: A seat belt apparatus in which a hook is formed on a boot covering an anchor plate. Accordingly, the hook can be engaged with an opening of a tongue plate during an assembly stage of a vehicle. As a result, the anchor plate can be held by the tongue plate, and it is therefore possible to prevent surface of a center pillar of a vehicle, which surface faces a vehicle compartment, from being damaged by the anchor plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Katsuki Asagiri, Yasuhiko Kouda
  • Patent number: 5393097
    Abstract: A pivotable armrest is disclosed for presenting a seat belt buckle to a vehicle's occupant when the armrest is lowered from an upright retracted position to a lowered working position. The armrest movement may be manually or automatically driven. The armrest is preferably attached to the outboard side of a seat, and is used in conjunction with a conventional shoulder and lap belt arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Inventor: John A. Townsend
  • Patent number: 5374105
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly having a front panel that is deployable to a forwardly extending position to support a vehicle occupant who has moved forward off the seat cushion during a frontal impact collision. Improvements to the panel deployment mechanism are shown including an electronically activated latch release to deploy the panel upon a predetermined deceleration measured by an accelerometer mounted to the seat assembly or elsewhere on a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. Kracht, Daniel N. Higgins
  • Patent number: 5346256
    Abstract: Device for motorized movement of a safety belt in a motor vehicle from a stored position to a deployed position, has a drive including a pinion drivable in opposite rotation directions; a toothed rack meshing with the pinion and having a component part structured to loosely hold the safety belt at an end portion thereof, the component part being seated in an interior region of the motor vehicle when the safety belt is in the stored position and having an elongated guide carriage and toothed rack provided with a slide guide extending in a longitudinal direction in the toothed rack, the slide guide and the elongated guide carriage being structured so that the guide carriage is slidable in the slide guide; and a mechanism for displacing the component part relative to the toothed rack in a direction the component part moves during motion of the safety belt into the deployed position against a spring force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Wiesler, Thomas Huck, Herbert Schiller
  • Patent number: 5332261
    Abstract: A buckle positioning apparatus in a seat belt system of a motor vehicle for positioning a buckle at a heightened position above a seat bottom for enhancing occupant accessibility of the buckle. The buckle has a lever that is poised for engagement by a back side of a seat back so that the buckle rises and descends with the seat back while not interfering with the movement of the seat back and seat bottom between a cargo position and a normal seating position. The buckle yields to a torsional spring upon an occupant pushing the heightened seat belt buckle upon the occupant entering and exiting the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Siepierski
  • Patent number: 5271422
    Abstract: A foldable rigid frame front entry safety walker having programmed resistance to backward motion, and having a porous seat to accommodate incontinent patients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Inventors: Michael R. Sorrell, Simon Slootsky
  • Patent number: 5236220
    Abstract: A telescoping seat belt device comprising: a support (42,142); and a buckle plate (70) for supporting a seat belt buckle; and a pivoting and sliding mechanism (50, 90; 150, 190) for telescopically moving the buckle plate and a buckle from an extended position to a stowed position. The mechanism includes an activation bar (50) rotationally mounted on the support (42) and a slide link (60) pivotally supported at one end on the first pivot (52); a second link (90) rotatably secured to the second pivot (94), wherein the buckle plate is slidable on the slide link (60) from a first position to a second position, and wherein the second link (90) is connected to the buckle plate (70) such that the buckle plate moves on the slide link (60) in response to the movement of the second link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Allied Signal Inc.
    Inventor: Roy L. Mills
  • Patent number: 5215332
    Abstract: A seat belt anchor for detachably mounting a seat belt on a bolt has a shank extending axially from a vehicle body panel and a bolt head projecting in a radial direction from the shank. The seat belt anchor has an anchor plate with a keyhole shaped slot including an access portion for receiving the bolt head and a retaining portion which is narrower than the bolt head and further from the seat belt than the access portion for receiving the shank of the belt. The anchor plate is mounted on the bolt when the retaining portion of the keyhole shaped slot is registered with the bolt head. An axially yieldable spring carried by the anchor plate axially engages the bolt head to urge the anchor plate into engagement with the bolt head. A spring and a pair of detent bosses carried by the anchor plate engage with the bolt head to retain the anchor plate radially holding the bolt in the retaining portion of the key hole slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard G. De Sloovere
  • Patent number: 5139311
    Abstract: An automotive seat having a seat belt buckle holder is disclosed, which includes a seatback part having a pad covered with an outer skin member, and a seat belt assembly having a belt equipped with a buckle. The pad is partially cut away to form a rectangular recess which is so sized as to accommodate the buckle. The outer skin member is cut in L-shape for providing the outer skin member with an openable part. The openable part is detachably fastened, by means of a fastener, to the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinobu Imai, Keiji Nakayama
  • Patent number: 5074590
    Abstract: An auxiliary storage buckle assembly (50), of integral construction for storing a latch plate (36, 60), a safety belt (30) when not restraining an occupant of a vehicle including a base (54), and a cover (8) defining a slot (58) for receiving the latch plate (36, 60), a lock plate (70) having a resilient stem portion (72) cantilevered from a portion of the base (54) proximate the entrance of the slot, and movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the latch plate for interacting with an opening (62) in the latch plate for securing same thereto. Various alternate embodiments of a storage assembly (50') are illustrated wherein such assembly (50') may be inserted within an opening in the interior facia or trim of a vehicle or fabricated as an integral part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.
    Inventor: Donald A. DiPaola
  • Patent number: 5048865
    Abstract: A buckle stalk suitable for use in a vehicle seat belt system is described. The stalk includes an anchor member to be fixed on a side of a vehicle body, a buckle permitting releasable securement of a webbing thereon, and a non-metallic stalk member connecting the buckle and the anchor member to each other. The buckle stalk member includes a connector, by which the buckle and the stalk member are connected to each other in such a way that the direction of opening of a tongue-receiving socket of the buckle extends at an angle with respect to the stalk member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Nippon Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Tokugawa
  • Patent number: 5044695
    Abstract: A seat belt storage structure in a hinged seat, in which the hinged seat includes a seat cushion and seat back, each of them being individually hinged such as to be rotatable about their respective hinge points in a forward direction, and there is formed a seat belt storage slit in the seat back, in which slit, the free end of the seat belt is inserted and stored removably. The seat belt storage slit is formed by an inner cloth cell which is attached in a recessed hole of the seat back and further sewn with a covering member of the seat back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumiaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 5009469
    Abstract: A vehicle seat for use with at least two seatbelt assemblies is disclosed. Each seatbelt assembly has a belt, a tongue member and a buckle member. The vehicle seat comprises a seat portion; a seatback portion having a recess; a receptacle member tightly received in the recess and having an opening which faces forward, the receptacle member being so sized as to receive therein the buckle members which are in overlapped condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Mouri
  • Patent number: 4993748
    Abstract: A device for the vertically displacable positioning of an upper belt articulation or belt deflection point in a two-door motor vehicle without a middle column includes a carrier which at its top end receives a belt articulation or belt deflection fitting. The carrier can be transferred from a position of rest concealed in a side wall to at least one upper position of use projecting beyond the side-wall trim. In order to obtain the best possible belt-band run of an oblique shoulder-belt portion, an advancing movement towards the center of the vehicle is impart to the carrier when it has reached its position of use, so that the belt articulation or belt deflection fitting moves a predetermined amount towards an associated seated occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG
    Inventors: Arno Jambor, Erich Glauner, Karl-Heinz Nagele, Wolfgang Fussnegger, Werner Heiss
  • Patent number: 4919488
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat having a safety belt system, the belts of which are connected with the seat frame in the area of the upper end section of the back rest at two upper connecting points lying spaced from each other in the lateral direction of the seat, and in the area of the rear end of its seat portion, the lower end of its back rest or its support slide rails at two lower connection points provided on the respective sides of the seat, the two lap belts are guided along the respective pivot arms (12,12') which are connected with the seat frame in the area of one or the other of the lower connecting points (5) so as to pivot about respective axes extending in the lateral direction of the seat. The two pivot arms (12,12') are formed to resist bending in the pivot direction but to bend elastically laterally thereto. The one pivot arm (12) is connected with the other pivot arm (12') by a transmission that forces an opposite pivot direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Elmar Deegener, Harald Wolsiefer, Heinz P. Cremer
  • Patent number: 4810037
    Abstract: An automotive seat provided with a plurality of seat belts, in which a seat belt storage holder is embedded in the lower end portion of a seat back, with the opened portion of the storage holder being exposed at the frontal surface of the seat back. In such storage holder, the seat belts are neatly stored in a removable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Genjiro Takagi
  • Patent number: 4789179
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is an arrangement for holding, when a seat belt is not in use, a buckle-mounted anchor band of the seat belt on a given portion of a seat back of a seat. The arrangement comprises a holder tightly connected to the seat back and having a first engaging portion projected from the seat back, and a plastic cover covering and connected to the buckle of the anchor band and having a second engaging portion which is detachably engageable with the first engaging portion of the holder. One of the first and second engaging portions has a flexible portion which is resiliently flexed to cancel the engagement between the first and second engaging portions when an abnormally big force is applied thereto in a direction to increase the degree of the engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fugio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4783098
    Abstract: A seat belt device for use in a motor vehicle which internally accommodates front and rear seats and in which the getting on and off the rear seat is executed after the front seat has been shifted frontwards through operation of an operating member disposed on the front seat to shift the front seat back and forth, with a securing point where the seat belt is secured to the vehicle body being provided at the side portion of a seat cushion of the front seat. The securing point of the seat belt is disposed freely reciprocably in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle so as to be shifted backwards in association with the operation of the operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Takahito Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 4775167
    Abstract: A device for controlling an extendable equipment part of a power vehicle such as a safety belt includes a guide member displaceable between two end positions. In order to enable a passenger in the car to easily adjust the safety belt the guide member is held on a stationary hinge by means of which the movement of a drive aggregate is translated into the pivoting motion of the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Schiller, Eckhard Ursel
  • Patent number: 4744598
    Abstract: A seat structure for a vehicle which is provided with a seat adjusting mechanism includes a dial-type handle projecting from a position on a seat which is in the vicinity of an occupant restraining webbing. The seat adjusting mechanism is actuated to effect adjustment of the seat by turning the handle. A recess is formed in the side of the handle which is closer to the surface of the seat, the recess extending in the circumferential direction of the handle. A cover member is disposed on the seat in opposing relation to the size of the handle which is closer to the surface of the seat, the cover member concealing a mechanism portion of the seat adjusting mechanism. In addition, a projecting wall is provided on the cover member so as to extend into the recess. Accordingly, the webbing is prevented from deeply entering the gap defined between the handle and cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Ohchi
  • Patent number: 4741557
    Abstract: The proposed safety-belt arrangement in a vehicle has a three-point belt, for which an upper deflecting fitting, together with a guide part of a belt feeder arm, is retained on the vehicle center column so as to be vertically adjustable on a common support. The belt lug of the feeder arm can consequently be made as small as possible, while still accommodating passengers of varying sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Arno Jambor, Gerhard Brodbeck, Gerhard Busch, Jurgen Heuberger
  • Patent number: 4730875
    Abstract: A webbing guide for use with a seat belt apparatus having a length of webbing which has shoulder and lap webbing portions and an end portion adapted to be wound onto a reel device. The webbing guide is disposed on and at the side of a seat back of a seat for a passenger to sit on and has a guide hole for inserting therethrough the shoulder webbing portion. The guide hole is in the form of a continuous slot and has a crank-shaped outline. The shoulder webbing portion is thus kept from becoming twisted or reversed in the guide hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1988
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noritada Yoshitsugu
  • Patent number: 4697827
    Abstract: A seat belt device provided with a reach arm having a fore end to which a free end of a seat belt is tied, which reach arm is at a rearward withdrawn position when the seat belt is not in use whereas it is swung, when the seat belt is in use, to be projected forwardly to enable wearing of the seat belt. The reach arm assumes a compact form with an intermediate portion thereof folded in a non-used position whereas it assumes a straight state in use. A belt connecting hole provided at the fore end of the reach arm is shaped so as to hold the seat belt on a longitudinal extension of the reach arm when the reach arm is at an operative position. The reach arm is further designed foldable in a direction substantially perpendicular to its swinging direction when applied with a great shock at the operative position thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiichi Sasaki, Hiroshi Tabata, Hisakazu Okuhara, Kazuo Higuchi
  • Patent number: 4687254
    Abstract: In order to bring about a single-handed actuation during the insertion operation of the buckle latch into a belt buckle arranged recessed in its non-use position in a pocket of a seat part, the pocket is lined by a shell and the shell is provided with a guide surface along which slides the emplaced buckle latch in the direction of the receiving funnel of the belt buckle. The guide surface may be provided with a guide groove for the positionally correct latch guidance. However, also a push button may extend therethrough whereby the stroke movement produced by actuation by the belt latch is transmitted onto the belt buckle by means of a transmission device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinz Baumert, Nikolaus Schmitt-Maass, Erich Karb
  • Patent number: 4682789
    Abstract: Disclosed is a seat belt forwarding device for facilitating the fastening of a seat belt by rotating a rotary arm in a forward direction, in conjunction with a walk-in type seat, comprising, a rotary unit for forwardly rotating the rotary arm in response to a closing action of a door and backwardly rotating the rotary arm in response to an opening action of the door and cam means for controlling the backwardly inclined position of the rotary arm in such a manner that the rotary arm may be positioned along a seat back when the seat back is in its upright position and substantially along a floor behind the seat when the seat back is in its forwardly inclined position. Thereby, when the seat back is inclined forwardly, the rotary arm will not obstruct the access to the rear seat, and, when the seat back is upright, the rotary arm aligns along the seat back, and the rotary arm will not impair the comfort of the rear seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Higuchi, Takayuki Sugama, Hisakazu Okuhara, Kiichi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 4681345
    Abstract: A device is provided which passively reminds persons seated in an automobile to fasten his or her seat belt. The device comprises seat belt clip means having a projection extending therefrom which, when the seat belt is disengaged, is positioned so that the projection extends into the space normally occupied by a user of the seat and to the back of a person who sits in the seat, thereby causing discomfort until the person properly engages the seat belt. When the seat belt is properly engaged, the projection stows unobstrusively out of the way of driver and controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1987
    Inventor: Willson C. Swartout
  • Patent number: 4679821
    Abstract: A seat belt apparatus for use in a vehicle includes a webbing extending from a retractor upward along a center pillar of the vehicle and after passing through a slot of a through-anchor mounted at the top of the center pillar extends downward to have its forward end connected to an arm pivotally mounted on the vehicle. The seat belt apparatus also includes a manually operable member, such as handle, pedal or knob, which can be operated by the hand or foot of a passenger seated in position inside the vehicle and the manually operable member is operatively connected to the webbing or arm. The manually operable member can be operated between a first and second position and when it is moved from the first to the second position, the webbing is moved from its retracted position to an advanced position where the passenger can grab the webbing with east without taking any uncomfortable posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1987
    Assignee: NSK-Warner Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Yamamoto, Shuichi Asano
  • Patent number: 4643449
    Abstract: A seat belt device provided with a reach arm having a fore end to which a free end of a seat belt is tied, which reach arm is at a rearward withdrawn position when the seal belt is not in use whereas it is swung, when the seat belt is in use, to be projected forwardly to enable wearing of the seat belt. The reach arm assumes a compact form with an intermediate portion thereof folded in a non-used position whereas it assumes a straight state in use. A belt connecting hole provided at the fore end of the reach arm is shaped so as to hold the seat belt on a longitudinal extension of the reach arm when the reach arm is at an operative position. The reach arm is further designed foldable in a direction substantially perpendicular to its swinging direction when applied with a great shock at the operative position thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiichi Sasaki, Hiroshi Tabata, Hisakazu Okuhara, Kazuo Higuchi
  • Patent number: RE34051
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat having a safety belt system, the belts of which are connected with the seat frame in the area of the upper end section of the back rest at two upper connecting points lying spaced from each other in the lateral direction of the seat, and in the area of the rear end of its seat portion, the lower end of its back rest or its support slide rails at two lower connection points provided on the respective sides of the seat, the two lap belts are guided along the respective pivot arms (12,12') which are connected with the seat frame in the area of one or the other of the lower connecting points (5) so as to pivot about respective axes extending to the lateral direction of the seat. The two pivot arms (12,12') are formed to resist bending in the pivot direction but to bend elastically laterally thereto. The one pivot arm (12) is connected with the other pivot arm (12') by a transmission that forces an opposite pivot direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Elmar Deegener, Harald Wolsiefer, Heinz P. Cremer