Automatic safety belt apparatus for restraining the occupant sitting on the seat of a vehicle

Claim 2

An automatic safety belt apparatus for restraining the occupant sitting on a seat within a vehicle body having at least one door hingedly supported by the vehicle body for selectively opening and closing the doorway from the outside of the vehicle body toward the seat, which comprises; a. a flexible belt of suitable width having first and second ends, said first end of said belt being connected with the door, b. automatic winding means rigidly connected with said second end of said belt for forcibly winding up said belt thereby holding said belt under tension, c. stationary holding means comprising a holding member for holding a first substantially intermediate portion of said belt, and a buckle detachably engageable with said holding member and rigidly connected with a portion of the vehicle body, thereby permitting a first length of said belt between said first end and said first substantially intermediate portion of said belt to extend over the hip portion of the occupant for restraining the same when the occupant is sitting on the seat within the vehicle body with the door closed, d. movable holding means for holding a second substantially intermediate portion of said belt between said stationary holding means and said second end thereby providing a second length of said belt adaptable for restraining the shoulder portion of the occupant on the seat, said movable holding means being movable between releasing and fastening positions, said releasing position being located substantially obliquely, upwardly and forward of the occupant on the seat and said fastening position being substantially above the door and obliquely, upwardly, behind the occupant on the seat, e. motor means for effectuating the movement of said movable holding means between said releasing and fastening positions whereby, when said movable holding means is in said releasing position, said second length of said belt extends substantially obliquely, upwardly from said stationary holding means on one side of the hip portion of the occupant remote from the door and forwardly of the occupant and, when said movable holding means is in said fastening position, said second length of said belt extends obliquely from said stationary holding means across the chest portion and over the shoulder portion of the occupant on the other side of said occupant to fasten said chest portion and said shoulder portion, and f. guide means fixedly extending substantially above the occupant on the seat for guiding the movement of said movable holding means and providing said releasing and fastening positions for said movable holding means.

Claim 3

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first end of said belt is connected with the door at a position corresponding to one side of the hip portion of the occupant sitting on the seat and wherein said stationary holding means is connected with a portion of the vehicle body at a position corresponding to the other side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat.

Claim 4

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means is operable in response to the selective opening and closing of the door in such a way as to move said movable holding means to said fastening position, when the door is closed, thereby to automatically bring the belt into operative condition to fasten the occupant on the seat in the specified manner, and to move said movable holding means to said releasing position, when the door is opened, thereby to automatically bring the belt into inoperative condition to loosen the occupant on the seat.

Claim 5

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said automatic winding means is capable of locking said belt in operative condition to fasten the occupant on the seat in the specified manner when the vehicle meets an emergency situation with an excessively high external force sensed thereby.

Claim 6

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding member is provided with a slot through which said first substantially intermediate portion of said belt loosely extends, said buckle being rigidly connected with a portion of the vehicle body at a position substantially corresponding to one side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat without disturbing the movement of the belt through said slot, said first end of said belt being connected with the door at a position substantially corresponding to the other side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat.

Claim 7

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising connecting means disposed on the door adjacent to said first end of said belt and including; a movable holder having a slot through which a portion of said belt adjacent to said first end loosely extends; a guide rail of substantially a C-shaped channel having a clearance along which said movable holder is guided, said guide rail being rigidly secured to said door; another motor means for effectuating movement of said movable holder between first and second positions respectively adjacent to the both ends of said guide rail, said first position being located adjacent to the other side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat, said movable holder being moved to said second position when the door is opened thereby permitting said first length of said belt to extend across the front of the occupant without obstructing the doorway and without substantially disturbing the sitting and leaving of the occupant with respect to the seat and, when the door is closed with the occupant sitting on the seat, said movable holder being moved to said first position.

Claim 8

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said another motor means is operatively associated with the first mentioned motor means in such a way as to move said movable holder to said first position, when the door is closed, and to move said movable holder to said second position when said door is opened.

Claim 9

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said another motor means is of the same type as the first mentioned motor means.

Claim 10

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said guide rail is straight and has one end situated on the door at a position corresponding to the side of the hip portion of the occupant and the other end situated on the door at a position adjacent to the hinged edge of the door, said guide rail extending substantially obliquely and upwardly from said first position to said second position.

Claim 11

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further including another automatic winding means, said first end of said belt being rigidly connected with the door through said another automatic winding means.

Claim 12

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said guide means comprises a guide rail of substantially a C-shaped channel having a clearance along which said movable holding means is guided between said fastening and releasing position and wherein said motor means comprises a reversible motor, a drive roller rotatable by said motor in first and second directions about the axis of said drive roller and an idle roller, both of said rollers being respectively rotatably carried by said guide rail at both ends of said guide rail, and an endless belt movably suspended around both of said rollers, said movable holding means being carried by said endless belt whereby, when said drive roller is rotated in one direction, said movable holding means moves from said releasing position to said fastening position thereby causing the belt to fasten the occupant on the seat in the specified manner and, when said drive roller is rotated in the opposite direction, said movable holding means moves from said fastening position to said releasing position thereby causing the belt to release the occupant.

Claim 13

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said guide rail is curved to represent a substantially L-shaped configuration having first and second sections, said first section of said rail being secured to a portion of the vehicle body at a position upwardly and forwardly of the occupant on the seat while said second section is secured to another portion of the vehicle body, substantially above and along an upper edge of the door, and further comprising at least one fixed holder having a slot through which said belt loosely extends, said fixed holder being rigidly secured to said guide rail at an end portion of said guide rail adjacent to said fastening position of said movable holding means.

Claim 14

An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said motor is operable in response to the selective opening and closing of the door in such a way as to cause said drive roller to rotate in said one direction when the door is closed and in said opposite direction when the door is opened.

Claim 15

An automatic safety belt apparatus for restraining the occupant sitting on a seat within a vehicle body having at least one door hingedly supported by the vehicle body for selectively opening and closing the doorway from the outside of the vehicle body towards the seat, which comprises; a. a flexible belt of suitable width having first and second ends, b. first automatic winding means rigidly connected with said first end of said belt which is in turn attached to said vehicle door, c. second automatic winding means rigidly connected with said second end of said belt which is in turn attached to the vehicle roof, said first and second automatic winding means being in cooperative relation for forcibly winding up said belt thereby to hold said belt under tension, d. first movable holding means for holding a portion of said belt adjacent to said first end thereof, said first movable holding means being movable between first and second positions, e. stationary holding means comprising a holding member for holding a first substantially intermediate portion of said belt, and a buckle detachably engageable with said holding member and rigidly connected with a portion of the vehicle body, thereby permitting a first length of said belt between said first movable holding means and said stationary holding means to extend over the hip portion of the occupant sitting on the seat for restraining the hip portion when said first movable holding means is in said first position while the door is closed, said first length of said belt extending clear of the hip portion of the occupant when said first movable holding means is in said second position while the door is opened, without obstructing the doorway and without disturbing the sitting and leaving of the occupant with respect to the seat, f. first guide means secured to the door for guiding the movement of said first movable holding means between said first and second positions, g. first motor means for effectuating the movement of said first movable holding means between said first and second positions, h. second movable holding means for holding a second substantially intermediate portion of said belt between said stationary holding means and said second movable holding means thereby providing a second length of said belt adaptable for restraining the shoulder portion of the occupant on the seat, said second movable holding means being movable between releasing and fastening positions, said releasing position being located substantially obliquely upwardly and forward of the occupant on the seat and said fastening position being located substantially above the door and obliquely, upwardly behind the occupant on the seat, i. second guide means fixedly extending substantially above the occupant on the seat for guiding the movement of said second movable holding means and providing said releasing and fastening positions for said second movable holding means, j. second motor means for effectuating the movement of said second movable holding means between said releasing and fastening positions whereby, when said second movable holding means is in said releasing position, said second length of said belt extends substantially obliquely, upwardly from said stationary holding means on one side of the hip portion of the occupant remote from the door and forwardly of the occupant and, when said second movable holding means is in said fastening position, said second length of said belt extends obliquely from said stationary holding means across the chest portion and over the sholder portion of the occupant on the other side of said occupant to fasten said chest portion and said shoulder portion.

Claim 16

An automatic safety belt apparatus for restraining the occupant sitting on a seat within a vehicle body having at least one door hingedly supported by the vehicle body for selectively opening and closing the doorway from the outside of the vehicle body towards the seat, which comprises; a. a flexible belt of suitable width having first and second ends, b. first automatic winding means rigidly connected with said first end of said belt which is in turn attached to said vehicle door, c. second automatic winding means rigidly connected with said second end of said belt which is in turn attached to the vehicle roof, said first and second automatic winding means being in cooperative relation for forcibly winding up said belt thereby to hold said belt under tension, d. first movable holding means for holding a portion of said belt adjacent to said first end thereof, said first movable holding means being movable between first and second positions, e. stationary holding means comprising a holding member for holding a first substantially intermediate portion of said belt, and a buckle detachably engageable with said holding member and rigidly connected with a portion of the vehicle body, thereby permitting a first length of said belt between said first movable holding means and said stationary holding means to extend over the hip portion of the occupant sitting on the seat for restraining the hip portion when said first movable holding means is in said first position while the door is closed, said first length of said belt extending clear of the hip portion of the occupant when said first movable holding means is in said second position while the door is opened, without obstructing the doorway and without disturbing the sitting and leaving of the occupant with respect to the seat, f. first guide means secured to the door for guiding the movement of said first movable holding means between said first and second positions, g. first motor means for effectuating the movement of said first movable holding means between said first and second positions, h. second movable holding means for holding a second substantially intermediate portion of said belt between said stationary holding means and said second movable holding means thereby providing a second length of said belt adaptable for restraining the shoulder portion of the occupant on the seat, said second movable holding means being movable between releasing and fastening positions, said releasing position being located substantially obliquely upwardly and forward of the occupant on the seat and said fastening position being located substantially above the door and obliquely, upwardly behind the occupant on the seat, i. second guide means fixedly extending substantially above the occupant on the seat for guiding the movement of said second movable holding means and providing said releasing and fastening positions for said second movable holding means, j. second motor means for effectuating the movement of said second movable holding means between said releasing and fastening positions whereby, when said second movable holding means is in said releasing position, said second length of said belt extends substantially obliquely, upwardly from said stationary holding means on one side of the hip portion of the occupant remote from the door and forwardly of the occupant and, when said second movable holding means is in said fastening position, said second length of said belt extends obliquely from said stationary holding means across the chest portion and over the sholder portion of the occupant on the other side of said occupant to fasten said chest portion and said shoulder portion.

Claim 17

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of said first and second automatic winding means is capable of locking said belt in operative condition to fasten the occupant on the seat in the specified manner when the vehicle meets an emergency situation with an excessively high external force sensed thereby.

Claim 18

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the holding member is provided with a slot through which said first substantially intermediate portion of said belt loosely extends, said buckle being rigidly connected with a portion of the vehicle body at a position substantially corresponding to the side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat without distrubing the movement of the belt through said slot, said first automatic winding means being secured to the door at a position substantially corresponding to the other side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat.

Claim 19

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first automatic winding means is secured to the door at a position substantially corresponding to the other side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat.

Claim 20

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first guide means comprises a guide rail of substantially a C-shaped channel having a clearance along which said first movable holding means is guided between said first and second positions, said guide rail being rigidly secured to the door and having one end situated adjacent to said first automatic winding means and at a position substantially corresponding to the other side of the hip portion of the occupant on the seat and the other end situated at a position adjacent to the hinged edge of the door, said guide rail extending substantially obliquely and upwardly from said first position to said second position, and wherein said first motor means comprises a reversible motor, a drive roller rotatable by said motor in first and second directions about the axis of said drive roller and an idle roller, both of said rollers being respectively rotatably carried by said guide rail at both ends of said guide rail, and an endless belt movably suspended around both of said rollers, said first movable holding means being carried by said endless belt whereby, when said drive roller is rotated in said first direction, said first movable holding means moves to said first position thereby causing the belt to fasten the occupant on the seat in the specified manner and, when said drive roller is rotated in said second direction counter to said first direction, said first movable holding means moves to said second position thereby causing the belt to release the occupant.

Claim 21

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second guide means comprises a guide rail of substantially a C-shaped channel having a clearance along which said second movable holding means is guided between said fastening and releasing positions, said guide rail being curved to represent a substantially L-shaped configuration having first and second sections, said first section of said rail being secured to a portion of the vehicle body at a position upwardly and forward of the occupant on the seat while said second section is secured to another portion of the vehicle body, substantially above and along an upper edge of the door, and wherein said second motor means comprises a reversible motor, a drive roller rotatable by said motor in first and second directions about the axis of said drive roller and an idle roller, both of said rollers being respectively rotatably carried by said guide rail at both ends of said guide rail, and an endless belt movably suspended around both of said rollers, said second movable holding means being carried by said endless belt, whereby, when said drive roller is rotated in the first direction, said second movable holding means moves from said releasing position to said fastening position thereby causing the belt to fasten the occupant on the seat in the specified manner and, when said drive roller is rotated in said second direction counter to said first direction, said movable holding means moves from said fastening position to said releasing position thereby causing the belt to release the occupant.

Claim 22

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first and second motor means are both operable in response to the selective opening and closing of the door and in synchronism with respect to each other in such a way as to move said first and second movable holding means to said first and fastening positions, when the door is closed, thereby to automatically bring the belt into operative condition to fasten the occupant on the seat in the specified manner and to move said first and second movable holding means to said second and releasing positions, when the door is opened, thereby to automatically bring the belt into inoperative condition to loosen the occupant on the seat, respectively.

Claim 23

An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said guide rail has one end situated adjacent to said second automatic winding means and rigidly provided with a fixed holder having a slot through which a portion of said belt, adjacent to the second end thereof, loosely extends.