Abstract: An inflatable bag is provided to protect an occupant of a motor vehicle. The bag is mounted within the structure of a seat of a vehicle and, when inflated, the bag is located between the occupant of the vehicle sitting on that seat and the side of the vehicle, with the center of that part of the bag which contacts the occupant of the vehicle being substantially aligned with the center of gravity of the torso of that occupant.

Abstract: A locking device is provided in a pre-tensioner for a safety belt or safety harness in a vehicle. The pre-tensioner is mounted on a plate secured to the seat of the vehicle. In order to prevent the pre-tensioner being triggered by forward adjustment of the seat, a plate is provided which is pivotally mounted, so that the plate can swing to a locking position on forward movement of the seat. When in the locking position, an arcuate edge of the plate is located adjacent a lever forming part of the pre-tensioner preventing forward movement thereof and thus preventing triggering of the pre-tensioner.

Abstract: A safety belt for use in an automobile has a retractor reel incorporating a spindle onto which the belt is wound. The spindle can be locked, to prevent rotation of the spindle, in response to predetermined conditions, such as rapid deceleration of the automobile. The retractor reel is mounted on the chassis so that the reel can move relative to the chassis if a large force is applied thereto, by the safety belt, in excess of a predetermined limit. A clamp is also provided, which can clamp the safety belt leaving the reel, the clamp operating in response to movement of the reel as a consequence of the large force. A force limiter is provided to relieve any force exerted by the safety belt in excess of a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A safety belt reel assembly comprises a supporting frame, a safety belt, one end of the safety belt being attached to a spindle which may be rotatably mounted on said frame, an arrangement for automatically winding said belt onto said spindle, and a movable belt guide. The belt guide servies to ensure that the safety belt arrives at the take up point of the belt roll on the spindle in a desired orientation. This is achieved by providing a two component guide, a first component being mounted on the frame of the reel assembly and the second component being rotatably mounted on the first component and defining an elongate slot through which the safety belt may pass. With the second component rotatably mounted on the first component, the longitudinal axis of the slot through which the belt passes may rotate from a position where it lies parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel spindle to a position where it is no longer parallel to the longitudinal spindle axis.

Abstract: In a passive vehicle safety belt in which one end of the belt is guided along a track by means of fastening means, slidable along the track and connected to one end of the safety belt, a retractor mechanism is provided which can be selectively locked in order to prevent safety belt being drawn into a retractor mechanism while the fastening means is in motion. Thus a loop of safety belt can be generated which does not strike the face of the person wearing the safety belt.

Abstract: A retractor reel assembly for vehicle safety belt has a rotatable reel which automatically winds in the safety belt when it is not in use, and has a locking arrangement, which is normally in the locked condition. A sensor senses the acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle and the locking means are adapted to be released in response to the withdrawal or attempted withdrawal of a length of safety belt when the acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle is within a predetermined limit. If the acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle is outside the predetermined limit the reel is retained in the locked condition.

Abstract: A seat belt pre-tensioning device is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle and includes a buckle to receive a seat belt buckle. The device incorporates components which are responsive to a predetermined deceleration of the vehicle and which move to permit spring-loaded components to apply a force to move the buckle to apply a tension to the seat belt.