Seatbelt assembly with enhanced shoulder belt positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021122326-A1
Application number	US-201916662115-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2019
Priority date	Oct 24, 2019
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Seatbelt assemblies for motor vehicle occupant restraint providing enhanced frontal impact restraint characteristics. Embodiments illustrated a displacement of the intersection positioned between the lap and shoulder belt portions of an active three-point type belt system. In one set of embodiments particularly useful with dual retractor systems, adaptive positioning provisions allow the point of intersection to initially occur at or near the seatbelt latch plate and when a restraint load occurs components release to allow repositioning of the intersection. In other embodiments best implemented in single retractor systems, a turning loop is provided which displaces the webbing slot separating the lap and shoulder belt sections from the buckle latch plate.

First claim

1 . An active seatbelt assembly for restraining an occupant of a motor vehicle comprising,
a seatbelt buckle adapted to be fixed to the vehicle, a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion for restraining the occupant, the lap belt portion adapted to extend across the pelvis of the occupant and the shoulder belt portion adapted to extend diagonally across the upper torso of the occupant, a latch plate for removable attachment to the buckle, and a device for displacing an intersection between the lap and shoulder belt portions from a first longitudinal vertical plane adjacent to the buckle to a second longitudinal vertical plane toward a longitudinal vertical centerline of the occupant.

2 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising, the lap belt portion terminating and fixed to the latch plate, the shoulder belt portion affixed to the lap belt portion, and the device in the form of a folded section of a webbing formed by the lap belt portion formed between the intersection of the lap and shoulder belt portions and the latch plate, and
a releasable connection for maintaining the folded section of webbing in a normal use condition of the seatbelt assembly and being frangible upon exceeding a predetermined tension force in the lap belt portion in a restraint condition causing a failure of the releasable connection and allowing the intersection to move from the first longitudinal vertical plane to the second longitudinal vertical plane.

3 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 2 further comprising, the releasable connection in the form of a plurality of tear/tack stitching in the webbing in the area of the folded section, the tear/tack stitching failing in response to the predetermined load to allow the lap belt portion in the area of the folded section to extend in the restraint condition.

4 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 2 further comprising, the releasable connection in the form of a frangible element releasably affixed to the latch plate, the frangible element failing in response to the predetermined load to allow the lap belt portion in the area of the folded section to extend in the restraint condition.

5 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 2 further comprising, the intersection moving from a first separation distance in the normal use condition of the seatbelt assembly to a second separation distance in a released condition of the releasable connection in the restraint condition, the second separation distance being less than the first separation distance.

6 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 2 further comprising, wherein the predetermined tension force in the lap belt portion in a restraint condition results from one or both of an engagement of the occupant with the shoulder belt portion, and an activation of a belt pretensioner.

7 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising, the device in the form of a turning loop formed of a flexible material having a first end affixed to the latch plate and a second end displaced from the first end forming a slot for passage of a webbing of the lap and shoulder belt portions.

8 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 7 further comprising, the turning loop having generally an isosceles triangle or a rhomboid shape having a width at a connection at the latch plate less than a width at the slot.

9 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 7 further comprising, the turning loop in the form of a length of a webbing material folded onto itself to form a loop portion, the loop portion forming the slot.

10 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 9 further comprising, a plastic sheet element folded within the loop portion contacting the webbing for facilitating the flow of the webbing through the slot.

11 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 9 further comprising, a plastic tubular element retained within the loop portion contacting the webbing for facilitating the flow of the webbing through the slot.

12 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 7 further comprising, a webbing stop affixed to the webbing to limit the movement of the webbing through the turning loop.

13 . An active seatbelt assembly for restraining an occupant of a motor vehicle comprising,
a seatbelt buckle adapted to be fixed to the vehicle,
a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion for restraining the occupant, the lap belt portion adapted to extend across the pelvis of the occupant and the shoulder belt portion adapted to extend diagonally across the upper torso of the occupant, the shoulder belt portion having an end affixed to the lap belt portion at an attachment position,
a latch plate adapted to be releasably connected with the buckle, the lap belt portion fixedly attached to the latch plate,

the lap belt portion forming a folded section positioned between a connection of the lap belt portion with the latch plate at the attachment position, the folded section formed by one or more layers of the lap belt portion folded onto itself, and
a releasable connection for maintaining the folded section in a normal condition of the active seatbelt assembly, the releasable connection failing in a restraint condition upon a predetermined tensile load in the lap belt portion being exceeded wherein the releasable connection, upon failure allows the folded section to extend wherein the attachment position moves from a first longitudinal vertical plane to a second longitudinal vertical plane toward a longitudinal vertical centerline of the occupant.

14 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 13 further comprising, the releasable connection in the form of a plurality of tear/tack stitching in the webbing in the area of the folded section, the tear/tack stitching failing in response to the predetermined tensile load to allow the lap belt portion in the area of the folded section to extend in the restraint condition.

15 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 13 further comprising, the releasable connection in the form of a frangible element releasably affixed to the latch plate, the frangible element failing in response to the predetermined load to allow the lap belt portion in the area of the folded section to extend in the restraint condition.

16 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 13 further comprising, the attachment position moving from a first separation distance in the normal use condition of the seatbelt assembly to a second separation distance in a released condition of the releasable connection in the restraint condition, the second separation distance being less than the first separation distance.

17 . An active seatbelt assembly in accordance with claim 13 further comprising, wherein the predetermined tension force in the lap belt portion in a restraint condition results from one or both of an engagement of the occupant with the shoulder belt portion, and an activation of a belt pretensioner.

18 . An active seatbelt assembly for restraining an occupant of a motor vehicle comprising,
a seatbelt buckle adapted to be fixed to the vehicle, a seatbelt webbing defining a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion for restraining the occupant, the lap belt portion adapted to extend across the pelvis of the occupant and the shoulder belt portion adapted to extend diagonally across the upper torso of the occupant,
a latch plate for removable

Assignees

• Autoliv Asp Inc

Inventors

• Schneider David W
• Wang Bin

Classifications

• B60R22/12

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

• B60R22/023 Primary

  Three-point seat belt systems comprising two side lower and one side upper anchoring devices (B60R22/022, B60R22/03 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R22/20

  adjustable in position, e.g. in height · CPC title

• 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

• B60R2022/283

  using tearing or scoring of material · CPC title