Seatbelt system having seamless inflatable member
AssigneeThe B. F. Goodrich Company
InventorsAlexander Büsgen, S. Jay Cross, Edward Lee Morris, Jr., Lowell William Roemke, William Lewis Walthall
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A passenger restraint system (100) for an occupant of a vehicle (102) includes an inflatable belt portion comprising a seamless hollow inflatable textile member that becomes inflated upon the occurrence of a collision. The inflatable textile member may vary in size and construction along its length. The belt portion (104, 112) tightens against the occupant's body when the inflatable belt portion becomes inflated.
Claims21
An inflatable seat belt restraint system for protecting an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle, the inflatable seat belt restraint system comprising:
- a unitary belt having an inflatable member and a lap belt portion,
- an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable member of the unitary belt,
- wherein the inflatable member of said unitary belt comprises a seamless hollow textile structure that extends diagonally across the chest of the occupant, wherein a first end of the inflatable member is connected to a first retractor that is anchored to the vehicle and a second end of the inflatable member is connected to a first end of the lap belt portion, wherein the inflatable member is a continuously woven material of varying diameter when inflated,
- wherein a second end of the lap belt portion is connected to a second retractor that is anchored to the vehicle;
- wherein at least part of the inflatable member is plastically expansible in diameter without rupture when subjected to inflation over a predetermined pressure, wherein the first end and a center portion of the inflatable member are resistant to being plastically expansible in diameter when subjected to said predetermined pressure, and wherein the second end portion may plastically expand without rupture in response to inflation.
An inflatable seat belt restraint system for protecting an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle, the inflatable seat belt restraint system comprising:
- a unitary belt having an inflatable member and a lap belt portion,
- wherein the inflatable member of said unitary belt comprises a seamless hollow textile structure that extends diagonally across the chest of the occupant, wherein a first end of the inflatable member is connected to a first retractor that is anchored to the vehicle and a second end of the inflatable member is connected to a first end of the lap belt portion, wherein the inflatable member is a continuously woven material of varying diameter when inflated, and
- wherein a second end of the lap belt portion is connected to a second retractor that is anchored to the vehicle;
- and
- an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable member of the unitary belt, wherein said inflatable member further comprises an integrally woven stiffener that resists twisting of the inflatable member and carries most of the load when the belt is tensioned in a collision.
An inflatable seat belt restraint system for protecting an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle, the inflatable seat belt restraint system comprising:
- a unitary belt having an inflatable member and a lap belt portion,
- wherein the inflatable member of said unitary belt comprises a seamless hollow textile structure that extends diagonally across the chest of the occupant, wherein a first end of the inflatable member is connected to a first retractor that is anchored to the vehicle and a second end of the inflatable member is connected to a first end of the lap belt portion, wherein the inflatable member is a continuously woven material of varying diameter when inflated, and
- wherein a second end of the lap belt portion is connected to a second retractor that is anchored to the vehicle;
- and
- an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable member of the unitary belt, wherein the inflatable member comprises at least a first and second integrally woven chambers,
- wherein the first inflatable chamber is inflated before the second inflatable chamber, and wherein the second inflatable chamber is inflated with gas from the first inflatable chamber.
An inflatable seat belt restraint system for protecting an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle, the inflatable seat belt restraint system comprising:
- a unitary belt having an inflatable member comprising a seamless hollow textile structure of varying diameter extending across the body of the occupant, the inflatable member having first and second ends extending between the inboard side and outboard side of the seat;
- a retractor connected to the first end of the inflatable member;
- an inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable member of the unitary belt
- wherein the inflator inflates a portion of the unitary belt that extends across the lap of the occupant, and wherein the retractor is positioned under the seat, and wherein the inflator is disposed between the retractor and the unitary belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.