US 6,648,369 B2 · Inflatable seat belt apparatus

Abstract

An inflatable belt for use in a seat belt apparatus. The belt provides an increased inflation length without having to pass an inflatable bag through a belt guide. A seat belt apparatus may include the air belt which may include a webbing of which at least a part that comes into contact with an occupant is formed as a bag-like portion and the remaining part is formed as a single-band portion. The apparatus has a bag stored in the bag-like portion of the webbing in such a manner that the bag is folded along both the longitudinal direction thereof and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof. The air belt includes cover that covers the webbing. When a gas is injected into the bag the bag inflates to expand the webbing and to provide EA effect and occupant protection.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An inflatable seat belt apparatus comprising:

a band shaped webbing;
an inflatable bag stored in a portion of the webbing that comes into contact with an occupant, wherein the bag is positioned so that the longitudinal directions of the bag and the webbing are the same and is folded along a line which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bag,
wherein the bag is configured to be inflated by a gas supplied from a gas generator thereby expanding the portion of the webbing;
and
a cover that covers the portion of the webbing in which the bag is stored, wherein the cover is configured to open in an emergency due to an inflation force of the gas.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Inflatable seat belt apparatus

Life of this patent

Inflatable seat belt apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11