# US 7,607,508 B2 · Vehicle side collision occupant restraint system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,508 B2 - Document ID: US7607508B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/904,279 - Filed: 2004-11-02 - Published: 2006-05-04 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2004-11-02 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: David Zhao; Leonard A. Shaner; James C. Cheng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607508B2 ## CPC - B60R 22/02: Semi-passive restraint systems, e.g. systems applied or removed automatically but not both {; Manual restraint systems (knee, leg or head belts B60R22/001; devices for releasing in an emergency, remote or automatic unbuckling devices B60R22/32)} - B60R 21/18: the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement - B60R 21/23138: {specially adapted for side protection (B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence)} - B60R 22/195: with means to tension the belt in an emergency, {e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel type}(electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements {B60R21/01}) - B60R 22/46: {Reels} with means to tension the belt in an emergency {by forced winding up}(electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01 {; tensioners using reels only guiding the belt during normal use, e.g. splitted reels B60R22/195}) - B60R 2021/0006: {Lateral collision} - B60R 2022/027: {Four-point seat belt systems, e.g. with the two upper points connected together} - B60R 2022/4609: {using a plurality of tensioners} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A safety restraint system (10) for a vehicle (12) includes a seat belt buckle (60) and a retractor (53) mounted approximately at or below a pelvic level of a vehicle occupant (98). A seat belt (52) extends over a side pelvic portion (97) of vehicle occupant (98) and directly prevents outward lateral displacement of the side pelvic portion (97) during a side collision event. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A safety restraint system for a vehicle comprising: at least one seat belt buckle; at least one retractor mounted approximately at or below a pelvic level of a first side of a vehicle occupant; and at least one seat belt extending completely around and in contact with at at least a side pelvic portion of said vehicle occupant opposite said first side such that said vehicle occupant is partially encircled thereby; said at least one seat belt directly preventing outward lateral displacement of said side pelvic portion during a side collision event; wherein said at least one seat belt extends across said vehicle occupant, passes around said vehicle occupant's side pelvic portion and continues back towards said first side. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one seat belt comprises a lap belt that extends at least partially around said side pelvic portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one seat belt comprises a side seat belt comprising: a first end coupled to said at least one buckle; and a second end coupled to said at least one retractor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A system as in claim 1 further comprising: at least one collision sensor generating a collision signal; and a side refractor coupled to said at least one seat belt and preventing outward lateral displacement of said side pelvic portion in response to said collision signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A system as in claim 4 wherein said at least one collision sensor is selected from at least one of an accelerometer, an acceleration sensor, an inertial latch, a contact sensor, an object detection sensor, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, pressure sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A system as in claim 4 wherein said at least one seat belt comprises: a lap belt; and a side belt coupled to said lap belt. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A system as in claim 6 wherein said side retractor removes slack in said side belt. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A system as in claim 6 wherein said side retractor comprises a pyrotechnic device that retracts said side belt during said collision event. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A system as in claim 6 wherein said lateral restraining system comprises a pretensioner that retracts said side belt during said collision event. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A system as in claim 6 wherein said side retractor comprises a pyrotechnic buckle that pulls said side belt during said collision event. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A system as in claim 10 wherein said pyrotechnic buckle is coupled to said lap belt and pulls said lap belt during said collision event. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) A system as in claim 6 wherein said lateral restraining system comprises a lateral pretensioning anchor that displaces a portion of said side belt inward within the vehicle during said collision event. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) A system as in claim 6 wherein at least a portion of said side belt inflates during said collision event. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) A system as in claim 6 further comprising: a buckle; and wherein said side retractor coupled to said buckle and retracts said side belt. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A system as in claim 14 wherein said side retractor comprises a pyrotechnic device and retracts said side belt during said collision event. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one seat belt comprises a shoulder belt.