Coupling device for connecting a drive element to a belt transfer member in a passive vehicle occupant restraint belt system

In a passive vehicle occupant restraint belt system having a belt transfer member engaging the belt and received for movement along a guide rail between a restraint location in which the belt is held in a configuration for restraining the occupant and a release location in which the belt is held in a configuration for releasing the occupant and an elongated drive element driven by a drive device in response to opening and closing movements of the vehicle door and adapted to transmit motion to the belt transfer member from the drive device, the improvement comprising a fitting fastened on the end portion of the drive element and having a shaft portion extending coaxially with the end portion of the drive element and at least one annular flange portion of a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the shaft portion projecting generally radially from the shaft portion, a generally U-shaped receptacle on the transfer member having a width large enough to accept the shaft portion of the fitting and substantially less than the diameter of the flange portion and having oppositely located openings receiving parts of the flange portion of the fitting with said parts of the flange portions engaging edges of the openings that lie transverse to the axis of the guide rail, and a generally U-shaped retainer leaf spring received and held in place in the receptacle and having spaced-apart resilient leg portions straddling the flange portion and partly overlying the shaft portion of the fitting, the leg portions being resiliently deflectable to permit the fitting to be pushed into the receptacle into a position in which the leg portions retain it therein.