Abstract: A passenger vehicle seat and restraint system comprising a frame mountable to a vehicle and a restraint member and a seat member coupled to the frame to form a seat for supporting an occupant. The vehicle seat may further comprise a seat back frame movably attached to the frame and a restraint harness affixed to the frame and the seat back frame for securing the occupant thereto.

Abstract: A web adjuster for use with a web. A clamping member and a bearing member are mounted to a web adjuster frame and movable relative to the frame about a common axis. The web extends at least partially around the bearing member. Applying tension to the web moves the clamping member toward a web stop on the frame to trap the web between the clamping member and the web stop.

Abstract: A coupling to attach a device such as an infant seat to an anchor member. One version of the coupling is characterized by a frame having a mouth with a seat configured to receive the anchor member and a lever movably mounted on the frame to hold the anchor member inside the mouth. The lever has a downwardly projecting finger that blocks the mouth of the notch in the closed position and allows access to the notch when moved to the open position. The coupling may include a stop member to resist movement from the closed to the open position. The coupling also may include a web adjuster or other connecting device operatively disposed between the coupling and the device.

Abstract: A passenger vehicle seat and restraint system comprising a frame mountable to a vehicle and a restraint member and a seat member coupled to the frame to form a seat for supporting an occupant. The vehicle seat may further comprise a seat back frame movably attached to the frame and a restraint harness affixed to the frame and the seat back frame for securing the occupant thereto.

Abstract: A buckle for use with a safety belt includes a buckle housing formed to define a cavity, an actuator aperture in communication with the cavity, and an insertion opening in communication with the cavity. An actuator of the buckle is coupled to the buckle housing and formed to include a button accessible through the actuator aperture of the buckle housing as well as a belt-anchor catch coupled to the button to move with the button. The buckle further includes an ejector spring positioned within the cavity of the buckle housing along a substantially central longitudinal axis defined to extend from a back end of the buckle housing to a front end of the buckle housing. First and second belt anchors are formed to be inserted, at least in part, into the insertion opening to engage the ejector spring and move the ejector spring to a retracted position.

Abstract: A web adjuster device includes a frame defining a first web engaging surface. A web clamping member is movably mounted to the frame and defines second and third web engaging surfaces. A web is received between the first and second web engaging surfaces, and in one direction of web travel the web engages the third web engaging surface to force the second web engaging surface toward the first web engaging surface to trap the web therebetween. In an opposite direction, the web engages the third web engaging surface to force the second web engaging surface away from the first web engaging surface to allow web travel in this direction. The third web engaging surface may be omitted in favor of a web engaging protrusion extending from the web engaging surface of the frame, wherein the second web engaging surface facilitates trapping of the web against the web engaging protrusion.

Abstract: A web adjuster for varying a length of a web. The web adjuster has a gripping bar having a pair of ears mounted near each of its ends, a frame including a web stop, and one or more springs to normally urge the bar toward the web stop and against the web. The adjuster may include a coupling device, such as another web or a snap hook, to operatively anchor the coupling device.

Abstract: A clamp for relieving the tension in a seatbelt. An air operated actuator is activated by the passenger at a location remote from the clamp to lock the clamp to the seatbelt. The clamp is slidable on a track with a first endstop and an opposite second endstop. The clamp can be initially secured to the seatbelt at the first endstop. Subsequent movement by the passenger results in the clamp moving along the track. Upon reseating by the passenger, the clamp will be supported at a support position intermediate of the first and second endstops, resulting in increased slack in the shoulder portion of the seatbelt, reduced tension in the shoulder portion, and increased comfort for the passenger.

Abstract: A roll sensor system for a land vehicle is provided to determine when a vehicle roll condition has occurred and to trigger a safety system in response to that determination. In certain embodiments, an angular rate sensor is used to obtain an angular rate and, from the angular rate, an angle relative to the roll axis of the land vehicle. If the angular rate and the angle correspond to a safety system activation event, the roll sensor system will provide a trigger signal to the safety system. In some embodiments, the system includes an incline sensor(s) to aid in detecting and compensating for drift in the output of the angular rate sensor. In other embodiments the output of an angular rate sensor is used to validate the output of the incline sensor to aid in determining whether a vehicle safety system trigger event has occurred.

Abstract: A passenger restraining harness and support assembly for use with a bench seat mounted in a vehicle. The bench seat includes a frame having a seat support portion and a back support portion. The seat is supported on legs anchoring the seat to the vehicle. A harness support assembly includes towers pivotally mounted to the bench seat to move with the seat back through a limited deflection. Web slack take-up devices are mounted to the towers and pivot therewith contacting webs mounted to the towers and removing slack therefrom upon deacceleraton.

Abstract: A passenger restraining harness and support assembly for use with a bench seat mounted in a vehicle. The bench seat includes a frame having a seat support portion with a front portion and a rear portion, a seatback portion coupled to the seat support portion, and legs or supports anchoring the seat to the vehicle. A harness support assembly includes a tower member with a slotted bottom end pivotally coupled to the rear of the seat support, a connecting member having one end adapted to fit into the slot in the tower member and a second end connected to the front of the seat support portion, a belt guide connected to the top of the tower member, and an anchor wing connected to the connecting member. A belt or harness attaches to the support assembly.

Abstract: A coupling and web adjuster to attach an infant seat to the passenger seat of a vehicle having a fixedly mounted rigid member to which the seat may be attached. The web adjuster has a cylindrical bar with a generally oval cross-section and a pair of ears mounted near each of its ends; a web that extends at least partially around the bar, a frame with a pair of channels in which the ears of the bar may slide, and one or more mechanical springs to normally push the bar toward the web stop and against the web. One version of the coupling is characterized by a frame having a notch on its distal end with a mouth/seat that is adapted to receive the fixedly mounted rigid member and a lever that is pivotally mounted inside the frame to hold the rigid member inside the mouth. The lever has a downwardly projecting finger that blocks the mouth of the notch when moved in one direction and allows access to the notch when moved in the other direction.

Abstract: A vehicle seat has a back portion deformable forwardly when impacted from the rear by a passenger. A horizontally movable seat platform is slidably mounted to the seat frame and has restraint belts. The seat platform is normally held in an aft position until forward passenger force is applied through the lap belts to the movable platform during a crash.

Abstract: A vehicle seat having a back portion bent or deformed forwardly when impacted from the rear by a passenger. A horizontally movable seat platform is slidably mounted to the seat frame and has lap belts secured thereto. The seat platform is normally held in an aft position by fastening devices which break under forward passenger force applied through the lap belts to the movable platform during a crash. The movable platform includes a plurality of sleeves affixed thereto which are slidably mounted to the main frame of the seat.

Abstract: A restraint system for moving a vehicle seat and occupant toward the vehicle floor. In one embodiment a fluid cylinder pivotally mounted to the floor has an extendable piston rod connected to a linkage mounted to the vehicle seat. A three point belt assembly mounted to the seat is connected to the cylinder rod. Retraction of the cylinder rod pretensions or tightens the three point buckle assembly and subsequently moves the seat towards the vehicle floor. In an alternate embodiment a displacement member including at least a flexible portion is connected at one end to a piston within a fluid cylinder and is connected at the other end to the linkage. An angle between 0 and 180 degrees is imparted to the flexible portion of the displacement member, allowing the cylinder to be oriented in alternate directions for space efficiency. Retraction of the cylinder rod tightens the three point buckle assembly and moves the seat towards the vehicle floor.

Abstract: A retractor and boot for limiting passage of dirt and foreign material on the retractor belt. The boot includes a plastic housing surrounding the retractor and has an outwardly extending portion forming a channel through which the belt is movable. A pair of scraping edges are located offset along the longitudinal channel axis and are spaced apart relative to each other a distance less than the belt thickness allowing dirt and foreign material to be scraped from the belt as the belt is retracted.

Abstract: A clamp for relieving the tension in a seatbelt. The clamp is moveable along a track between first and second endstops. The clamp includes a movable button which can be pushed by the passenger to lock the clamp to the seatbelt. The clamp can be secured to the seatbelt at the first endstop. Subsequent movement by the passenger results in the clamp moving along the track. Upon reseating by the passenger, the clamp will be supported at a support position intermediate of the first and second endstops, resulting in increased slack in the shoulder portion of the seatbelt, reduced tension in the shoulder portion, and increased comfort for the passenger.

Abstract: A D-loop web belt gripper to releasably grip a web belt is disclosed. The D-loop web belt gripper includes a frame, a web belt gripping component, and a web belt actuating component. The web belt gripping component is a wedge having a plurality of web belt gripping teeth spatially biased away from a base member of the frame. The web belt actuating components is a bail having a lever arm, a pair of guide walls pivotally adjoined to a pair of guide walls of the frame, and a pair of drivers abutting the wedge. A first portion of a web belt is disposable between the web belt gripping teeth and the base member of the frame, and a second portion of the web belt is arcuately disposable upon the lever arm to form an arcuation in the second portion of the web belt. A forcible unbending of the arcuation in the second portion of the web belt can pivot the bail via the lever arm causing the drivers of the bail to displace the web belt gripping teeth of the wedge in the direction of the base member of the frame.

Abstract: A modular system that allows a child seat manufacturer to combine the installation of the crotch belt assembly and the shoulder belt adjuster assembly in one step, and which allows the child seat manufacturer to vary the type of components without having to alter the design of the child seat. A module for use with a child seat that has a shoulder harness, an interengageable combination of a tongue and seat belt buckle, and has a seat portion that has been adapted to receive the module. The module, itself, has a pan that is mountable within the seat portion of the child seat, a belt retractor fixedly attached to the bottom of the pan, and a crotch assembly that is designed to attach either to the buckle or the tongue of the seat belt harness.

Abstract: A roll sensor system for a land vehicle is provided to determine when a vehicle roll condition has occurred and to trigger a safety system in response to that determination. In certain embodiments, an angular rate sensor is used to obtain an angular rate and, from the angular rate, an angle relative to the roll axis of the land vehicle. If the angular rate and the angle correspond to a safety system activation event, the roll sensor system will provide a trigger signal to the safety system. In some embodiments, the system includes an incline sensor to aid in detecting and compensating for drift in the output of the angular rate sensor. In other embodiments the output of an angular rate sensor is used to validate the output of the incline sensor to aid in determining whether a vehicle safety system trigger event has occurred.