Patent ID: 9260076
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: B60R

Claim Text:
1. A method of restraining an occupant on a vehicle seat comprising: providing a seat belt associated with the vehicle seat; activating a pretensioning device associated with a lap belt portion of the seat belt and a shoulder belt portion of the seat belt in response to a side impact collision, the shoulder belt portion of the seat belt including a wide shoulder stabilizing zone and a thorax belt portion, the wide shoulder stabilizing zone wider than the thorax belt portion and configured to fit over a shoulder region of the occupant and substantially be in contact with front and top portions of the shoulder region and at least a front portion of an upper arm of the occupant; preventing substantial forward rotation of the shoulder region of the occupant in response to the side impact collision by cinching the wide shoulder stabilizing zone of the seat belt about the shoulder region of the occupant with the activated pretensioning device; and locking the pretensioning device in place to prevent substantial motion of the shoulder region and a pelvis region of the occupant.