Patent ID: 7644952

Claim:
A seat belt restraint system for a person seated in a seat of a vehicle comprising: a first anchor, a seat belt having a first portion secured to the first anchor, said seat belt extending from one side of the seated person across the seated person's body to a second anchor at an opposite side of the seated person to which a second portion of the belt is secured, a belt retention device operable, when actuated in response to a sudden, rapid deceleration of the vehicle, to grip the belt between said anchors at a point of engagement adjacent to said one side of the seated person to cooperate with the second anchor in taking up any slack in a section of the belt between the point of engagement and the second anchor and also maintaining such section of the belt tightly engaged across the person's body; an operating mechanism for actuating the belt retention device that moves said belt retention device from a passive, non-belt gripping position to a position gripping the belt; wherein said retention device comprises a puller, and a cincher cooperable with said puller in the gripping of the belt; wherein said cincher is mounted on said puller for movement relative to said puller between the non-belt gripping position and the position gripping the belt; and wherein said puller and said cincher have overlapping openings through which the belt passes, in the non-belt gripping position of the retention device the overlapping openings are in substantial alignment, in the position grinning the belt the openings are slightly out of alignment to grip the belt.