Patent ID: 6951350

Claim:
A seat belt device for protecting the occupant of a vehicle comprising: a tongue fitting having an eyelet formed therein, said tongue fitting adapted to be received by a seat belt buckle attached to said vehicle; a seat belt retractor attached to said vehicle; a seat belt comprising a flexible fabric tube having a first end attached to said vehicle, a second end attached to said seat belt retractor, and a medial portion passing through said eyelet formed in said tongue fitting, said seat belt forming a three point restraint including a lap portion extending from said first end to said tongue fitting and a torso portion extending from said tongue fitting toward said seat belt retractor; an inflatable air bag member disposed within said seat belt, said inflatable air bag member extending within said seat belt from a first end proximal said first end of said flexible fabric tube to a second end within said torso portion of said seat belt; a reinforcing sleeve, said reinforcing sleeve comprising a flexible fabric sleeve having a closed end and an open end, said reinforcing sleeve forming an annular layer between said inflatable air bag member and said flexible fabric tube, said reinforcing sleeve extending from said closed end proximal said first end of said flexible fabric tube to said open end within said torso portion of said seat belt; and an inflator fluidly connected with said inflatable air bag member for providing a source of pressurized gas for inflating said inflatable air bag member.