# US 2010/0301594 A1 · Guide Assembly for a Safety Belt

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- Number: US 2010/0301594 A1
- Document ID: US20100301594A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/474,437
- Filed: 2009-05-29
- Published: 2010-12-02
- Earliest claimed: 2009-05-29
- Assignees: GM Global Technology Operation LLC
- Inventors: Carol C. Hathaway; Thomas M. DiMambro; Alfred A. Jefferson; Steven G. Corrion; Thomas Tilly; Leslie A. Sajovec
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100301594A1

## CPC

- B60R 22/26: secured to the seat
- B60R 2022/1818: {Belt guides}
- Y10T 24/3982: Safety release
- Y10T 24/45461: Interlocking portion actuated or released responsive to preselected condition [e.g., heat, pressure]
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A seat assembly includes a seat of a vehicle, a safety belt, and a guide assembly. The seat includes a seat back and an attachment feature that is operatively connected to the seat back. The safety belt includes webbing that is configured to extend in a generally diagonal direction across the seat back. The guide assembly includes a clip, a cord, an attachment mechanism, and a breakaway mechanism. The clip is configured for operative attachment to the webbing of the safety belt. The cord operatively extends from the clip. The attachment mechanism is operatively connected to the cord. The attachment mechanism is configured for selective attachment to the attachment feature of the seat back. The breakaway mechanism operatively interconnects the cord and the clip and is configured to separate such that the cord pulls free from the clip upon the application of a force to the clip or the cord.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A guide assembly configured for selectively adjusting a safety belt of a seat, said guide assembly comprising:
a clip configured for operative attachment to webbing of the safety belt;
a cord operatively extending from said clip;
an attachment mechanism operatively connected to said cord;
wherein said attachment mechanism is configured for selective attachment to the seat; and
a breakaway mechanism operatively interconnecting said cord and said clip;
wherein said breakaway mechanism is configured to separate such that said cord pulls free from said clip upon the application of a sufficient force to one of said clip and said cord.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said attachment mechanism is a snap hook.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said breakaway mechanism includes a male portion inter-engaging a female portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said female portion is disposed in said clip and said male portion inter-engages said female portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said female portion defines a cavity configured for receiving said male portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said male portion includes a base operatively connected to said cord and a pair of fingers resiliently extending from said base in spaced and generally parallel relationship;
wherein said fingers extend into said cavity to inter-engage said female portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said clip includes a face portion and a pair of tabs extending toward one another from ends of said face portion;
wherein a recess is defined between each of said tabs and said face portion for receiving and supporting a portion of the webbing of the safety belt.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said face portion defines said female portion of said breakaway mechanism.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cord is elastic.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism operatively attached to said cord, wherein said adjustment mechanism is configured for adjusting an operative length of said guide assembly.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said adjustment mechanism includes:
a body defining at least one aperture with said cord extending through said at least one aperture;
a biasing member extending into said body;
wherein said biasing member is movable relative to said body to selectively exert tension on said cord extending through said at least one aperture to retain said cord at said operative length;
wherein said biasing member is movable relative to said body to selectively release tension exerted on said cord extending through said at least one aperture to move said cord through said at least one aperture to change said operative length of said cord.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A guide assembly, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a stop operatively connected to said cord;
wherein said stop is configured for preventing said adjustment member from being removed from said cord as said adjustment member adjusts said operative length of said guide assembly.

### Claim 13

A seat assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a seat having a seat back and an attachment feature operatively connected to said seat back;
a safety belt having webbing configured to extend in a generally diagonal direction across said seat back;
a guide assembly including;
a clip configured for operative attachment to said webbing of said safety belt;
a cord operatively extending from said clip;
an attachment mechanism operatively connected to said cord;
wherein said attachment mechanism is configured for selective attachment to said attachment feature of said seat back; and
a breakaway mechanism operatively interconnecting said cord and said clip;
wherein said breakaway mechanism is configured to separate such that said cord pulls free from said clip upon the application of a sufficient force to one of said clip and said cord.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

A seat assembly, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said breakaway mechanism includes a male portion inter-engaging a female portion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A seat guide assembly, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said female portion is disposed in said clip and said male portion inter-engages said female portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A seat assembly, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said female portion defines a cavity configured for receiving said male portion.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

A seat assembly, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said male portion includes a base operatively connected to said cord and a pair of fingers resiliently extending from said base in spaced and generally parallel relationship;
wherein said fingers extend into said cavity to inter-engage said female portion.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

A seat assembly, as set forth in claim 13, further comprising an adjustment mechanism operatively attached to said cord, wherein said adjustment mechanism is configured for adjusting an operative length of said guide assembly;

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A seat assembly, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said adjustment mechanism includes:
a body defining at least one aperture with said cord extending through said at least one aperture;
a biasing member extending into said body;
wherein said biasing member is movable relative to said body to selectively exert tension on said cord extending through said at least one aperture to retain said cord at said operative length;
wherein said biasing member is movable relative to said body to selectively release tension exerted on said core extending through said at least one aperture to move said cord through said at least one aperture to change said operative length of said cord

### Claim 20

A guide assembly configured for selectively adjusting a safety belt of a seat, said guide assembly comprising:
a clip configured for operative attachment to webbing of the safety belt;
a cord operatively extending from said clip;
a snap hook operatively connected to said cord;
an adjustment mechanism operatively attached to said cord between said clip and said snap hook, wherein said adjustment mechanism is configured for adjusting an operative length of said guide assembly;
wherein said adjustment mechanism is configured for selective attachment to the seat; and
a breakaway mechanism operatively interconnecting said cord and said clip;
wherein said breakaway mechanism is configured to separate such that said cord pulls free from said clip upon the application of a sufficient force to one of said clip and said cord.