Abstract: The present invention provides load leveling and impact energy absorption webbing comprising warp yarn. If the webbing is used in seat belts, the webbing provides load leveling behavior from about 450 pounds (about 2,000 Newtons) to about 1,800 pounds (about 8,000 Newtons) in vehicle collision. The yarn has a force-displacement profile such that: (a) when the yarn is subjected to an initial barrier stress of from about 0.2 gram/denier to less than or equal to about 1.4 grams/denier, the yarn elongates to less than 3 percent and the initial modulus ranges from about 20 grams/denier to about 150 grams/denier; (b) upon subjecting the yarn to greater than the initial barrier stress and less than or equal to 1.8 grams/denier, the yarn elongates further to at least about 10 percent and the energy absorbed from 0 to the elongation at 1.8 grams/denier is at least about 0.0008 Joule/denier.cndot.meter; and (c) upon subjecting the yarn to greater than 1.

Abstract: A switch assembly is provided for use in sensing a seat belt spool condition in a seat belt retractor assembly. Features of the switch assembly are a switch housing in which is mounted a conductive member which forms both a fixed contact and a male terminal at its respective ends, a movable contact element which is supported for selective wiping contact with the fixed contact end of the conductive member, and actuating means which moves the movable contact element into wiping contact with the fixed contact end of the conductive member in response to a predetermined amount of seat belt webbing being stored on the spool of the seat belt retractor and which permits the movable contact element to move out of wiping contact in response to a predetermined amount of seat belt webbing being removed from the retractor.