Patent US2067966A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3926385A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3926385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Retractable safety belts
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1974-03-18
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Granted: 1975-12-16
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Expires: 1994-03-18
Abstract
Abstract Retractable safety belt apparatus in which a strap is extended from a reel to a selected length and in which the apparatus is thereafter locked automatically to prevent further extension of the strap. Disclosed are: various mechanisms for controlling the operation of the extension-preventing device, including mechanisms driven by the reel and mechanisms responsive to strap tension; different types of strap claimps which open automatically during retraction of the strap and close automatically after desired extension of the strap, including a slider clamp and a clamp with a unidirectionally rotating clamp element; mechanisms which facilitate retraction of the strap; a mechanism which temporarily disables the extension-preventing device to permit the user to lengthen the belt after it has been fastened; and a belt fastener which ensures by a over-movement of fastener elements that the extended strap will always retract a bit after the belt is fastened.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard G Board
- 👤 Nelson H Shapiro
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:15
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R22/00; B60R22/34; B60R22/347; B60R22/35; B60R22/353; B60R2022/3475
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A retractable seat belt comprising a retraction reel, a strap connected to said reel for retraction and extension, clamp means for preventing extension of said strap, said clamp means comprising a pair of clamp elements, one of said elements being movable relative to the other, said one element comprising a slider, said strap being trained from said reel between said clamp elements and around said slider reversely whereby tension in said strap exerts a force upon said slider tending to move said one clamp element toward the other, means responsive to the amount of strap wound upon said reel for moving said one clamp element away from the other, and means for maintaining said one clamp element away from the other until said strap is extended to a desired length.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A retractable seat belt comprising a retraction reel, a strap connected to said reel for retraction and extension, clamp means for preventing extension of said strap, said clamp means comprising a pair of clamp elements, one of said elements being movable relative to the other, said one element comprising a slider, said strap being trained from said reel between said clamp elements and around said slider reversely whereby tension in said strap exerts a force upon said slider tending to move said one clamp element toward the other, means responsive to the amount of strap wound upon said reel for moving said one clamp element away from the other, and means for maintaining said one clamp element away from the other until said strap is extended to a desired length.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The retractable seat belt of claim 1, further comprising guide means for guiding said strap between said clamp elements in a direction transverse to the movement of said slider, said slider having a roller around which said strap is trained.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The retractable seat belt of claim 1, the last-mentioned means comprising a lever arranged for pivotal movement about a fulcrum, said lever being coupled to said slider adjacent to said fulcrum, and means responsive to movement of said reel for engaging said lever remote from said fulcrum and turning it to move said slider.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The retractable seat belt of claim 1, the last-mentioned means comprising a sector driven by said reel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The retractable seat belt of claim 1, further comprising bias means for urging said one clamp element away from said other clamp element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
In a retractable seat belt, retraction means, a strAp connected to said retraction means for retraction and extension, clamp means for preventing extension of said strap, means for rendering said clamp means ineffective until said strap is extended to a selected length and for thereafter rendering said clamp means effective to prevent extension of said strap, said retraction means tending to retract said strap when said strap has been extended to said selected length, and means for temporarily rendering said clamp means and said retraction means ineffective after said strap has been extended to said desired length, whereby said strap may be further extended without retraction, and for thereafter rendering said clamp means and said retraction means effective again whereby said strap will be automatically retracted to said selected length.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
130 words
In a retractable seat belt, retraction means, a strAp connected to said retraction means for retraction and extension, clamp means for preventing extension of said strap, means for rendering said clamp means ineffective until said strap is extended to a selected length and for thereafter rendering said clamp means effective to prevent extension of said strap, said retraction means tending to retract said strap when said strap has been extended to said selected length, and means for temporarily rendering said clamp means and said retraction means ineffective after said strap has been extended to said desired length, whereby said strap may be further extended without retraction, and for thereafter rendering said clamp means and said retraction means effective again whereby said strap will be automatically retracted to said selected length.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The seat belt of claim 6, the last-mentioned means comprising pawl and ratchet means temporarily engageable to prevent retractile movement of said retraction means and means for opening said clamp means concurrently with the engagement of said pawl and ratchet means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
136 words
A retractable seat belt comprising retraction means, a strap connected to said retraction means for retraction and extension, said strap having a fastener member at a free end thereof, a mating fastener member adapted to engage the first-mentioned fastener member to place said belt in user-restraining position means for preventing extension of said strap, means for rendering said extension-preventing means ineffective while said strap is being extended to a desired length, means responsive to retractile movement of said strap thereafter for rendering said preventing means effective, and means associated with said fastener members for causing at least a portion of the first-mentioned fastener member to move in an extending direction beyond said user restraining position in order to engage the mating fastener member and thereafter to move in a retracting direction to provide said retractile movement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
136 words
A retractable seat belt comprising retraction means, a strap connected to said retraction means for retraction and extension, said strap having a fastener member at a free end thereof, a mating fastener member adapted to engage the first-mentioned fastener member to place said belt in user-restraining position means for preventing extension of said strap, means for rendering said extension-preventing means ineffective while said strap is being extended to a desired length, means responsive to retractile movement of said strap thereafter for rendering said preventing means effective, and means associated with said fastener members for causing at least a portion of the first-mentioned fastener member to move in an extending direction beyond said user restraining position in order to engage the mating fastener member and thereafter to move in a retracting direction to provide said retractile movement.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a retractable seat belt and the like having a strap adapted to be extended and retracted, clamping means for preventing extension of said strap, said clamping means comprising a pair of clamp elements, one of said elements being movable toward and away from the other of said elements, said strap being trained between said elements and around said one element, said one element being supported for rotation in at least one direction when said one element is away from the other element, and means for preventing rotation of said one element in a direction corresponding to extensile movement of said strap when said elements are brought together to clamp said strap.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a retractable seat belt and the like having a strap adapted to be extended and retracted, clamping means for preventing extension of said strap, said clamping means comprising a pair of clamp elements, one of said elements being movable toward and away from the other of said elements, said strap being trained between said elements and around said one element, said one element being supported for rotation in at least one direction when said one element is away from the other element, and means for preventing rotation of said one element in a direction corresponding to extensile movement of said strap when said elements are brought together to clamp said strap.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 9, said one element comprising a roller and said preventing means comprising a ratchet wheel attached to said roller and a pawl adapted to engage said ratchet wheel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 10, said pawl being supported for movement with said one element toward and away from said other element and permitting rotation of said roller in said one direction only.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 11, said ratchet wheel being supported for movement toward and away from said pawl as said roller moves toward and away from said other element and being located for engagement with said pawl when said roller is adjacent to said other element and for preventing extensile rotation of said ratchet wheel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 9, said one element being supported for pivotal movement toward and away from said other element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 9, said one element being supported for reciprocative movement toward and away from said other element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-15 | 1979-06-16 | 1979-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-15 | 1983-06-16 | 1983-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-15 | 1987-06-16 | 1987-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |