Having Means For Storage In Nonuse Position Or In Position To Be Handy For Use Patents (Class 297/481)
  • Patent number: 11969059
    Abstract: An electrically releasable buckle assembly (12) for a motor vehicle restraint (10) may include latch components (18) configured to releasably engage a tongue member (14B) of the motor vehicle restraint (10), a release button (16) operatively coupled to the latch components (18), the release button (16) having a latched position in which the latching components engage the tongue member (14B) and a release position in which the latch components (18) release the tongue member (14B), an electrical energy source (32), at least one shape memory alloy component (26) operatively coupled to the release button (16), the at least one shape memory alloy component (26) responsive to heating thereof by electrical energy supplied by the source (32) to a temperature at or above a transition temperature thereof to move the release button (16) from the latched position to the release position, and means (34) for selectively supplying electrical energy from the electrical energy source (32) to the at least one shape memory allo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: INDIANA MILLS & MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Chris P. Jessup, Nathan Beadle, Brian N. Coffman, Wei X. Zhang
  • Patent number: 11279268
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a seating part and a seat back. The seating part and the seat back define a gap therebetween and the gap is formed on the front face of the vehicle seat. A recessed opening is formed on the front face of the vehicle seat on a side of the seating part relative to the gap, and the recessed opening has an anchor to which a child safety seat is anchored. The vehicle seat has a flat, plate-like cover member that is provided on the front face of the vehicle seat and is capable of covering the opening. The cover member has a base-end portion fixed to the vehicle seat and a free-end portion that is not fixed to the vehicle seat and can be freely inserted into the gap. A hard plate is provided in the free-end portion of the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TACHI-S CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsunaki Nishida
  • Patent number: 11034267
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a seating part and a seat back. The seating part and the seat back define a gap therebetween and the gap is formed on the front face of the vehicle seat. A recessed opening is formed on the front face of the vehicle seat on a side of the seating part relative to the gap, and the recessed opening has an anchor to which a child safety seat is anchored. The vehicle seat has a flat, plate-like cover member that is provided on the front face of the vehicle seat and is capable of covering the opening. The cover member has a base-end portion fixed to the vehicle seat and a free-end portion that is not fixed to the vehicle seat and can be freely inserted into the gap. A hard plate is provided in the free-end portion of the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: TACHI-S CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsunaki Nishida
  • Patent number: 10894525
    Abstract: A seat belt energy management loop system is disclosed. The seat belt energy management loop system reduces off-axis loading on a retractor for a seat belt during side loading of a vehicle. The seat belt energy management loop system includes a triangularly shaped wire loop, a first spacer attached to a first end of the wire loop and a second spacer attached to the second end of the wire loop. A fastener passes through the first and second spacers to attach the wire loop to a vehicle and relative to the seat belt retractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: James A. J. Holroyd, Shane W. Marko, Daniel W. Vogl
  • Patent number: 10829083
    Abstract: A pivoting seat belt system includes a seat belt retractor and a seat belt receiver, each of which are pivotably mounted to a head of a bracket that is pivotably mounted to a ROPS located behind an operator seat of a zero turn mower. The head of each bracket restricts the angle of pivoting of the seat belt retractor and seat belt receiver, and a slot in each bracket restricts the angle of pivoting on the ROPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Amy Nelson, Mark Mayefske
  • Patent number: 10780804
    Abstract: A vehicle seat that can include a seat cushion and a concealing lid. The seat cushion can include a lower foam portion, an upper foam portion, and a buckle hole that extends through each of the lower foam portion and the upper foam portion. The concealing lid can be movably connected to the seat cushion to selectively close and open at least a portion of the buckle hole. The concealing lid can span at least a portion of the buckle hole when the concealing lid is in the closed position. The concealing lid can include an end portion that extends into a gap between the upper foam portion and the lower foam portion when the concealing lid is in the closed position. The end portion of the concealing lid can be spaced away from lower foam portion when the concealing lid is in the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kubota, Derek S. Lindsay, Ross L. Burghardt, Michael C. Mraz
  • Patent number: 10414298
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seat back; a seat cushion; an engagement portion having a U-shaped portion that is configured to engage with an attachment mechanism of a child safety seat; and a cover member adapted to cover at least a portion of the engagement portion. The engagement portion is disposed between a seat back and a seat cushion. The cover member includes: a flap having one end fixed to a cover of the vehicle seat and the other end serving as a free end; and a tab provided on an upper or lower surface of the flap, the tab projecting on an inner side of the U-shaped portion when the free end is inserted between the seat back and the cover member or between the seat cushion and the engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignees: TS Tech Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Shibuya, Akira Shirai, So Iwakata, Yuma Oga
  • Patent number: 10351096
    Abstract: A seat belt holder is provided for securing a latch plate of an associated unused seat belt to the molding around the base of the automobile seat, thereby preventing the latch plate from annoyingly rattling around when the vehicle is in motion. The seat belt holder includes a body providing a snap fit tab and an opposing latch plate receptacle. The latch plate receptacle is adapted to removably engage the latch plate, while the snap fit tab is adapted to removably snap connect to various molding elements of automobile seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Inventor: Cecil D. Trahan
  • Patent number: 9604555
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes anchors to engage with engagement members provided on a child seat; a pad having recesses provided either at a rear edge of a seat cushion or a lower edge of a seatback; a trim cover covering the pad and having openings above the pad recesses; and bezels covering and hiding the pad recesses. Each of the anchors may comprise left and right side bars and a front bar connecting front ends of the side bars and is U-shaped, each of the bezels is box-shaped, has an upper and lower flaps formed integral and defining a bottom wall of the bezel, and covers the pad recess, providing a space in the pad recess located behind the flaps, each front bar is located in front of or behind the flaps, and each of the engagement members provided on the child seat is able to engage with the anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TACHI-S CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Fujikake, Yutaka Sodeno
  • Patent number: 9457765
    Abstract: A vehicle seat (1) includes a backrest (10) and a seat part (2) which has a seat cushion (11). The seat cushion (11) has at least one recess (31, 32) for receiving at least one belt buckle (21, 22, 23). The at least one recess (31, 32) is partially delimited upwards in the vertical direction by a bridge (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Bhagyesh Ashtekar, Richard G. Lewis, Lennart Svensson
  • Patent number: 9399417
    Abstract: An improved safety seat buckling system and method of using the same for facilitating placement of a person into a safety seat is disclosed. A series of slots or fasteners placed on the armrest of the safety seat are fitted to interface with the buckle male end portions of the harness assembly. By placing each buckle male end portion into the corresponding slot, placement of a person into the seat prior to securing the person into the seat becomes easier. Less time is required to secure the person into the safety seat, and the need for the person to lean forward while securing the person into the seat is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Inventors: David Grey, Stacy Grey
  • Patent number: 9156388
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a cushion member forming an outside shape of the seat and configured to elastically support an occupant, a frame member configuring a skeleton of the seat, a belt member configured to restrain an occupant, a buckle member configured to lock the belt member, and a storage portion configured to store the buckle member. The storage portion is provided to a cutout portion or a hole portion that is formed on a lateral end portion of the cushion member. A reinforcing member that has a flat plate shape and has strength higher than the cushion member is directly or indirectly fixed to the frame member while covering the storage portion from a lateral side of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masashi Nakanishi, Hiroyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9090220
    Abstract: A seat belt is provided for the protection of vehicle occupants of an automobile against accidents that includes, but is not limited to a webbing for restraining the vehicle occupant, a locking tongue movably connected to the webbing in a longitudinal direction of the webbing for locking with a belt lock, and a textile retaining device connected immovably to the webbing, having an insertion opening for at least partial receipt of the locking tongue. The retaining device forms an outlet opening opposite the insertion opening. Since the region opposite the insertion opening is not closed, but open, the design structure of the retaining device can be simplified and a simpler fastening of the retaining device to the webbing can be achieved, so that the manufacture of the seat belt is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Edelgard Schulz, Johannes Diehl
  • Patent number: 9039096
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat cushion, a seat back connected to the seat cushion and including a storage portion, a belt member configured to restrain an occupant while the belt member is routed from a side of the seat back to a side of the seat cushion, and a rerouter member configured to be taken out from the storage portion of the seat back and connected to the belt member to change a routing position of the belt member at a middle portion thereof. In a state where a portion of the rerouter member is stored in the storage portion, another portion of the rerouter member is exposed from the storage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masashi Nakanishi, Hiroyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8998261
    Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting a support for a seat belt to a vehicle, arranged so that when mounted to a vehicle it will move relative to the vehicle in a first range of directions under application of a first force urging the mounting structure in one of the range of directions, but will not move relative to the vehicle in a direction outside the first range of directions when a second, greater, force is applied urging the mounting structure in such a direction. The structure may have a bracket (7) secured to a vehicle by bolts (18) passing through slots (15) in the bracket, allowing the bracket to move generally in the direction of the slots, but not otherwise. De-couplers, in which toothed flanges (20) on collars (19) through which the bolts extend bear against raised pads on u-shaped washer structures (23) may be disposed between the bolt heads and the bracket to limit the force applied to the bracket and enable the applied force at which the bracket will move relative to the vehicle to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Bentley Motors Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Downie, Alexander James Redman
  • Patent number: 8985697
    Abstract: Apparatus and systems for securing safety restraints of child care devices for the insertion or removal of a child from the child care devices. A strap restraint device for securing one or more straps of a child care device includes a body portion. The body portion is configured to secure one or more straps of the child care device when the straps are draped over the body portion. The strap restraint device also includes an attachment device, which comprises means for removably securing the body portion to the child care device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventor: Kelli M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8985698
    Abstract: A seat belt for a motor vehicle front seat is provided with a belt having a lower branch that has one end designed to be connected to an anchor point in the motor vehicle and is thickened via an additional element; the additional element is arranged on just one of the faces of the belt, along a rear edge of the lower branch, and comprises a bar, which is substantially parallel to said rear edge and is fixed to the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventor: Rosario Luca'
  • Patent number: 8950781
    Abstract: A belt presenter for a seat belt system of a vehicle includes an arm (22) which is pivotal in a state mounted on the vehicle, wherein the arm (22) can adopt a feeding position (A) and a parking position (P). The arm (22) includes a finger (44) for seizing the strap (20) when the arm moves into the feeding position (A), and the finger (44) is pivoted at the arm (22) so that it can adopt a folded position in which it is located substantially in parallel to the arm (22) and an unfolded position in which the finger (44) is orientated substantially perpendicularly to a pivoting plane of the arm (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Seyffert, Karl Birk
  • Patent number: 8944206
    Abstract: A seat belt apparatus includes a reel, a motor, a clutch member, a belt reacher, a door opening/closing detection section, a wearing detection section and a motor control section. Once a change from an opened state to a closed state of a vehicle door is detected by the opening/closing detection section, the control section controls the motor so that the webbing is pulled out from the reel at a predetermined speed. Once wearing of the webbing is detected by the wearing detection section while the webbing is being pulled out at the predetermined speed, the control section controls the motor to stop pulling-out of the webbing. The predetermined speed is first kept at a constant speed, corresponding for example to a 10[%] duty cycle, for a predetermined time period and then caused to gradually decrease from the constant speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Patent number: 8899626
    Abstract: In an assembly comprising a belt height adjuster (104) and a belt feeder for feeding a belt webbing (110) the belt feeder includes an arm (112) which is adapted to be moved, especially pivoted from a home position into a feeding position by means of a drive. The arm (112) is arranged at the belt height adjuster (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Birk, Martin Seyffert
  • Patent number: 8864172
    Abstract: A telescoping seatbelt buckle design that improves seatbelt buckle accessibility and comfort by telescopingly adjusting the length of the seatbelt buckle assembly to maintain an optimal relationship between the seatbelt buckle position and the vehicle seat cushion position, wherein the telescoping seatbelt buckle assembly is adapted to maintain the optimal position of the seatbelt buckle relative to the vehicle seat cushion over a full range of seat height and seat track travels. Particularly, on a power seat, the telescoping seatbelt buckle assembly adjustment occurs passively as a vehicle occupant moves or adjusts the vehicle seat height or tilt using the seat controller switches, as the telescoping seatbelt buckle assembly is coupled to a motor used to adjust the vehicle seat position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Yilma
  • Patent number: 8844667
    Abstract: A control device controls driving of a motor such that a clutch of a power transmission mechanism is moved to a disconnecting position and thereby a belt reacher device is moved around in a forward direction of a vehicle by a return spring of the belt reacher device, if a change from an open state to a closed state of a door is detected by a door switch. The control device controls driving of the motor such that a webbing is winded and thereby the belt reacher device is moved around to a retracted position in a backward direction of the vehicle, if a determination is made that no occupant seated in a passenger seat is detected by an output of an OFF signal from a buckle switch of the passenger seat and a determination is made that start-up of the vehicle is detected by an output of an ON signal from an ignition switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Patent number: 8814210
    Abstract: A belt presenter for a seat belt system comprising a belt strap and deflection fittings (16) includes an arm (102) having a belt strap guide (104) and a mounting portion (106) by which the arm (102) is adapted to be mounted to a vehicle lining (10). The arm (102) is manually movable about an axis of rotation (108) into a plurality of locking positions. The axis of rotation (109) about which the arm (102) can be rotated is arranged, in the vehicle-mounted state, to be offset from a mounting point (18) of deflection fittings (16) of the seat belt system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Mario Zauder, Peter Goehringer, Markus Kees, Juergen Petzi
  • Patent number: 8740309
    Abstract: There is provided a seat gap hiding structure in a vehicle seat where a cutout portion is formed on a seat cushion to arrange a seat belt therein, and a strip-shaped member is provided on a seat cover to correspond to the cutout portion at a part of the cutout portion, which is other than an arrangement position of the seat belt to cover a gap around the seat belt. One end portion of the strip-shaped member is fixed to the seat cover and the other end portion thereof is movably fixed to the seat cover using an elastic member. When the strip-shaped member is moved from an original position where the strip-shaped member covers the gap of the cutout portion, the elastic member generates an elastic force to return the strip-shaped member to the original position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehiro Kajihara
  • Publication number: 20140132056
    Abstract: A telescoping seatbelt buckle design that improves seatbelt buckle accessibility and comfort by telescopingly adjusting the length of the seatbelt buckle assembly to maintain an optimal relationship between the seatbelt buckle position and the vehicle seat cushion position, wherein the telescoping seatbelt buckle assembly is adapted to maintain the optimal position of the seatbelt buckle relative to the vehicle seat cushion over a full range of seat height and seat track travels. Particularly, on a power seat, the telescoping seatbelt buckle assembly adjustment occurs passively as a vehicle occupant moves or adjusts the vehicle seat height or tilt using the seat controller switches, as the telescoping seatbelt buckle assembly is coupled to a motor used to adjust the vehicle seat position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Yilma
  • Publication number: 20140110988
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a cushion member forming an outside shape of the seat and configured to elastically support an occupant, a frame member configuring a skeleton of the seat, a belt member configured to restrain an occupant, a buckle member configured to lock the belt member, and a storage portion configured to store the buckle member. The storage portion is provided to a cutout portion or a hole portion that is formed on a lateral end portion of the cushion member. A reinforcing member that has a flat plate shape and has strength higher than the cushion member is directly or indirectly fixed to the frame member while covering the storage portion from a lateral side of the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masashi NAKANISHI, Hiroyuki HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8684469
    Abstract: A vehicle seat belt apparatus includes: a webbing; a lap anchor to which one end portion of the webbing is fixed and that is pivotable in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and a position retaining member that allows the webbing to be slidably inserted therethrough, and that is rigid in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is flexible and elastic in a vehicle transverse direction. In a seat belt retracted state, the position retaining member extends obliquely forward and upward from a lower end portion, and an upper end portion is located ahead of a side support of a seat back and above a seat shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Fukuzawa, Seiji Naito
  • Patent number: 8672413
    Abstract: A web harness system for use with a child safety seat device for use in automobiles. The web harness having two spaced apart shoulder straps, each having a buckle insert and a latchable connector having two separable components attached. A first integrally formed structure including sleeve covers having a an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion coupled to the web harness and latchable connector. A second integrally formed structure including an upper sleeve portion spaced apart from a lower sleeve portion capturing a buckle insert coupled on the shoulder straps. A lower connecting buckle member includes a rotatable handle attached, providing a grasping and manipulating opportunity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Inventor: Brian J. Morrissey
  • Patent number: 8628145
    Abstract: A seat buckle apparatus for use in a vehicle seat assembly having a seat back, a seat base, and a base portion, the seat buckle apparatus comprising a bracket member having a first end and a second end, the bracket member for coupling to the vehicle seat; a first belt buckle portion for being movably supported to the vehicle seat and having an upper end, a lower end, and an engagement member for engaging the bracket member; and wherein the bracket member will prevent the upper end of the belt buckle from contacting the seat back when the seat back is folded down on the seat base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Satish Parida, Kenneth C. Farkas, Allen W. Holmes, Joseph B. a. Rajkumar, Jeffrey P. Medvecky
  • Patent number: 8622430
    Abstract: A seat belt buckle (1) with a fastening fitting (2) for mounting in a motor vehicle has a retainer (5) permanently connected to the belt buckle (1) and a bolt (7) through which the retainer (5) is held rotatable with regard to the fastening fitting (2). A spring (6, 8) that impinges upon the belt buckle (1) in a rest position (R), has a supporting portion (65, 85), which restricts the rotational movement of the belt buckle (1) is restricted with regard to the fastening fitting (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Michael Letz, Thomas Kubbe
  • Patent number: 8608246
    Abstract: A safety belt holder for holding a safety belt out of a seat associated with the safety belt, the safety belt holder comprising a first part and a second part. The first part comprises an attachment device for attaching the first part to a structure adjacent the seat, a body attached to the attachment device, and a connector first side attached to or embedded within the body. The second part is attachable to the safety belt and comprises a connector second side, which is removably attachable to the connector first side. In particular, the safety belt holder is suitable for use with an infant car seat with a five-point harness and a retractable handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Adam Teague
  • Patent number: 8590934
    Abstract: A three-point automatic belt has an offering arm, which is rotatably mounted by means of a drive, for a seat in a vehicle. A rotatably mounted offering arm is designed as a belt strap part, which is stiffened in one plane, of a belt strap, and can be deflected by means of an electromotive drive. The deflectable, stiffened belt strap part can be deflected into a forward end position, in which the belt strap is offered to a vehicle occupant, into an intermediate or boarding position and into a rearward end position in which access to a storage compartment and/or a rear space and/or a rear seat is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Frank Fruehauf, Rolf Pemsel, Thomas Siegel
  • Patent number: 8590658
    Abstract: An occupant protection system includes a winding shaft that winds up a seat belt; a reacher rotatably supported by a rotating shaft and which changes the position of the seat belt in a front-back direction of a vehicle; a biasing member biasing the reacher to turn in a front direction of the vehicle; a retraction detection unit detects that the reacher is in a rear position; a motor rotates the winding shaft in a winding direction and a pull-out direction of the seat belt; a current detection unit detects the motor current; and a control unit The control unit is configured to change the rotating direction of the motor to the pull-out direction when the motor is rotating in the direction of winding up the seat belt, the reacher is not in the rear position, and the motor current is a predetermined current value or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Tatsuya Harada, Susumu Nakashima, Yukinori Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 8573648
    Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a webbing guide of a seat belt for a vehicle may include a drive unit for moving a cable connected at one end thereof by controlling driving of a motor in response to an actuating signal or a stop signal, the webbing guide connected to the other end of the cable, and hingedly rotated to a first direction of a vehicular body as the cable moves in a second direction, and a return unit provided on the webbing guide, and providing an elastic force to the webbing guide so that the webbing guide hingedly rotated to the first direction of the vehicular body returns to the second direction of the vehicular body when the motor stops driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Woo Chul Park, Hyun Jeong You, Dong Sub Lee
  • Patent number: 8544889
    Abstract: A motorized fastening device for seat belts of a transportation vehicle, of the kind having a belt unwrapping from a coiler, which is fixedly arranged on a side of a seat, and passing in sequence through a regulator, which is fixedly arranged on the same side of said seat where also said coiler is arranged, a tongue, a housing of said tongue and a blocking point of the extremity of the belt, which is fixedly arranged in proximity of said coiler, wherein said device further has a track for the sliding of a transport carriage for said tongue, obtained on the chassis of said vehicle, defining a path going from a first position, corresponding to a position of non-use of the seat belts, positioned on the chassis of the vehicle, on the same side of the seat with respect to said coiler and said regulator, behind or at the base of the back of the seat and that, passing under the door and within or under the dashboard of the vehicle, arrives to a second position, corresponding to a working position of the seat belts,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventor: Maurizio Vincenzotti
  • Publication number: 20130162002
    Abstract: An occupant protection system includes a winding shaft that winds up a seat belt; a reacher rotatably supported by a rotating shaft and which changes the position of the seat belt in a front-back direction of a vehicle; a biasing member biasing the reacher to turn in a front direction of the vehicle; a retraction detection unit detects that the reacher is in a rear position; a motor rotates the winding shaft in a winding direction and a pull-out direction of the seat belt; a current detection unit detects the motor current; and a control unit The control unit is configured to change the rotating direction of the motor to the pull-out direction when the motor is rotating in the direction of winding up the seat belt, the reacher is not in the rear position, and the motor current is a predetermined current value or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Tatsuya Harada, Susumu Nakashima, Yukinori Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 8459748
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a frame member, a seat bottom and a buckle assembly. The seat bottom is coupled to the frame member for pivotal movement within a movement range defined between a seating position and a retracted position in which the seat bottom angles upward. The buckle assembly includes a buckle arm and a seatbelt buckle. The buckle arm includes a first end coupled to the frame member for pivotal movement between a seating position corresponding to the seating position of the seat bottom and a retracted position corresponding to the retracted position of the seat bottom. The seatbelt buckle is coupled to a second end of the buckle arm. The buckle assembly is configured to pivot in response to pivoting movement of the seat bottom with the majority of the seatbelt buckle being maintained within the cutout throughout all of the movement range of the seat bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Niko Jovicevic
  • Patent number: 8439448
    Abstract: A 60/40 bench seat is provided allowing for increased sliding travel along a set of tracks to allow for easier ingress and egress of a vehicle passenger accessing the rear of a bench seat. The 60/40 bench seat assembly allows for increased travel along the tracks without adding significant increases in assembly parts, cost, or weight. The 60/40 bench seat assembly is provided including a profile member and a buckle. The 60/40 bench seat assembly is divided into a 40% section seat and a 60% section seat. The 60/40 seat assembly further includes a profile member operable to push down the buckle to allow for increased travel of the 60% seat. The buckle includes a first surface and the profile includes a second surface contacting the buckle first surface thereby pushing the buckle towards a vehicle floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Vasudeva Sankarshana Murthy
  • Patent number: 8434828
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat cushion having a connector insertion hole for receiving therein a connector of a child seat for attachment of the child seat to the seat assembly, and a buckle insertion slit for allowing a buckle to be pulled out onto the seat cushion. The buckle insertion slit and the connector insertion hole are formed contiguously or otherwise integrally with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Arata, Kazuyuki Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20130088001
    Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a webbing guide of a seat belt for a vehicle may include a drive unit for moving a cable connected at one end thereof by controlling driving of a motor in response to an actuating signal or a stop signal, the webbing guide connected to the other end of the cable, and hingedly rotated to a first direction of a vehicular body as the cable moves in a second direction, and a return unit provided on the webbing guide, and providing an elastic force to the webbing guide so that the webbing guide hingedly rotated to the first direction of the vehicular body returns to the second direction of the vehicular body when the motor stops driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicants: Autoliv Development AB, Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Woo Chul PARK, Hyun Jeong YOU, Dong Sub LEE
  • Patent number: 8414081
    Abstract: A vehicle seating apparatus is provided with a seat assembly and a seat belt buckle assembly. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom and a seat back. The seat back is foldable between a seating configuration and a non-seating configuration in which the seat back is folded onto the seat bottom. The seat belt buckle assembly includes a seat belt buckle bracket and a buckle head. The seat belt buckle bracket has a first end movably coupled to a lateral side of the seat bottom. The buckle head is movably arranged with respect to the seat assembly between a usage position and a stowed position. The buckle head is arranged with respect to the seat assembly such that movement of the seat back from the seating configuration to the non-seating configuration does not contact the buckle head while the buckle head is in the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Downey
  • Patent number: 8328289
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a harness belt retaining system for a child safety seat. The system includes a first portion including a first attachment portion and configured to secure to a chest clip on a harness belt. The first portion may be configured to be removably secured to the chest clip. The first portion may include a strap. The strap may include a first end and a second end. The first end may include an aperture configured to receive the second end. The strap may be configured to form a loop having an adjustable size, such that the loop can secure to the chest clip. The first portion may have a first surface and a second surface. Each of the surfaces may include the first attachment portion. The first portion may include a toy or a decorative tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventor: Bruce M Tharp
  • Patent number: 8308244
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seatback moveably connected to a seat base. The seatback has an upright position and a folded position. A stationary bolster is located on an outboard lateral side of the seatback. The seatback and the stationary bolster define a seat split line. A seatbelt assembly has a seatbelt webbing and a tongue joined to the seatbelt webbing. A portion of the seatbelt webbing extends along the split line when the seatbelt webbing is in a non-use condition and the seatback is in the upright position. An apparatus connected to at least one of the side bolster and seatbelt assembly retains the seatbelt webbing away from the split line as the seatback is moved between the upright position and the folded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Grey B. Parker, Eric Daume, Kelly Whalen
  • Patent number: 8215716
    Abstract: A buckle structure of a vehicle seat includes: a seat belt that restrains an occupant; a tongue member that is provided at the seat belt; and a buckle member that is configured to lock the tongue member. The buckle member is disposed at a restraint position of the vehicle seat so that a protruding unit provided at the buckle member protrudes from the restraint position due to a pushing member, and when the tongue member is inserted into the buckle member, the tongue member is locked to the buckle member after the protruding unit returns to the restraint position against pushing forces of the pushing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Akaike, Akari Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8136863
    Abstract: Detachable vehicle seat, with a back structure and a seat structure, a coupling mechanism for coupling the seat structure to the back structure, a securing mechanism for securing the seat structure to a part of the vehicle floor and a rapid detachment mechanism that permits the seat to be decoupled from the back. At least one first strap is coupled to the structure of the back part of the seat in a zone corresponding to the abdominal zone of the person. Also, a headrest in which at least one second strap is coupled in a zone corresponding to the zone of the head of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Innovations & Safety, S.L.
    Inventor: Sergio De Rico Herrero
  • Patent number: 8123294
    Abstract: A car seat is formed with a harness storage cavity in the car seat shell for placement of the five-point harness to permit the conversion of the car seat into a belt positioning booster configuration without requiring the harness to be removed from the car seat shell. The headrest and back panel pads on the back rest are removed to provide access to the harness storage cavity which is covered by a hinged door. The harness buckle and the chest clip, still attached to the harness webbing, are placed into the storage cavity and the door closed to provide a flush surface on the seat back so that the child has a smooth supporting surface. The harness webbing projects out of slots to allow the webbing to lie flat beneath the headrest and back panel pads when replaced over the closed door to the storage cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co., Ltd
    Inventors: James M. F. Hutchinson, Michael Gillett
  • Patent number: 8087697
    Abstract: To allow an occupant to easily wear a seat belt without twisting his or her body when the occupant sits in a seat. When a door sensor 60 detects the opening of a door, a motor is driven to wind up a seat belt 2 so as to move a belt guide 4 against biasing force of a spring 9, thereby evacuating the seat belt 2 to a rear side of a vehicle relative to a seat back 1a. When the door sensor 60 detects the closing of the door and a seat sensor 61 detects the sitting of the occupant, the motor is driven in the reverse direction to make a clutch mechanism 34 in the disconnected state so as to protrude the seat belt 2 in the forward direction of the vehicle by the biasing force of the spring 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tanaka, Daisuke Murakami
  • Patent number: 8061781
    Abstract: A configurable restraint system (10-10vi) for a vehicle seat (12, 12?) may comprise a first restraint harness (30-30?) coupled to a first engagement member (32), a second restraint harness (34-34?) coupled to a second engagement member (36), and a third engagement member (50-50??) configured to be movable between first and second positions relative to the vehicle seat. The first position may be located relative to the vehicle seat so that the first engagement member (32) may releasably engage the third engagement member (50-50??) to restrain a first occupant of the vehicle seat via the first restraint harness (30-30?). The second position may be located relative to the vehicle seat so that the second engagement member (36) may alternatively releasably engage the third engagement member (50-50??) to alternatively restrain the first occupant of the vehicle seat via the second restraint harness (34-34?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W Foye, Aaron J Acton, Guy R Dingman
  • Patent number: 8047615
    Abstract: A seat belt stowage apparatus includes a seat with a backrest, a cavity, and a seat belt buckle. The cavity is located in the seat. The buckle is releasably attached to a seat belt tongue. The buckle is movable between a stowage position inside the cavity and an in-use position. When a force is applied to the seat belt buckle, a buckle strap allows the seat belt buckle to be rotated forward out of the seat. When the force is removed, a torsion spring reverts the seat belt buckle to the stowage position inside the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Marriott, Thomas Wayne Messner, Paul Michael Smith
  • Patent number: 8025339
    Abstract: A safety belt webbing presenter including an active material actuator configured to selectively cause a webbing engaging mechanism to translate between deployed and stowed conditions, wherein the deployed condition, the mechanism engages a safety belt webbing causing it to translate to a more readily fastened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick B. Usoro, Alan L. Browne, Steven G. Corrion, Xiujie Gao, Nancy L. Johnson, Nilesh D. Mankame, Lawrence C. Maugh