Patent ID: 7651134

Claim:
An apparatus for helping to protect occupants seated next to each other in seating of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a first seatbelt for helping to protect an occupant seated in a first portion of the seating; a second seatbelt for helping to protect an occupant seated in a second portion of the seating, the second seating portion being positioned adjacent the first seating portion; and an anchor bracket for securing the first and second seatbelts in the vehicle, the anchor bracket comprising a first aperture for receiving the first seatbelt, a second aperture for receiving the second seatbelt, and a third aperture for receiving a fastener for securing the anchor bracket to the vehicle, the first, second, and third apertures being aligned along a longitudinal centerline of the anchor bracket, the first aperture helping to define a first seatbelt beam of the anchor bracket, the first seatbelt having a portion that extends around the first seatbelt beam to secure the first seatbelt to the anchor bracket, the second aperture helping to define a second seatbelt beam of the anchor bracket, the second seatbelt having a portion that extends around the second seatbelt beam to secure the second seatbelt to the anchor bracket, the anchor bracket including a first surface and a second surface, the first, second, and third apertures extending through the first and second surfaces, the first aperture being positioned between the second aperture and the third aperture.