Patents by Inventor John Forster Bell

John Forster Bell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Seat belt pretensioner
    Patent number: 7673906
    Abstract: A pretensioning apparatus for seat belt webbing is located in the vicinity of a belt anchor end of a three-point vehicle safety restraint seat belt. The pretensioning apparatus has a fixed member in the form of a tubular member that may be anchored to a vehicle seat at the belt anchor side of the vehicle. A movable member in the form of a piston is connected to the webbing in the region of the belt anchor end. A means is provided for moving the movable member relative to the fixed member in a generally horizontal direction, to move the seat belt webbing in a pretensioning direction in response to a signal from a crash sensor. A webbing guide is fixed to the seat to provide an effective anchorage point spaced from the belt anchor end of the webbing under pretensioning conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc
    Inventor: John Forster Bell
  • Seat belt pretensioner
    Patent number: 7540537
    Abstract: A pretensioning apparatus for seat belt webbing is located in the vicinity of a belt anchor end of a three-point vehicle safety restraint seat belt. The pretensioning apparatus has a fixed member in the form of a tubular member that may be anchored to a vehicle seat at the belt anchor side of the vehicle. A movable member in the form of a piston is connected to the webbing in the region of the belt anchor end. A means is provided for moving the movable member relative to the fixed member in a generally horizontal direction, to move the seat belt webbing in a pretensioning direction in response to a signal from a crash sensor. A webbing guide is fixed to the seat to provide an effective anchorage point spaced from the belt anchor end of the webbing under pretensioning conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John Forster Bell
  • Seat belt pretensioner
    Publication number: 20090045615
    Abstract: A pretensioning apparatus for seat belt webbing is located in the vicinity of a belt anchor end of a three-point vehicle safety restraint seat belt. The pretensioning apparatus has a fixed member in the form of a tubular member that may be anchored to a vehicle seat at the belt anchor side of the vehicle. A movable member in the form of a piston is connected to the webbing in the region of the belt anchor end. A means is provided for moving the movable member relative to the fixed member in a generally horizontal direction, to move the seat belt webbing in a pretensioning direction in response to a signal from a crash sensor. A webbing guide is fixed to the seat to provide an effective anchorage point spaced from the belt anchor end of the webbing under pretensioning conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventor: John Forster Bell
  • Seat belt pretensioner
    Publication number: 20090014994
    Abstract: A pretensioning apparatus for seat belt webbing is located in the vicinity of a belt anchor end of a three-point vehicle safety restraint seat belt. The pretensioning apparatus has a fixed member in the form of a tubular member that may be anchored to a vehicle seat at the belt anchor side of the vehicle. A movable member in the form of a piston is connected to the webbing in the region of the belt anchor end. A means is provided for moving the movable member relative to the fixed member in a generally horizontal direction, to move the seat belt webbing in a pretensioning direction in response to a signal from a crash sensor. A webbing guide is fixed to the seat to provide an effective anchorage point spaced from the belt anchor end of the webbing under pretensioning conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: John Forster Bell
  • Seat belt pretensioner
    Patent number: 7452003
    Abstract: A pretensioning apparatus for seat belt webbing is located in the vicinity of a belt anchor end of a three-point vehicle safety restraint seat belt. The pretensioning apparatus has a fixed member in the form of a tubular member that may be anchored to a vehicle seat at the belt anchor side of the vehicle. A movable member in the form of a piston is connected to the webbing in the region of the belt anchor end. A means is provided for moving the movable member relative to the fixed member in a generally horizontal direction, to move the seat belt webbing in a pretensioning direction in response to a signal from a crash sensor. A webbing guide is fixed to the seat to provide an effective anchorage point spaced from the belt anchor end of the webbing under pretensioning conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John Forster Bell