Abstract: An air bag assembly comprises a retainer having a main wall on which an air bag and an inflator are mounted and a peripheral wall projecting from the main wall and a cover having a main wall and side walls forming a cavity in which the air bag is received in folded relation and flanges extending from the edges of the side walls and engaging in face-to-face relation the outer faces of the peripheral wall of the retainer. The cover flanges have outwardly projecting beads along their free edges. The flanges are clamped by plates engaging the outside surfaces of the flanges to the peripheral wall, and the edges of the plates are engaged by the beads, whereby the loads on the flanges resulting from loads on the cover when the air bag inflates and breaks the cover are transmitted by the beads to the plates.

Abstract: A child safety seat for vehicles comprises a seat bottom, a seat back, and side portions including a lower torso restraint portion on each side of the seat bottom and a shoulder and head restraint portion on each side of the seat back. A shoulder and abdominal restraint system is associated with the seat bottom and seat back and is adapted to restrain a child in place on the seat. Sound generating apparatus is installed in the safety seat.

Abstract: An inflatable air bag for protection of a vehicle occupant by absorbing the secondary impact of the occupant as he or she is thrown forward by inertia comprises a first fastening member at the gas inflow side, a second fastening member at the impact side and a plurality of inflation-controlling members connected between the fastening members at junctures therewith. At least the portions of the first fastening member forming the junctures with the inflation-controlling members are resilient so that they absorb energy and reduce the impact forces exerted on the inflation-controlling members when they arrest the movement of the impact side of the air bag during inflation.

Abstract: An inflatable air bag for protection of a vehicle occupant by absorbing the secondary impact of the occupant as he or she is thrown forward by inertia comprises a fastening member at the gas inflow side, a fastening member at the impact side and a plurality of inflation-controlling members connected between the fastening members and forming junctures therewith. Each inflation-controlling member is arranged such that the internal stress caused by an impact tensile load is smaller at the junctures between it and the respective fastening members than is the internal stress in any portion of the inflation-controlling members between said junctures.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises a main winding spring coupled between the frame and the reel shaft and an auxiliary winding spring coupled between the frame and a rotatable clutch wheel. A clutch-operating mechanism locks the clutch wheel against rotation when the belt is done up, thereby inactivating the auxiliary spring. The clutch wheel is coupled to the shaft by an elongated flexible coupling member wound spirally around a portion of the reel shaft such that it tightens when the reel shaft rotates in the belt-unwinding direction relative to the clutch wheel and loosens when the reel shaft rotates in the belt-winding direction relative to the clutch wheel.

Abstract: A drive device for a vehicle passive safety belt system comprises a first rotatable drum, a flexible drive tape having one end affixed to the first drum and leading from the first drum along a constrained path to a belt guide that is movable along a guide rail in the vehicle, a second rotatable drum positioned adjacent the path of the drive tape and proximate to the first drum, a flexible driving band having one end affixed to the first drum and its other end affixed to the second drum, the driving band overlapping the drive tape and being arranged to wind onto the second drum while unwinding from the first drum conjointly with the drive tape and to keep the drive tape from slackening on the first roll upon unwinding, and a drive device for conjointly rotating the first and second drums in one direction to wind the driving band into the second drum and unwind the drive tape and the driving band from the first drum and in the opposite direction to wind the drive tape and driving band onto the first drum and un

Abstract: A drive device for a vehicle automatic seat belt system in which a drive tape is slidably received within a cylindrical casing comprises buckling-prevention members between the tape and the opposite walls of the casing on either side of the tape. The members are adapted to maintain the tape axis aligned with the casing axis and also to rotate about the axis of the casing so that the tape can twist.

Abstract: There is disclosed an anchoring device for use with a seat belt worn in a vehicle. The device is light in weight and compact, since it has a lightweight slide anchor. The device further includes a slip anchor whose height can be adjusted within a range much broader than conventional. The slide anchor (19) is mounted to a rail member (11), which is rigidly fixed to a stationary portion of the body of the vehicle and extends vertically, in such a way that the height of the anchor (19) can be adjusted longitudinally of the rail member. An anchor bolt (25) protruding inwardly of the passenger's compartment is rigidly fixed to the anchor (19). The seat belt (80) has its central portion supported by a slip anchor (23) that is rotatably held to the bolt (25). A retaining pin (27) is removably inserted in a hole (26) extending through the bolt (25). Holes (12) are formed longitudinally of the rail member (11) opposite to the front end of the pin (27 ).

Abstract: There is disclosed an achoring device for use with a seat belt worn in a vehicle. The device is light in weight and compact, since it has a lightweight slide anchor. The device further includes a slip anchor whose height can be adjusted within a range much broader than conventional. The slide anchor (19) is mounted to a rail member (11), which is rigidly fixed to a stationary portion of the body of the vehicle and extends vertically, in such a way that the height of the anchor (19) can be adjusted longitudinally of the rail member. An anchor bolt (25) protruding inwardly of the passenger's compartment is rigidly fixed to the anchor (19). The seat belt (80) has its central portion supported by a slip anchor (23) that is rotatably held to the bolt (25). A retaining pin (27) is removably inserted in a hole (26) extending through the bolt (25). Holes (12) are formed longitudinally of the rail member (11) opposite to the front end of the pin (27 ).

Abstract: A seat belt retractor having an emergency locking mechanism that includes a lock ring coupled by a pin and slot to a locking pawl comprises an automatic locking mechanism activated by rotation of the belt reel upon unwinding of a predetermined length of the belt from the reel for causing the locking pawl automatically to engage the ratchet wheel regardless of the rate of acceleration of the belt reel and thereby lock the reel against rotation in the unwinding direction and deactivated in response to rotation of the reel upon rewinding of a predetermined length of the belt onto the reel.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt retractor comprises a tension-reduction mechanism in which a second spiral winding spring is connected in parallel with the main spiral winding spring between the retractor frame and the belt reel. A gear clutch is interposed between the second winding spring and the reel. One element of the gear clutch is selectively locked to the reel frame in response to connection of the belt to the buckle, thereby preventing the second spring from acting on the reel. When the belt is disconnected from the buckle, both springs work in parallel to wind the belt onto the reel.

Abstract: Stitched thread seams between fabric elements of the envelope of a vehicle safety air bag induce localized distension and opening up of the envelope fabrics along the seams, thereby causing the film coatings of the envelope fabric to rupture along the seam and allow gas to escape and maintain a substantially constant overall maximum pressure, regardless of variations in ambient temperature.

Abstract: A mounting for an inflatable safety bag having an opening in communication with the discharge of a gas generator to inflate the bag in an emergency condition in which the bag is clamped between a base retainer and an annular retainer and the peripheral region of the bag surrounding the opening has a chain-stitched stitch in the bag around the opening and adjacent the inner face of one of the retainers, so that upon inflation of the bag the forces which tend to pull the clamped peripheral region of the bag from the retainers will be resisted by the engagement of the chain-stitched stitch with the inner face.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt retractor comprises a tension-relief mechanism in which a spring-biased hook pivotably mounted on a hook carrier that rotates with the belt reel selectively engages teeth on a stationary stop ring to lock the reel against rotation. The hook is in some states of operation latched by a latch spring so that it cannot engage the stop ring. Latching and unlatching of the hook is controlled by an abutment on an actuator ring that is coupled to the stop ring by a friction clutch. The actuator ring also has a peripheral wall that is engaged by the hook in certain states to prevent the hook from engaging the stop ring. A notch in the peripheral wall allows the hook to pivot out to engage the stop ring in the tension-relief mode.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle comprises a pivoted latch plate biased to a latched position and kept in that position by a control member slidably carried on the latch plate and biased to a position in which blocking portions cover notches at the edges of the latch plate. Control projections on the sides of a channel-shaped frame are engaged by the blocking portions in the latched position but accept the notches in the latch plate when the control member is moved by a release button to uncover the notches. Cam surfaces on the frame sides coact with cam follower surfaces on the control member to lift the control member and latch plate when the release button is depressed. Anchor projections on the frame sides are received in the notches in the latch plate in the latched position and transfer loads from the latch plate to the frame.

Abstract: An adjustable vehicle seat belt anchor comprises an elongated rail member and a slide member slidably received by the rail member. The rail and slide members are of complementary cross sections, one being generally C-shaped with inturned and offset flanges along each side and the other being generally channel-shaped with out-turned and offset flanges along each edge. A spring-biased retaining pin is movable orthogonally to the direction of movement of the slide member into a selected hole in the rail member. A flange on the end of the pin forms a shoulder that can engage the back edge of the hole to prevent dislodgment of the pin under a high downward force. A deformable member positioned between the hole wall and the pin normally keeps the pin shoulder from engaging the hole edge but is deformed under a high force to permit such engagement.

Abstract: A passive seat belt system for a vehicle includes a restraint belt, a flexible transfer tape driven by a drive device in response to opening or closing of the vehicle door, and a belt transfer guide connected to the belt and connected to one end of the transfer tape, the guide being movable along a guide rail between restraint and release locations in the vehicle in which it holds the belt in occupant-restraining and occupant-releasing positions, respectively. The drive device comprises a flexible drive tape and a first drum having one end of the drive tape and the other end of the transfer tape attached to the outer periphery thereof whereby upon rotation of the drive in one direction both tapes are wound onto the first drum in interleaved relation and upon rotation in the other direction are unwound from the drum.

Abstract: A stalk for supporting a safety belt buckle or the like in a generally predetermined position spaced-apart from an anchor member comprises a single piece of belt webbing material folded lengthwise along two folds to superpose both edge portions on the center portion and position the selvage edges closely adjacent each other. The edge portions are stitched to the center portion, thereby providing a double thickness of belt webbing of substantially half the width of the webbing material. A portion of one end of the folded and stitched webbing piece is folded back on itself and overlaps a portion of the other end, and said end portions are joined together to form the webbing piece into a loop. The loop passes through a hole in the anchor member, and the portions of the loop on opposite sides of the anchor member lie substantially flat closely adjacent each other and are stiffened and stabilized by a layer of polymeric material injected and molded in situ between said portions of the loop.

Abstract: Stitched thread seams between fabric elements of the envelope of a vehicle safety air bag induce localized distension and opening up of the envelope fabrics along the seams, thereby causing the film coatings of the envelope fabric to rupture along the seam and allow gas to escape and maintain a substantially constant overall maximum pressure, regardless of variations in ambient temperature.