# US 4,400,015 A · Retractors embedded in side frame members of cars

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- Number: US 4,400,015 A
- Document ID: US4400015A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/270,010
- Filed: 1981-06-03
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1980-07-29
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Nobuyuki Ryu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400015A

## CPC

- B60R 22/34: Belt retractors, e.g. reels (anchoring devices {, e.g. guide loops} , with means to tension the belt in an emergency B60R22/195)
- B60R 22/22: secured to the vehicle floor
- B60R 2022/021: {Means for holding the tongue or buckle in a non-use position, e.g. for easy access by the user}
- B60R 2022/1843: {comprising an elongated sleeve}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Substantial portions of seat belt retractors are embedded in side frame members of a car, so that their upper parts extend upward to a smaller height and occupy a smaller space in a space above the seat or floor of the car to prevent the seat belt retractors from obstructing or giving an uncomfortable feeling to persons getting in or out of the car or sitting on the seat.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An arrangement of a seat belt retractor in a car comprising:
right and left frame members, said frame members comprising a part of the car body;
a floor member disposed above said frame members and having at least one retractor embedding hole therein;
at least one seat belt retractor fitted into said embedding hole and located beneath the floor member, the retractor having (i) a webbing mechanism therein for winding up and unwinding a seat belt webbing, (ii) a mechanism frame for supporting a webbing mechanism, and (iii) a cover for covering the webbing mechanism, the cover being provided with a belt outlet therein for a seat belt webbing to pass through during winding up and unwinding;
wherein the retractor cover is detachably secured to the mechanism frame by a first securing means, and the mechanism frame is secured to the floor member by a second securing means, such that the mechanism frame can be separated from the floor member without the retractor cover becoming detached from the mechanism frame.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The seat belt retractor arrangement of claim 1 wherein there is provided at least two seat belt retractors and at least two embedding holes, each of the belt outlets of two of said belt retractors being disposed and opened in the proximity of one of the opposite side ends of a seat cushion of the car.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The seat belt retractor arrangement of claim 2, wherein each of the two seat belt retractors is mounted directly under the car seat.

### Claim 4 (depends on 7)

The seat belt retractor arrangement according to claim 7, wherein each said seat belt retractor further has a casing provided with a flange around the periphery of a top opening thereof and said casing is embedded in each said side frame member by being supported at said flange thereof onto the periphery of each said hole in the floor member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 7)

The seat belt retractor arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the second securing means comprises a flange provided on the mechanism frame which is bolted to the floor member to secure the seat belt retractor to the floor member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The seat belt retractor arrangement according to claim 2, wherein each side frame member comprises a channel frame.