Adaptive belt for impact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10875494-B2
Application number	US-201716348009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Nov 8, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

An adaptive belt is attached to a vehicle seat and includes a first section (101), a second section (102), and a third section (103). The adaptive belt includes a retracted configuration and a fully extended configuration. In the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is folded between the first section and the second section such that a first attachment attaches the first section to a first portion of the second section. In the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is also folded between the second section and the third section such that a second attachment attaches a second portion of the second section to a first portion of the third section. In the fully extended configuration, all of the attachments fail thereby increasing a length of the adaptive belt. In response to a threshold loading condition, the adaptive belt changes from the retracted configuration to the fully extended configuration.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An adaptive belt attached to a vehicle seat, the adaptive belt comprising:
a first section, a second section, and a third section, wherein:
the first section, the second section, and the third section form a continuous belt; and
the adaptive belt comprises a retracted configuration and a fully extended configuration;

wherein, in the retracted configuration:
the adaptive belt is folded between the first section and the second section such that a first attachment attaches the first section to a first portion of the second section;
the adaptive belt is folded between the second section and the third section such that a second attachment attaches a second portion of the second section to a first portion of the third section;
the first attachment is distinct from the second attachment; and
the adaptive belt has a retracted length;

wherein, in the fully extended configuration, the first attachment and the second attachment fail, thereby increasing a length of the adaptive belt to a fully extended length; and
wherein, in response to a threshold loading condition, the adaptive belt changes from the retracted configuration to the fully extended configuration.

2. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment and the second attachment each comprise at least one of stitching, adhesive, or mechanical fasteners.

3. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the second section and the second portion of the second section are immediately adjacent one another on opposite surfaces of the second section.

4. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the second section and the second portion of the second section are isolated from one another.

5. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , wherein the threshold loading condition comprises a crash load.

6. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment fails in response to a first load and the second attachment fails in response to a second load, wherein the second load is larger than the first load.

7. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate configuration wherein:
in the intermediate configuration, one, but not both, of the first attachment and the second attachment fails; and
in the intermediate configuration, the adaptive belt comprises an intermediate length that is greater than the retracted length but less than the fully extended length.

8. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth section wherein, in the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is folded between the third section and the fourth section such that a third attachment attaches a second portion of the third section to the fourth section.

9. The adaptive belt of claim 8 , further comprising a first intermediate configuration and a second intermediate configuration, wherein:
in the first intermediate configuration, one, but not all, of the first attachment, the second attachment, and the third attachment fails;
in the second intermediate configuration, two, but not all, of the first attachment, the second attachment, and the third attachment fails;
in the first intermediate configuration, the adaptive belt comprises a first intermediate length that is greater than the retracted length but less than the fully extended length; and
in the second intermediate configuration, the adaptive belt comprises a second intermediate length that is greater than the first intermediate length but less than the fully extended length.

10. The adaptive belt of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first section, second section, or third section comprises a delay feature to ensure that the first attachment and the second attachment do not fail simultaneously.

11. A passenger seat for an aircraft comprising:
an adaptive belt attached to a frame of the passenger seat, the adaptive belt comprising:
at least a first section, a second section, and a third section, wherein:
the first section, the second section, and the third section form a continuous belt; and
the adaptive belt comprises a retracted configuration and a fully extended configuration;

wherein, in the retracted configuration:
the adaptive belt is folded between the first section and the second section such that a first attachment attaches the first section to a first portion of the second section;
the adaptive belt is folded between the second section and the third section such that a second attachment attaches a second portion of the second section to a first portion of the third section;
the first attachment is distinct from the second attachment; and
the adaptive belt has a retracted length;

wherein, in the fully extended configuration, the first attachment and the second attachment fail, thereby increasing a length of the adaptive belt to a fully extended length; and
wherein, in response to a threshold loading condition, the adaptive belt changes from the retracted configuration to the fully extended configuration.

12. The passenger seat of claim 11 , wherein the first attachment and the second attachment each comprise at least one of stitching, adhesive, or mechanical fasteners.

13. The passenger seat of claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the second section and the second portion of the second section are immediately adjacent one another on opposite surfaces of the second section.

14. The passenger seat of claim 11 , wherein the threshold loading condition comprises a crash load.

15. The passenger seat of claim 11 , wherein the first attachment fails in response to a first load and the second attachment fails in response to a second load, wherein the second load is larger than the first load.

16. The passenger seat of claim 11 , further comprising an intermediate configuration wherein:
in the intermediate configuration, one, but not both, of the first attachment and the second attachment fails; and
in the intermediate configuration, the adaptive belt comprises an intermediate length that is greater than the retracted length but less than the fully extended length.

17. The passenger seat of claim 11 , further comprising a fourth section wherein, in the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is folded between the third section and the fourth section such that a third attachment attaches a second portion of the third section to the fourth section.

18. The passenger seat of claim 17 , further comprising a first intermediate configuration and a second intermediate configuration, wherein:
in the first intermediate configuration, one, but not all, of the first attachment, the second attachment, and the third attachment fails;
in the second intermediate configuration, two, but not all, of the first attachment, the second attachment, and the third attachment fails;
in the first intermediate configuration, the adaptive belt comprises a first intermediate length that is greater than the retracted length but less than the fully extended length; and
in the second intermediate configuration, the adaptive belt comprises a second intermediate length that is greater than the first intermediate length but less than the fully extended length.

19. The passenger seat of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first section, second section, or third section comprises a delay feature to ensure that the first attachment and the second attachment do not fail simultaneously.

20. An adaptive belt attached to a vehicle seat, the adaptive belt comprising:
a first section, a second section, and a third section, wherein:
the first s

Assignees

• Safran Seats Usa Llc

Inventors

• Jafri Aamir F

Classifications

• B60R22/28 Primary

  incorporating energy-absorbing devices {(belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676)} · CPC title

• B64D25/02

  Supports or holding means for living bodies · CPC title

• B64D11/062

  Belts or other passenger restraint means for passenger seats · CPC title

• B60R2022/283

  using tearing or scoring of material · CPC title

• B60R22/16 Primary

  using belts which become permanently deformed, i.e. one time use · CPC title