Patent ID: 6099030
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: B60N,B60Q,B60R

Abstract:
An occupant protection system for use in motor vehicles, the system including a safety belt for restraint of a vehicle occupant having a chest portion, the vehicle occupant being belted in a vehicle seat in a sitting position with the safety belt positioned generally over the chest portion of the occupant in a used position, the system including at least one air bag module associated with the vehicle occupant, the occupant protection system comprising:the safety belt including at least one reference region comprised of a beam-reflective layer; andat least one distance measuring device for continuously monitoring the position of the belted occupant belted in relation to the at least one air bag module, the distance measuring device including one or more transmitting and receiving devices for transmitting and receiving reflectable beams, respectively, the distance measuring device being designed for detecting the reference region of the safety belt in the chest portion; andthe beam-reflective layer of the reference region of the safety belt for reflecting the reflectable beams for distance measurement.