Four-Point Seat Belt Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016534-A1
Application number	US-201514850330-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A four-point seat belt device includes right and left lap belts to press the hipbone of a passenger sitting in a seat, two shoulder belts to press both shoulders of the passenger, a driving unit to perform winding of the lap belts and the shoulder belts, and a latching detecting unit to detect a state in which the lap belts and the shoulder belts are latched via a buckle. The driving unit controls the lap belts in the case that the latching detecting unit has detected latching.

First claim

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . A four-point seat belt device comprising:
first and second shoulder belts; a first tongue plate at an extracting end region of the first shoulder belt, and a second tongue plate at an extracting end region of the second shoulder belt; a first buckle for latching with the first tongue plate, and a second buckle for latching with the second tongue plate; and at least one restraint element extending between the first and second shoulder belts.

19 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 18 , wherein,
the at least one restraint element comprises a lap belt.

20 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 19 , wherein,
the lap belt is secured between the first tongue plate and the second tongue plate.

21 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 19 , wherein,
the at least one restraint element further comprises a vest.

22 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 21 , wherein,
the vest is secured at a first side along a length of the first shoulder belt and at a second side along a length of the second shoulder belt, and the vest is detachable from one or both of the first and second shoulder belts.

23 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 18 , wherein,
the at least one restraint element comprises a vest.

24 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 23 , wherein,
the vest is secured at a first side along a length of the first shoulder belt and at a second side along a length of the second shoulder belt, and the vest is detachable from one or both of the first and second shoulder belts.

25 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 23 , further comprising:
a hinge for supporting the vest, wherein when the first and second tongue plates are unlatched from the first and second buckles, the hinge supports the vest in an erect state extending above a seat backrest, and when the first and second tongue plates are latched with the first and second buckles, the hinge supports the vest in a state for covering the passenger's chest.

26 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 18 , wherein,
the first buckle is positioned at an extracting end region of a first front belt, and the second buckle is positioned at an extracting end region of a second front belt.

27 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 26 , further comprising:
a driving unit arrangement for performing belt winding, the driving unit arrangement comprising a winding driving unit comprising a pulley and a motor, the winding driving unit being operable to retract a belt.

28 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 27 , wherein,
the driving unit arrangement comprises a separate winding driving unit for each front belt and each shoulder belt.

29 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 26 , further comprising:
a driving unit arrangement for performing belt winding, wherein in response to a collision detection signal, the driving unit arrangement restrains the passenger by performing belt winding to retract the first and second shoulder belts and the first and second front belts.

30 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 18 , further comprising,
a pressure distribution detecting unit for detecting positioning of the passenger's shoulder blades; and a shoulder belt actuator for adjusting positions of the first and second shoulder belts based on a detection of the pressure distribution detecting unit.

31 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 30 , wherein,
the shoulder belt actuator adjusts positions of the first and second shoulder belts in the widthwise direction for positioning the first and second shoulder belts at widthwise positions corresponding with the passenger's shoulder width.

32 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 30 , wherein,
the shoulder belt actuator is positioned at a head cushion of a passenger seat.

33 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a first paddle and a second paddle for contacting the passenger's shoulders, the first and second paddles being moveable to correspond with positioning of the passenger's shoulders, wherein the first and second paddles contact the first and second shoulder belts and adjust the positions of the first and seconds shoulder belts upon moving to correspond with positioning of the passenger's shoulders.

34 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 33 , wherein,
the first and second paddles are moveable in the widthwise direction to correspond with the passenger's shoulder width, and the first and second paddles adjust the positions of the first and seconds shoulder belts in the widthwise direction to correspond with the passenger's shoulder width.

35 . The four-point seat belt device according to claim 33 , wherein,
the first and second paddles are moveable via a rotative motion about a pivot point.

Assignees

• Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Nagasawa Isamu

Classifications

• B60R22/12 Primary

  Construction of belts or harnesses (B60R21/18 takes precedence {; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005}) · CPC title

• B60R2022/027

  Four-point seat belt systems, e.g. with the two upper points connected together · CPC title

• A44B11/2561

  Tongue elements · CPC title

• B60R22/26

  secured to the seat · CPC title

• B60R22/48 Primary

  Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness · CPC title