Seat belt restraint system

Abstract: A seat belt restraint system is provided for a vehicle seat having a seat back (14) extending between a top and bottom portion and a seat cushion (20) extending between an inboard and outboard side. The seat belt restraint system includes a clasp (34) interconnecting an inboard shoulder belt webbing (26) with an inboard lap belt webbing (30) adjacent the inboard side (22) of the seat cushion (20). The seat belt restraint system further includes a buckle (36) interconnecting an outboard shoulder belt webbing (28) with an outboard lap belt webbing (32) adjacent the outboard side (24) of the seat cushion. The seat belt restraint system includes a buckle anchor (38) mounted to the inboard side of the seat cushion for lockably receiving the buckle (36). The buckle includes an outboard connect mechanism for realisably locking the clasp (34) to the buckle (36) and define a four point seat belt configuration with the buckle and clasp positioned midway between the inboard and outboard side of the seat cushion (20). The buckle also includes an inboard connect mechanism for realisably locking the buckle (36) to the buckle anchor (38) and define a three point seat belt configuration with the clasp latched to the buckle and the buckle latched to the buckle anchor adjacent the inboard side of the seat cushion.

Description: The present invention relates generally to a seat belt restraint system and, more specifically, to a seat belt restraint system which may be configured for use as a four point or three point seat belt restraint system. Automotive vehicle seats include a generally upright seat back mounted to a generally horizontal seat cushion for supporting a seated occupant. The seat back includes a top portion which often supports a headrest and a bottom portion which is often pivotally attached to the seat cushion for providing reclining adjustment of the seat back. The seat cushion extends between an inboard side (adjacent the centre of the vehicle) and an outboard side (adjacent the outside of the vehicle). A seat belt restraint system is commonly secured to the seat or the vehicle structure surrounding the seat for restraining the seated occupant in the seat. The seat belt restraint system typically forms either a three point seat belt configuration or a four point seat belt configuration. The three point seat belt configuration is generally defined by including a lap belt webbing extending between the inboard and outboard side of the seat cushion and a shoulder belt webbing extending diagonally from the outboard, top portion of the seat back to the inboard, bottom portion of the seat back. The lap belt webbing and shoulder belt webbing are generally interconnected by a clasp, or latch plate, and the clasp is releasably latched to a buckle on the inboard side of the seat cushion. The four point seat belt configuration is generally defined by an inboard and outboard shoulder belt webbing extending from the top portion to the bottom portion of the seat back adjacent the respective inboard and outboard side of the seat to a corresponding inboard and outboard lap belt webbing extending from the respective inboard and outboard sides of the seat cushion. The clasp, or latch plate, interconnects with the buckle to interconnect the shoulder belt webbing with the lap belt webbing to complete the four point seat belt configuration. DE-OS-2615819 describes a four point seat belt restraint having four individual webs each permanently anchored at one end and connectable to a common buckle or hub at the other end. The belts are adjustable in length so that the buckle can be positioned either centrally or displace towards one side. A complex and cumbersome four point safety harness is disclosed in US-A-3,162,485 which has a pair of relatively spaced connectors attached to a supporting frame. Back straps attached to the connectors extend upwardly to a point centrally at the back of a wearer where a fitting is attached to the back straps. Shoulder straps attached to the fitting are connected to side breast straps which extend downwardly in front of the wearer. A pair of lap strap side portions are respectively attached to the lower ends of the back straps and to the frame connectors, one at each side of the wearer. A second pair of lap straps are connected by fittings the proximate ends of the first mentioned pair of lap straps. An adjusting buckle connects the proximate ends of the second pair of lap straps. The breast straps at their lower ends are connected to the fittings of the lap straps at each side front of the wearer. The upper ends of the back straps are continuous and slidably extended through the back strap fitting, the shoulder straps are continuous and slidably extended through the back strap fitting, and the breast straps at their lower ends are continuous one with each of the second pair of lap straps and slidably extending through the lap strap fittings. The prior art reference believed to be most closely related to the present invention in terms of the effect to be achieved is US-A-5,123,673 which teaches a seat belt restraint system for use with a vehicle seat which includes a three point seat belt configuration formed by a lap belt webbing and a shoulder belt webbing and further includes a four point seat belt configuration formed by a second shoulder belt webbing. The latter patent effective combines a convention lap-diagonal seat belt with a second independently deployable diagonal belt to achieve two diagonal belts that cross over the chest of the wearer. However, such a seat belt restraint system requires the use of multiple latch plates and buckles to interconnect each of the shoulder belt webbing and lap belt webbing in each of the three point and four point seat belt configurations. It remains desirable to provide a seat belt restraint system which is comfortable, easy to use, and includes a single buckle and clasp for providing operation between either a three point seat belt restraint configuration or a four point seat belt restraint configuration. Accordingly, the present invention provides a seat belt restraint system as hereinafter set forth in Claim 1 of the appended claims, preferred features of the invention being set out in the dependent claims. The seat belt restraint system of the invention is easy to use because it includes a single buckle and clasp for connection between either the three point seat belt restraint configuration or the four point seat belt restraint configuration. Further, the buckle includes both the first connect mechanism for releasably locking the clasp to the buckle in the four point seat belt restraint configuration and the second connect mechanism for automatically releasably locking the buckle to the buckle anchor in the three point seat belt restraint configuration when the first outboard shoulder belt webbing is extended diagonally across the seat back and the clasp is releasably locked to the buckle by the first connect mechanism. Still further, the seat belt restraint system is more comfortable by including a pair of D-rings in the seat back which receive and guide the first and second shoulder belt webbing between the three point seat belt restraint configuration and the four point seat belt restraint configuration. The present invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a seat belt restraint system in a non-use position, according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the seat belt restraint system shown in a three point seat belt restraint configuration; Fig. 3 is a front view of the seat belt restraint system shown in a four point seat belt restraint configuration; and Fig. 4 is a side view of the seat belt restraint system shown in the four point seat belt restraint configuration. Referring to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 3, one embodiment of a seat belt restraint system 10, according to the present invention, is shown. A seat 12, typically for use in an automotive vehicle (not shown), includes a generally upright seat back 14 extending between a top portion 16 and a bottom portion 18 for supporting the back of a seated occupant. The seat 12 further includes a generally horizontal seat cushion 20 projecting forwardly from the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 and extending between an inboard side 22 and an outboard side 24 for supporting the bottom of the seated occupant. The inboard side 22 is further defined by the side of the seat 12 adjacent the inboard or middle of the vehicle and the outboard side 24 is further defined by the side of the seat 12 adjacent the outboard or outside of the vehicle as is commonly known in the art. The seat belt restraint system 10 includes a first, or inboard, shoulder belt webbing 26 extending from the top portion 16 to the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 adjacent the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20. The seat belt restraint system 10 includes a second, or outboard, shoulder belt webbing 28 extending from the top portion 16 to the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 adjacent the outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20. The seat belt restraint system 10 further includes a first, or inboard, lap belt webbing 30 extending from the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20 to the inboard shoulder belt webbing 26 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 and a second, or outboard, lap belt webbing 32 extending from the outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20 to the outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14. The seat belt restraint system 10 also includes a clasp 34 interconnecting the outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 and the outboard lap belt webbing 32 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14. Similarly, the seat belt restraint system 10 includes a buckle 36 interconnecting the inboard shoulder belt webbing 26 and the inboard lap belt webbing 30 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 for lockably receiving the clasp 34 as will be described in further detail herein below. A buckle anchor 38 is fixedly secured by bolts, fasteners, welds, or the like, to the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20 for lockably receiving the buckle 36. It should be appreciated that the buckle anchor 38 may also be fixedly secured to the floor or other structure of vehicle (not shown) as long as the structure is capable of supporting seat belt loads as is commonly known in the art. The seat belt restraint system 10 further includes a first, or outboard, connect mechanism 40 secured to the buckle 36 for releasably locking the clasp 34 to the buckle 36 to define a four point seat belt restraint configuration with the buckle 36 and clasp 34 positioned generally midway between the inboard side 22 and outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20, as shown in FIG. 3. The seat belt restraint system 10 includes a second, or inboard, connect mechanism 42 secured to the buckle 36 for releasably locking the buckle 36 to the buckle anchor 38 to define a three point seat belt restraint configuration with the clasp 34 releasably locked to the buckle 36 and the buckle 36 releasably locked to the buckle anchor 38 adjacent the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20, as shown in FIG. 2. The outboard and inboard connect mechanisms 40 and 42 are integrally secured to opposing sides of the buckle 36 and include a push button type connect and release mechanism (not shown) as is commonly known in the art. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the seat belt restraint system 10 also includes an inboard shoulder belt retractor 44 and an outboard shoulder belt retractor 46 which are shown in the preferred embodiment as being mounted in the seat back 14 between the top portion 16 and the bottom portion 18. More specifically, the inboard shoulder belt retractor 44 is mounted in the seat back 14 adjacent the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20 and the outboard shoulder belt retractor 46 is mounted in the seat back 14 adjacent the outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20. A portion of the inboard shoulder belt webbing 26 is wound in the inboard shoulder belt retractor 44. Similarly, a portion of the outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 is wound in the outboard shoulder belt retractor 46. The inboard and outboard shoulder belt retractors 44, 46 provide adjustment of the length of the respective inboard and outboard shoulder belt webbing 26 and 28 for varying sized seated occupants and for positioning of the seat belt restraint system 10 between the three point seat belt restraint configuration and the four point seat belt restraint configuration. The seat belt restraint system 10 further includes an inboard lap belt retractor 48 mounted to the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 and an outboard lap belt retractor 50 mounted to the outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14. A portion of the inboard lap belt webbing 30 is wound in the inboard lap belt retractor 48 and a portion of the outboard lap belt webbing 32 is wound in the outboard lap belt retractor 50. The inboard and outboard lap belt retractors 48 and 50 similarly provide adjustment to the length of the respective inboard and outboard lap belt webbing 30 and 32 for varying sized seated occupants and for positioning of the seat belt restraint system 10 between the three point seat belt restraint configuration and the four point seat belt restraint configuration. It should be appreciated that the inboard and outboard shoulder belt retractors 44 and 46 as well as the inboard and outboard lap belt retractors 48 and 50 may be securely attached to the seat 12, as shown, or to other structures of the vehicle (not shown) which adequately support seat belt loads, as is commonly known in the art. Finally, the seat belt restraint system 10 includes a first shoulder belt webbing, or inboard, D-ring 52 secured to the top portion 16 of the seat back 14 adjacent the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20 for receiving and guiding the inboard shoulder belt webbing 26 between the four point seat belt restraint configuration and the three point seat belt restraint configuration. The seat belt restraint system 10 also includes a second shoulder belt webbing, or outboard, D-ring 54 secured to the top portion 16 of the seat back 14 adjacent the outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20 for receiving and guiding the outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 between the four point seat belt restraint configuration and the three point seat belt restraint configuration. More specifically, the inboard D-ring 52 forms an arcuate slot through a portion of the seat back 14 for receiving and guiding the inboard shoulder belt webbing 26 from the inboard shoulder belt retractor 44 to the buckle 36 and providing lateral movement of the inboard shoulder belt webbing 26 during attachment of the seat belt restraint system 10 in each of the three point and four point seat belt restraint configurations. The outboard D-ring 54 forms an arcuate slot through a portion of the seat back 14 for receiving and guiding the outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 from the outboard shoulder belt retractor 46 to the clasp 34 and providing lateral movement of the outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 during attachment of the seat belt restraint system 10 in each of the three point and four point seat belt restraint configurations. In operation, referring to FIG. 1, the seat belt restraint system 10 is shown in a non-use position or configuration. In the non-use position, the outboard shoulder belt retractor 46 and the outboard lap belt retractor 50 automatically retract, or wind, the respective outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 and outboard lap belt webbing 32 to bias and position the clasp 34 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 and the outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20. The inboard shoulder belt retractor 44 and the inboard lap belt retractor 48 automatically retract, or wind, the respective inboard shoulder belt webbing 26 and inboard lap belt webbing 30 to bias and position the buckle 36 adjacent the bottom portion 18 of the seat back 14 and the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20. In the non-use position, the buckle 36 and inboard connect mechanism 42 are resting on but not latched, or releasably locked, to the buckle anchor 38. Therefore, when an occupant enters the seat 12, he or she may easily reach either just the clasp 34 for manipulation and connection of the seat belt restraint system 10 in the three point seat belt restraint configuration or both the clasp 34 and buckle 36 for manipulation and connection of the seat belt restraint system 10 in the four point seat belt restraint configuration. Referring now to FIG. 2, the seat belt restraint system 10 is shown in the three point seat belt restraint configuration. In order to connect the seat belt restraint system 10 in the three point seat belt configuration, the seated occupant pulls the clasp 34 across his or her body from the outboard side 24 towards the inboard side 22 of the seat cushion 20. The pulling of the clasp 34 automatically pulls and unwinds the outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 from the outboard shoulder belt retractor 46 and the outboard lap belt webbing 32 from the outboard lap belt retractor 50. The seated occupant then inserts the clasp 34 into the buckle 36 and the outboard connect mechanism 40 releasably locks the clasp 34 to the buckle 36. Simultaneously, the buckle 36 is automatically latched to the buckle anchor 38 and the inboard connect mechanism 42 releasably locks the buckle 36 to the buckle anchor 38 forming the three point seat belt restraint configuration as shown in FIG. 2. When the seated occupant releases the outboard connect mechanism 40, the clasp 34 is unlocked and released from the buckle 36 and the inboard connect mechanism 42 is automatically released to unlock and release the buckle 36 from the buckle anchor 38. The outboard shoulder belt retractor 46 and the outboard lap belt retractor 50 then automatically wind the respective outboard shoulder belt webbing 28 and outboard lap belt webbing 32 to return the clasp 34 and seat belt restraint system 10 to the original non-use position. Referring to FIG. 3, the seat belt restraint system 10 is shown in the four point seat belt restraint configuration. In order to connect the seat belt restraint system 10 in the four point seat belt configuration, the seated occupant simultaneously pulls the clasp 34 and buckle 36 together near a position generally midway between the inboard side 22 and outboard side 24 of the seat cushion 20 in front of the seated occupant. The inboard and outboard shoulder belt webbing 26 and 28 unwind from the respective inboard and outboard shoulder belt retractors 44 and 46 while the inboard and outboard lap belt webbing 30 and 32 simultaneously unwind from the respective inboard and outboard lap belt retractors 48 and 50. Additionally, arcuate slots formed by the inboard and outboard D-rings 52 and 54 allow the respective inboard and outboard shoulder belt webbing 26 and 28 to move inwardly and downwardly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, to positively position and engage the seated occupant's shoulders. Finally, the seated occupant inserts the clasp 34 into the buckle 36 and the outboard connect mechanism 40 releasably locks the clasp 34 to the buckle 36 in the four point seat belt restraint configuration. Again, when the seated occupant releases the outboard connect mechanism 40, the clasp 34 is unlocked and released from the buckle 36. The retractors 44 through 50 then automatically retract and rewind the respective seat belt webbing 26 through 32 and return the seat belt restraint system 10 to its original non-use position as shown in FIG. 1. The seat belt restraint system 10 provides a comfortable, easy to use, seat belt restraint system 10 operable between either a three point seat belt restraint configuration or a four point seat belt restraint configuration which will restrain the occupant in the seat 12 and maintain proper positioning during an impact event and seat belt load.

Claims: A seat belt restraint system for a vehicle seat having a seat back (14) extending between a top position (16) and bottom portion (15)and a seat cushion (20) extending between an inboard side (22) and an outboard side (24), said seat belt restraint system comprising: a first shoulder belt webbing (26) extending from the top portion (16) to the bottom portion (15) of the seat back adjacent the inboard side (22) of the seat cushion (20); a second shoulder belt webbing (28) extending from the top portion (16) to the bottom portion (15)of the seat back adjacent the outboard side (24) of the seat cushion (20); a first lap belt webbing (30) extending from the inboard side (22) of the seat cushion to said first shoulder belt webbing (26) adjacent the bottom portion of the seat back; a second lap belt webbing (32) extending from the outboard side (24) of the seat cushion to said second shoulder belt webbing (28) adjacent the bottom portion of the seat back; a clasp (34) interconnecting one of said first and second shoulder belt webbing (26,28) to said respective one of said first and second lap belt webbing (30,32); a buckle (36) interconnecting the other of said first and second shoulder belt webbing (26,28) to said respective one of said first and second lap belt webbings for lockably receiving said clasp (34); a buckle anchor (38) fixedly secured adjacent one of the inboard and outboard sides of the seat cushion (20) for lockably receiving said buckle (36) ; a first connect mechanism (40) secured to said buckle (36) for releasably locking said clasp (34) to said buckle to define a four point seat belt restraint configuration with said buckle (36) and clasp (34) positioned generally midway between the inboard and outboard side of the seat cushion (20); and a second connect mechanism (42) secured to said buckle (36) for releasably locking said buckle to said buckle anchor (38) to define a three point seat belt restraint configuration with said clasp (34) releasably locked to said buckle and said buckle (36) releasably locked to said buckle anchor (38) adjacent one of the inboard and outboard sides of the seat cushion (20). A seat belt restraint system as claimed in claim 1, including a first shoulder belt webbing D-ring (52) secured to the top portion of the seat back adjacent the inboard side of the seat cushion for receiving and guiding said first shoulder belt webbing between said four point seat belt restraint configuration and said three point seat belt restraint configuration. A seat belt restraint system as claimed in claim 2, including a second shoulder belt webbing D-ring (54) secured to the top portion of the seat back adjacent the outboard side of the seat cushion for receiving and guiding said second shoulder belt webbing between said four point seat belt configuration and said three point seat belt configuration. A seat belt restraint system as claimed in any preceding claim, including an inboard shoulder belt retractor (44) mounted to the seat back for automatically winding at least a portion of said first shoulder belt webbing (26). A seat belt restraint system as claimed in any preceding claim, including an outboard shoulder belt retractor (46) mounted to the seat back for automatically winding at least a portion of said second shoulder belt webbing (28). A seat belt restraint system as claimed in any preceding claim, including an inboard lap belt retractor (48) mounted to the inboard side of the seat cushion for automatically winding at least a portion of said first lap belt webbing (30). A seat belt restraint system as claimed in any preceding claim, including an outboard lap belt retractor (50) mounted to the outboard side of the seat cushion for automatically winding at least a portion of said second lap belt webbing (32)

Inventors: CARR KIRSTEN MARIE, SULLIVAN JOHN L, CARR, KIRSTEN MARIE, SULLIVAN, JOHN L.
Applicants: FORD GLOBAL TECH INC, FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B60R22
IPC codes: B60R22