# US 11,027,696 B2 · Vehicle seat belt systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,696 B2 - Document ID: US11027696B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/386,805 - Filed: 2019-04-17 - Published: 2020-10-22 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-17 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Inventors: Lauren Abro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027696B2 ## CPC - B60R 22/02: Semi-passive restraint systems, e.g. systems applied or removed automatically but not both {; Manual restraint systems (knee, leg or head belts B60R22/001; devices for releasing in an emergency, remote or automatic unbuckling devices B60R22/32)} - B60R 22/48: Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness - B60R 22/20: adjustable in position, e.g. in height - B60R 2022/021: {Means for holding the tongue or buckle in a non-use position, e.g. for easy access by the user} - B60R 2022/1806: {for buckles} - B60R 2022/208: {by automatic or remote control means} - B60R 2022/4816: {for sensing locking of buckle} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A vehicle seat belt system includes a retractable seat belt buckle, one or more buckle sensors, and a control unit. The control unit is communicatively coupled to the one or more buckle sensors and one or more drive systems of a vehicle. The retractable seat belt buckle is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The one or more buckle sensors are positioned to sense a position of the retractable seat belt buckle and output a signal indicative of the position of the retractable seat belt buckle. The control unit receives the signal from the one or more buckle sensors, determines the position of the retractable seat belt buckle based on the signal from the one or more buckle sensors, and transmits a stop signal to the one or more vehicle drive systems to cause the one or more vehicle drive systems to prevent motion of the vehicle when the retractable seat belt buckle is positioned in the extended position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle seat belt system, comprising: a retractable seat belt buckle movable between an extended position and a retracted position; a buckle sensor positioned to sense a position of the retractable seat belt buckle and output a signal indicative of the position of the retractable seat belt buckle; and a control unit communicatively coupled to the buckle sensor and a drive system of a vehicle, wherein the control unit: receives the signal from the buckle sensor; determines the position of the retractable seat belt buckle based on the signal from the buckle sensor; and transmits a stop signal to the vehicle drive system to prevent motion of the vehicle when the retractable seat belt buckle is positioned in the extended position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1, further comprising an extension/retraction mechanism comprising: a tether coupled to the retractable seat belt buckle; and a feed mechanism accommodating feed out of the tether in response to a pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether, the feed mechanism facilitating movement of the retractable seat belt buckle through a plurality of predetermined extended positions and locking the tether from retraction at each of the plurality of predetermined extended positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle seat belt system of claim 2, wherein the feed mechanism retracts the retractable seat belt buckle via the tether to the retracted position in response to a retraction activating pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1, further comprising: a tether coupled to the retractable seat belt buckle; and a feed mechanism accommodating feed out of the tether in response to a pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether and retraction of the retractable seat belt buckle in response to a retraction activating pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1, further comprising a seat belt tongue insertable into the retractable seat belt buckle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat belt system of claim 1, further comprising one or more output devices communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein the control unit transmits a warning signal to the one or more output devices that causes the one or more output devices to output a warning that the retractable seat belt buckle is in the extended position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle seat belt system of claim 6, wherein the warning is at least one of a visual warning, an auditory warning, and a haptic warning. ### Claim 8 A vehicle, comprising: a vehicle seat; a vehicle drive system; and a vehicle seat belt system comprising: a retractable seat belt buckle movable between an extended position and a retracted position; a buckle sensor positioned to sense a position of the retractable seat belt buckle and output a signal indicative of the position of the retractable seat belt buckle; and a control unit communicatively coupled to the buckle sensor and the drive system of a vehicle, wherein the control unit: receives the signal from the buckle sensor; determines the position of the retractable seat belt buckle based on the signal from buckle sensor; and transmits a stop signal to the vehicle drive system to prevent motion of the vehicle when the retractable seat belt buckle is positioned in the extended position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle seat belt system further comprises an extension/retraction mechanism comprising: a tether coupled to the retractable seat belt buckle; and a feed mechanism accommodating feed out of the tether in response to a pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether, the feed mechanism facilitating movement of the retractable seat belt buckle through a plurality of predetermined extended positions and locking the tether from retraction at each of the plurality of predetermined extended positions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle claim 9, wherein the feed mechanism retracts the retractable seat belt buckle via the tether to the retracted position in response to a retraction activating pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the feed mechanism comprises a motorized roller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle seat belt system further comprises an extension/retraction mechanism comprising: a tether coupled to the retractable seat belt buckle; and a feed mechanism accommodating feed out of the tether in response to a pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether and retraction of the retractable seat belt buckle in response to a retraction activating pulling force applied to the retractable seat belt buckle or the tether. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle seat belt system further comprises a seat belt tongue insertable into the retractable seat belt buckle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The vehicle claim 8, further comprising one or more output devices communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein the control unit transmits a warning signal to the one or more output devices that causes the one or more output devices to output a warning that the retractable seat belt buckle is in the extended position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the warning is at least one of a visual warning, an auditory warning, and a haptic warning.