Patent Abstract:
A four-point seat belt system for restraining a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat is disclosed. Two shoulder belts are provided which are buckled together with a pair of lap belts. The convergence of the shoulder belts created at the buckles defines a V-shaped configuration which aids in occupant safety and comfort. Movably-adjustable retractors are provided to anchor the upper end of each shoulder belt to the vehicle seat. A movable headrest having a pair of laterally-adjustable belt loops is provided to further enhance occupant security and comfort.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    A seat belt system of a four-point arrangement is provided. Particularly, a four-point seat belt system is provided having a shoulder belt arrangement with adjustable retractors and guide loops to provide both security and comfort to the wearer-occupant. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Automotive vehicles incorporate a variety of restraint systems to provide for the safety of vehicle occupants. For example, it is known in the vehicle art to provide various types of seat belts or restraint systems for restraining an occupant in his or her seat and providing controlled deceleration of portions of the body to limit the forces applied to the occupant&#39;s body during rapid deceleration of a vehicle from a cause such as a collision. Various types of seat belts and restraint systems have been used in automobiles, trucks, and other vehicles and are commonly known today. 
         [0003]    Known seat belt systems typically used in commercially available production vehicles are three-point restraint systems with a lap belt and a shoulder belt extending over one shoulder of the occupant and connecting with the lap belt. The lap belts are anchored at one end, to the seat or to the vehicle adjacent the seat. The shoulder belts are connected at one end to the vehicle or to the seat and at the other end to the lap belt or lap belt buckle mechanism. 
         [0004]    Four, five, and six-point restraint systems are among some of the seat belt and restraint systems that are particularly utilized in off-road type vehicles and other sport-type vehicles in order to provide additional restraint for occupants over two and three-point restraint systems. These seat belt systems tend to have multiple adjustable cinching mechanisms and are awkward and difficult to operate and properly position on an occupant. They also may be less comfortable and more complex due to the multiple mechanisms and therefore not amenable to quick donning and doffing on multiple occasions as may be required in a passenger vehicle. 
         [0005]    Of particular interest to the automotive industry today is the four-point seat belt restraint system. Some of the four-point seat belt systems currently envisioned are essentially parallel shoulder belts. While providing a certain degree of protection, the systems currently envisioned may cause the seat occupant discomfort as a consequence of the shoulder belts contacting the neck during belt use. In addition, this discomfort may well be exacerbated if the lateral spacing of the shoulder belt is small. For example, if the lateral spacing of the shoulder belt is 130 mm along an occupant&#39;s clavicles, discomfort may result, since the belts may contact the occupant&#39;s neck area. As a consequence use of the four-point seat belts might be less than that of three-point belts negating the expected improvement in performance in society as a whole. 
         [0006]    A further difficulty created by four-point seat belt restraint systems that use parallel shoulder belts is that the belts will fit differently on different sized occupants. For example, the belts may be too wide for smaller occupants and may be too narrow for larger occupants depending on the centerline-to-centerline spacing. This could affect the ability to maintain the position of the seat belts on the shoulders of the occupants during normal vehicle operation as well as during an impact event. 
         [0007]    Other difficulties with known four-point seat belt restraint systems relate to the buckling systems. Specifically, the buckle-tongue arrangement of some four-point seat belt systems, in which the left hand shoulder belt and lap belt are connected to the buckle (or to the tongue) and the right hand shoulder belt and lap belt are connected to the tongue (or to the buckle), may have the tendency to “ride up” or move in an upward direction, that is, away from the occupant&#39;s lap during normal vehicle operation. The effect of this “ride up” could result in pre-submarining of the occupant, thus possibly leading to submarining of the occupant in an impact event. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, a need exists today for an improved four-point seat belt system for use in vehicles that provides proper and constant belt alignment during normal vehicle operation as well as during an impact event. Such a system must be comfortable to the wearer. In addition, a need also exists for a four-point seat belt restraint system that prevents pre-submarining by restricting the movement of the lap-belt portion of the belt system from the pelvis to the abdomen during an impact event. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The disclosed embodiments of the invention provide a four-point seat belt restraint system mounted on a vehicle seat which maintains proper belt alignment and routing for the four-point system during normal use and during impact events as well as properly reducing and distributing forces applied to the body of the occupant during rapid deceleration conditions. In the preferred embodiment the four-point seat belt restraint system includes a pair of shoulder belts which wrap around the upper portion of the vehicle seat. Each of the pair of shoulder belts converges at a seat belt buckle assembly thereby defining a V-shape. The shoulder belts are anchored to the seat, for example, by a single retractor having a dual spool or by a pair of retractors which may be relocated to adjust for both occupant size and occupant comfort. The shoulder belts are anchored on the seat so that they cross one another. As an alternative to anchoring the shoulder belts to the seat the shoulder belts could be mounted to the vehicle. Both arrangements assist in maintaining the V-shape configuration of the shoulder belts. 
         [0010]    A vertically-movable headrest having a pair of spaced-apart horizontally-movable seat belt loops is optionally provided. Vertical movement of the headrest and horizontal movement of the seat belt loops enhance the ability of the described four-point seat belt restraint system to allow and improved and more comfortable fit for a great variety of occupants having different builds. 
         [0011]    A pair of lap belts is provided. Each of the lap belts is anchored to the underside of the seat by a retractor. A lap belt loop may be provided for each of the lap belts which may be manually or automatically adjusted vertically. Vertical adjustment of the lap belt loops also enhances the suitability of the four-point seat belt restraint system for a variety of different occupants. Both shoulder belt and lap belt tension may be adjusted as desired. 
         [0012]    Other features of the invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiment illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a four-point seat belt restraint system in a non-use position according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a vehicle seat incorporating the four-point seat belt restraint system in a non-use position according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of the second embodiment of the four-point seat belt restraint system shown in  FIG. 2  illustrating the headrest in its raised position and the headrest seat belt loops in their retracted positions; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates the same view as  FIG. 3  but shows the headrest in its lowered position and the headrest seat belt loops in their extended positions; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates a front view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates a front view of another alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    In the following figures, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components. In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for one constructed embodiment. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting. 
         [0021]    Referring to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of a four-point seat belt restraint system, generally illustrated as  10 , 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 or right side  22  and an outboard or left 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. 
         [0022]    The four-point 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 four-point seat restraint system  10  further 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 four-point 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 a buckle (tongue) component  32  and a second, or outboard, lap belt webbing  34  extending from the outboard side  24  of the seat cushion  20  to a tongue (buckle) component  36 . It is to be understood that the component  32  can be either a buckle or a tongue and the component  36  can be either a tongue or a buckle. References made to these elements are made with this interchangeability in mind. 
         [0023]    It is preferred that a downward force be applied to the first shoulder belt webbing  26  and to the second shoulder belt webbing  28 . Such a force helps to maintain the buckle/tongue as low on the occupant as possible to minimize submarining. Belt webbing tension is in part a function of the weight of the components  32  and  36  (in addition to the retractor force exerted by the shoulder belt retractors  44  and  42  and by the lap belt retractors  38  and  40 ). The lower the buckle rides on the occupant, the greater the tension applied to the shoulder belt  26  and the shoulder belt  28 . Accordingly, a lower position of the components  32  and  36  may be achieved by the optional addition of weights. Specifically, a weight  33  may be added to the buckle (tongue) component  32  and a weight  37  may be added to the tongue (buckle) component  36 . The weights  33  and  37  may be composed of any of a variety of materials including, for example, a metal such as lead or a high density polymer. The weights  33  and  36  may be disposed internally with respect to the components  32  and  36  or may be fitted externally. Furthermore, the weights  33  and  36  may be interchangeable with greater or lesser weights depending on the requirements of the occupant. 
         [0024]    The first lap belt webbing  30  is anchored to the seat  12  by a retractor  38 . The retractor  38  is anchored to the seat by fasteners including bolts, welds and the like. The second lap belt webbing  34  is anchored to the seat  12  by a retractor  40 , also attached to the seat  12  by the mentioned fasteners. The retractors  38  and  40  are fixed to the seat  12 . Fixation may be achieved in a variety of ways. One method of fixation is illustrated whereby the retractors  38  and  40  are positioned substantially under the seat  12 . The location of the lap belt retractors  38  and  40  under the seat makes packaging of the retractors easier and more economical, particularly in vehicles where seat-to-tunnel or seat-to-door spacing is restricted. As an alternative the retractors  38  and  40  may be attached to the sides of the seat (not shown). 
         [0025]    While two retractors  38  and  40  are illustrated it is to be understood that a single retractor may be used in lieu of the shown and discussed pair. Conversely, the retractors  38  and  40  may be substituted for by a rigid, fixed anchor as is known in the art. The retractors  38  and  40  may be of a variety of types, including mechanical, mechanical with electric lock-up, electromagnetic, and others. An electric retractor is valuable in that it offers a selected tension (either constant or varying) to be imposed on the lap belts  30  and  34  to aid in maintaining the components  32  and  36  as low on the occupant&#39;s lap as possible. In addition, a high lap belt tension also resists lateral motion of the lap belts  30  and  34 , thereby assisting in maintaining the buckle-tongue interface of the components  32  and  36  as close to the centerline of the occupant as is possible. This arrangement offers an improvement over known restraint systems using conventional mechanical retractors. The retractors  38  and  40  are also equipped with dynamic pretensioners (of the pyrotechnic type or of another design). The retractors  38  and  40  also may be equipped with static pretensioning. 
         [0026]    The first shoulder belt webbing  26  may be fixed or may be releasably attachable to the buckle (tongue) component  32  and the second shoulder belt webbing  28  is releasably attachable to the tongue (buckle) component  36 . The buckle (tongue) component  32  may be fixed or may be releasably attachable to the tongue (buckle) component  36 . (By allowing for the possibility of releasable attachment of the belt webbing to the buckle component ease of both assembly and service is enhanced.) This arrangement results in the illustrated V-shape defined by the substantial convergence of the first shoulder belt webbing  26  and the second shoulder belt webbing  28  at the components  32  and  36 . The first shoulder belt webbing  26  and the second shoulder belt webbing  28  have a large lateral spacing as illustrated from the occupant&#39;s neck (not shown) while still providing effective support by the convergence along the centerline of the occupant at the area of the components  32  and  36 . This increased lateral spacing at the upper part of the seat  12  increases occupant comfort for occupants of different sizes, including smaller occupants having smaller necks, narrower shoulders and shorter upper torso eights. This geometry also aids in keeping seat belts on the occupant&#39;s shoulders at all times, while lowering the risk of soft tissue neck injury and enhancing comfort for wide range of occupant builds. 
         [0027]    It is to be understood that the buckle arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 1  may be altered so that, for example, the buckle component is provided on the shoulder webbing. The configuration shown is intended as being illustrative and not limiting. 
         [0028]    The first shoulder belt webbing  26  is anchored to the seat  12  by a retractor  42  that is fixedly secured to the seat  12  by fasteners including bolts, welds and the like. The second shoulder belt webbing  28  is anchored to the seat  12  by a retractor  44  which is also fixedly secured to the seat  12  by the noted fasteners. The retractors  42  and  44  are preferably but not necessarily equipped with load-limiting features which may be of the single or multiple level and discrete or continuous type as is known in the art. Load limiting offers the advantages of enhancing control of the occupant&#39;s upper torso kinematics, and limiting the tension load applied by the shoulder belt to the lapbelt, approximately limiting the load transferred by the restraint system to the upper torso, thus helping to minimize submarining in an impact event. The dynamic and static load pretensioners described above with respect to the retractors  38  and  40  combines with this load limiting feature to assist in minimizing submarining. Pre-impact tensioning is useful in reducing slack prior to an impact which in turn may improve occupant coupling to the seat and to the restraint system. 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the retractor  42  is positioned on the seat back at a location that is on the side opposite that of the first shoulder belt webbing  26 . The retractor  44  is also positioned on the seat back at a location that is on the side opposite that of the second shoulder belt webbing  28 . This arrangement defines a crossed pattern that allows for the desired belt orientation and belt angles relative to the occupant&#39;s shoulder and was determined from testing with human volunteers to improve comfort. The first shoulder belt webbing  26  and the second shoulder belt webbing  28  follow over the top of the seat  12  and provide a change of direction without twisting or folding at the top of the seat back. This arrangement also provides for enhanced occupant comfort and performance in that the first shoulder belt webbing  26  and the second shoulder belt webbing  28  are able to lie more naturally on the curve of the occupant&#39;s shoulder. 
         [0030]    An alternate embodiment of the four-point seat belt restraint system of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 2 through 4  and is generally illustrated as  50 . A seat  52  is shown and includes a generally upright seat back  54  extending between a top portion  56  and a bottom portion  58  for supporting the occupant&#39;s back. The seat  52  further includes a generally horizontal seat cushion  60  projecting forward from the bottom portion  58  of the seat back  54 . The seat cushion  60  extends between an inboard or right side  62  and an outboard or left side  64  for supporting the seated occupant. The inboard side  62  is further defined by the side of the seat  52  adjacent the inboard or middle of the vehicle and the outboard side  64  is further defined by the side of the seat  52  adjacent the outboard or outside of the vehicle. 
         [0031]    A movable headrest  66  is attached to the area of the top portion  56  of the upper seat back  54  in a known manner. The headrest  66  is movable between a raised position illustrated in  FIG. 3  and a lowered position illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The headrest  66  includes a pair of lateral seat belt loops  68  and  68 ′. Each of the loops  68  and  68 ′ is movable between an outboard position and an inboard position. The inboard position is illustrated in  FIG. 3  while the outboard position is illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . It should be noted that while the configuration of the seat belt loops  68  and  68 ′ are shown as being loops that surround the shoulder belts  70  and  72 , other configurations of belt retainers may be used such as substantially horizontal flanges. 
         [0032]    The loops  68  and  68 ′ retain the shoulder belts  70  and  72  in a spaced apart configuration with respect to the body of the seat occupant. By achieving a certain separation between shoulder belts  70  and  72  the comfort of the occupant is optimized. Ideally the shoulder belts  70  and  72  are spaced such that they are positioned over the clavicles of the adult occupant (not shown). This spacing may vary, but ideally is between about 180 mm and about 208 mm from the centerline of the shoulder belt  70  to the centerline of the shoulder belt  72  at about the height of the front edge of the clavicle of a mid-sized male occupant. The spacing of the shoulder belts  70  and  72  is symmetrical about the centerline of the occupant. 
         [0033]    As set forth above in  FIG. 1  and as described in conjunction therewith in relation to the four-point seat belt restraint system  10 , the four-point seat belt restraint system  50  shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4  includes a first, or inboard shoulder belt webbing  70  extending from the top portion  56  of the seat back  54  to the bottom portion  58 . A second, or outboard shoulder belt webbing  72  is also provided and similarly extends from the top portion  56  of the seat back  54  to the bottom portion  58  of the seat back  54 . 
         [0034]    The four-point seat belt restraint system  50  further includes a first, or inboard, lap belt webbing  74  extending from the inboard side  62  to a buckle (tongue) component  76 . The system  50  further includes a second, or inboard, lap belt webbing  78  extending from the outboard side  64  of the seat cushion  60  to a tongue (buckle) component  80 . The first lap belt webbing  74  is anchored to the seat  52  by a retractor  82 . The retractor  82  is anchored to the seat  52  by fasteners as previously described. The second lap belt webbing  78  is similarly anchored to the seat  52 . The retractors  82  and  84  are similar in form and function to the retractors  38  and  40  mentioned above and described with respect to  FIG. 1 , including all of the listed possible variations useful in adjusting belt tension. 
         [0035]    The retractors  82  and  84  are disposed beneath the seat cushion  60 . This positioning provides the lap belt webbings  74  and  78  with an anchoring position that is substantially forward of the seat back  52 . Positioned in this manner the lap belt webbings  74  and  78  also provide a more comfortable arrangement for the occupant/wearer. 
         [0036]    The buckle (tongue) component  76  is releasably attachable to the tongue (buckle) component  80 . The first shoulder belt webbing  70  may be releasably attached to the components  76  and  80  and the second shoulder belt webbing  72  may be releasably attached to the components  76  and  80 . A “V” configuration defined by the first shoulder belt webbing  70  and the second shoulder belt webbing  72  is formed by convergence of the webbings  70  and  72  at the components  76  and  80 . The lateral spacing provided by this configuration and all of the benefits achieved thereby are the same as that discussed above with the four-point seat belt restraint system  10  discussed above. 
         [0037]    The headrest  66  may be raised to a position illustrated in  FIG. 3  or may be lowered to a position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In addition, the lateral seat belt loops  68  and  68 ′ may be adjusted horizontally between the inboard position illustrated in  FIG. 3  and the outboard position illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Vertical adjustment of the headrest  66  (or, as an alternative, load-bearing posts mounted on the seat back [not shown]) allows for vertical adjustment of the lateral seat belt loops  68  and  68 ′. The adjustment of both the headrest  66  and its associated lateral seat belt loops  68  and  68 ′ may be automatically made (as by mechanical, magnetic or electrical movement) or may be made manually, as an alternative or in combination with the automatic adjustment feature. By horizontal movement of the lateral seat belt loops  68  and  68 ′ with respect to the headrest and upon vertical movement of the headrest  66 , the preferred lateral spacing of the shoulder belts  70  and  72  can be achieved for occupants having different sizes, particularly for occupants having differently-sized torsos. The occupant is thus provided with added comfort and has the added benefit of benefiting from improved seat belt system performance in both normal driving conditions and during an impact event. 
         [0038]    The first shoulder belt webbing  70  is anchored to the seat by a retractor  86  that is movably secured to the seat  52  by fasteners described above. The second shoulder belt webbing  72  is fixedly secured to the seat  52  by a retractor  88  that is movably secured to the vehicle seat  52  by fasteners. The retractors  86  and  88  are shown in their first, lower position in  FIG. 3  and have been relocated to their second, higher position in  FIG. 4 . While two positions are illustrated it is to be understood that a range of positions may be possible utilizing the appropriate connectors. Movement of the retractors  86  and  88  between positions provides the occupant with different shoulder belt arrangements as dictated by the occupant&#39;s size and shape. This arrangement also helps to prevent twisting or folding of the belts. 
         [0039]    The seat restraint system  10  is designed to control occupant motion and reduce force levels on the occupant&#39;s chest. During a crash event the system  10  allows the occupant&#39;s torso to reach the vertical position or forward of vertical at the time of peak belt forces. The pretensioning of the retractors  38  and  40  by pyrotechnical, electrical, mechanical, or other means ensures contact of the lap belts  30  and  34  with the pelvis during the crash loading. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a seat ramp  89 , also included in the seat restraint system  10 , further minimizes the horizontal travel and vertical drop of the occupant&#39;s pelvis. The seat ramp  89  may be of various type, style, material, and shape as known in the art. The seat ramp  89  is commonly made from sheet metal and may be deformable during a collision. The seat-ramp  89  is most commonly located beneath seat cushion padding as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , under the occupant&#39;s pelvis and thigh region. The seat ramp  89  is angled with the front portion higher vertically than the rear portion, so as to prevent the forward horizontal travel of an occupant during a forward collision. In order for an occupant to travel in a forward direction the occupant would need to slide up the seat ramp  89  against the force of gravity, rather than for example a flat seat, which would have less resistance. Also, for a similar reason the seat ramp  89  in having an inclined shape, during a forward collision, when an occupant tends to move forward in the direction of the collision, the shape and material of the seat ramp  89  resists the ability for the occupant&#39;s pelvis to drop vertically. The combination of the above-described system components, when properly coupled, prevents the possibility of the shoulder belts  26  and  28  from pulling the lap belts  30  and  34  off of the pelvis during a crash, resulting in one form of “submarining” whereby the occupant&#39;s pelvis slides under the lap belt. 
         [0040]    To increase the adaptability of the four-point seat belt restraint system  50  to a variety of differently-sized occupants, a vertically adjustable lap belt loop  90  is provided to restrict side-to-side movement of the first lap belt webbing  74 . For the same reason a vertically adjustable lap belt loop  92  is provided to restrict side-to-side movement of the second lap belt webbing  78 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the vertically adjustable lap belt loop  90  and the vertically adjustable lap belt loop  92  can be moved from raised positions to lowered positions, the latter positions being illustrated by vertically adjustable lap belt loop  90 ′ and vertically adjustable lap belt loop  92 ′ with the lap belt webbing being shown in broken lines. This vertical adjustment functions to allow a change in the angle of the lap belt webbings  74  and  78  and hence alter the vertical component of the static lap belt force to due the lap belt retractors  82  and  84 , respectively. As noted above, static belt tension assists in keeping the lap belt webbings  74  and  78  on the occupant&#39;s lap. Movement of the adjustable lap belt loops  90  and  92  to their lowered positions illustrated in broken lines translates to a larger vertical component of the static belt force, resulting in increased resistance to the ride up of the components  76  and  80 . Conversely, movement of the adjustable lap belt loops  90  and  92  to their upper positions translates to a smaller vertical component, thus enhancing occupant comfort. Vertical adjustment of the adjustable lap belt loops  90  and  92  may be made either manually or automatically. 
         [0041]    The angle of the lap belt webbings  74  and  78  is preferably substantially between about 0° and 32° from vertical and is more preferably about 16° from vertical in a side view such as that shown in  FIG. 2 . Selection of the angle depends on the balance of the downward force on the components  76  and  80  with the necessary restraining force. Also considered is the balance between the downward force of the lap belts  74  and  78  against the upward force on the shoulder belts  70  and  72 . 
         [0042]    The seat belt and retractor configurations discussed above relate to one preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the seat belt retractors are fitted to the seat itself. An alternate arrangement is shown in  FIG. 5  in which the seat belt retractors are mounted instead to an area of the vehicle interior adjacent to the seat. 
         [0043]    Particularly, a vehicle seat assembly, generally illustrated as  100 , is shown in which a vehicle seat includes a vehicle seat back  102  and a vehicle seat base  104 . The vehicle seat base  104  is fixed (or is movably attached) to a vehicle floor pan  106  in a conventional manner. 
         [0044]    A pair of shoulder belts  108  and  110  is provided. The shoulder belt  108  extends through an aperture  112  formed in the vehicle seat back  102 . The shoulder belt  110  extends through an aperture  114  also formed in the vehicle seat back  102 . The apertures  112  and  114  maintain the shoulder belts  108  and  110  in the preferred configuration set forth above with respect to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4 . 
         [0045]    One end of the shoulder belt  108  is attached to a buckle (tongue) component  116 . The other end of the shoulder belt  108  is attached to a shoulder belt retractor  118 . One end of the shoulder belt  110  is attached to a tongue (buckle) component  117 . The other end of the shoulder belt  110  is attached to a shoulder belt retractor  120 . It is to be understood that the component  116  can be either a buckle or a tongue and the component  117  can be either a tongue or a buckle. References made to these elements are made with this interchangeability in mind. The shoulder belt retractors  118  and  120  are fixedly attached to the vehicle interior such as on vehicle interior cross-member  122 . 
         [0046]    A pair of lap belt webbings  124  and  126  is provided in relation to the vehicle seat base  104 . One end of the lap belt webbing  124  is attached to the buckle (tongue) component  116 . The other end of the lap belt webbing  124  is attached to a lap belt webbing retractor  128 . Similarly, one end of the lap belt webbing  126  is attached to the tongue (buckle) component  117 . The other end of the lap belt webbing  126  is attached to a lap belt webbing retractor  130 . The lap belt webbing retractors  128  and  130  are fixedly attached to the vehicle interior such as on vehicle interior cross-member  132 . To maintain the lap belt webbing  124  in its proper position relative to the vehicle seat base  104  a guide loop  134  is provided and is preferably attached to the vehicle seat base  104 . In addition, to maintain the lap belt webbing  126  in its proper position relative to the vehicle seat base  104  a guide loop  136  is provided and is preferably attached to the vehicle seat base  104 . Both of the guide loops  134  and  136  may be adjustable (for example, vertically) as set forth above with respect to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0047]    An alternative arrangement for attachment of the seat belt retractors to an area of the vehicle other than the seat shown in  FIG. 5  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . With reference to  FIG. 6 , a vehicle seat assembly, generally illustrated as  200 , is shown in which a vehicle seat includes a vehicle seat back  202  and a vehicle seat base  204 . The vehicle seat base  204  is fixed (or is movably attached) to a vehicle floor pan  206 . 
         [0048]    A first shoulder belt  208  and a second shoulder belt  210  are provided. The first shoulder belt  208  extends through an aperture  212  formed in the vehicle seat back  202 . The second shoulder belt  210  extends through an aperture  214  also formed in the vehicle seat back  202 . Like the apertures  112  and  114  shown in  FIG. 5  and discussed in relation thereto, the apertures  212  and  214  maintain the shoulder belts  208  and  210  in the preferred configuration v-shape discussed above. 
         [0049]    One end of the first shoulder belt  208  is attached to a buckle (tongue) component  216 . The other end of the first shoulder belt  208  is attached to a first shoulder belt retractor  218 . One end of the second shoulder belt  210  is attached to a tongue (buckle) component  217 . The other end of the second shoulder belt  210  is attached to a second shoulder belt retractor  220 . The component  216  can be either a buckle or a tongue and the component  217  can be either a tongue or a buckle. 
         [0050]    The first shoulder belt retractor  218  and the second shoulder belt retractor  220  are fixedly attached to the vehicle interior such as on vehicle interior cross-member  232 . As illustrated, the first shoulder belt retractor  218  is fitted to the interior cross-member  232  at a point opposite the aperture  212  and the second shoulder belt retractor  220  is fitted to the interior cross-member  232  at a point opposite the aperture  214 . Thus positioned a criss-cross arrangement of the first shoulder belt  208  and the second shoulder belt  210  is defined on the back side of the vehicle seat back  202 . 
         [0051]    A pair of lap belt webbings  224  and  226  is provided. One end of the lap belt webbing  224  is attached to the buckle (tongue) component  216 . The other end of the lap belt webbing  224  is attached to a lap belt webbing retractor  228 . One end of the lap belt webbing  226  is attached to the tongue (buckle) component  217 . The other end of the lap belt webbing  226  is attached to a lap belt webbing retractor  230 . The lap belt webbing retractors  228  and  230  are fixedly attached to the vehicle interior cross-member  232 . A guide loop  234  is provided and is preferably (but not exclusively) attached to the vehicle seat base  204  to maintain the lap belt webbing  224  in its preferred position. Similarly, a guide loop  236  is also attached to the vehicle seat base  204  to maintain the lap belt webbing  226  in its preferred position. Both of the guide loops  234  and  236  may be adjustable in for example, the vertical direction. 
         [0052]    While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that the specific mechanisms and techniques which have been described are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, numerous modifications may be made to the methods and apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1