Patent ID: 7011338

Claim:
A seatbelt device comnrising: a seatbelt fastening detector that detects that a tongue plate, through which a seatbelt for securing an occupant to a seat passes, has been engaged with a buckle; a collision predictor that predicts a collision of a vehicle and outputs a prediction signal before said collision; a collision detector that detects said collision of the vehicle and outputs a collision detection signal; an airbag device that deploys in response to the output of said collision detection signal; an airbar activation detector that detects said activation of said airbag device and outputs an airbag activation signal; a first tension modifier and a second tension modifier that change the tension of the seatbelt; and a controller that is programmed to activate the first tension modifier in response to said prediction signal and to enhance said tension of the seatbelt, and to activate the second tension modifier in response to said airbag activation signal and further to enhance said tension of the seatbelt, wherein said airbag activation detector outputs said airbag activation signal when a current supplied to an igniter for activating the airbag exceeds a prescribed current value, or when the temperature of said igniter exceeds a prescribed value.