US4039224A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safety belt positioning apparatus
Assignee: Volkswagen AG
•
Filing: 1976-05-17
•
Granted: 1977-08-02
•
Expires: 1996-05-17
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for positioning a vehicle safety belt, particularly a shoulder belt, includes a locking mechanism with multiple locking positions. Upon activation, the apparatus positions a safety belt around a vehicle passenger and the belt is retained in one of the locking positions according to the size of the passenger. The locking position is determined by the angle between the safety belt and a horizontal line.
Inventors
- 👤 Andreas Bauer
- 👤 Erwin Bluggel
- 👤 Heinz Henning
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:27
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R22/00; B60R22/04; B60R22/06; B60R22/18; B60R22/20; B60R22/206
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
Apparatus for automatically positioning a vehicle safety belt, comprising: a track mounted to said vehicle; a carriage, movably arranged on said track; retaining means, pivotably mounted on said carriage, for holding an end of said safety belt; means for automatically moving said carriage in said track between a passenger release position and a plurality of passenger restraining positions; and means, responsive to rotation of said retaining means by said safety belt, for locking said carriage in a selected one of said restraining positions upon attainment of a selected angle between said belt and a horizontal line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
Apparatus for automatically positioning a vehicle safety belt, comprising: a track mounted to said vehicle; a carriage, movably arranged on said track; retaining means, pivotably mounted on said carriage, for holding an end of said safety belt; means for automatically moving said carriage in said track between a passenger release position and a plurality of passenger restraining positions; and means, responsive to rotation of said retaining means by said safety belt, for locking said carriage in a selected one of said restraining positions upon attainment of a selected angle between said belt and a horizontal line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a plurality of stops and wherein there is provided a locking element mounted to said pivotable retaining means, said locking element engaging said stops on attainment of a predetermined angle between said carriage and said retaining means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 2 wherein there is provided a spring for restoring said retaining means to a selected angle with respect to said slide carriage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said safety belt is stiffened in a portion adjacent said retaining means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 4 wherein said safety belt portion is stiffened by doubling the fabric ply of the safety belt and inserting a stiffening member between the fabric plys.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein there is provided a belt lock interconnecting said safety belt and said retaining means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein there is provided a hinge on said retaining means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a rectangular box-like housing having a slot arranged along a selected side and having a plurality of stops arranged in pairs within said housing on opposite sides of said slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 8 wherein the stops in each of said pairs are offset with respect to each other along said slot and are provided with upper and lower locking surfaces which are inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to said slot.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 8 wherein said retaining means is provided with a locking element, arranged to pass between said stops on said locking means in an unlocking position and arranged to engage said stops when said retaining means is rotated with respect to said carriage by a selected angle from said unlocking position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 10 wherein said locking element comprises a polygon having a first pair of locking surfaces, substantially parallel to each other and parallel to said slot in said unlocking position, and a second pair of parallel locking surfaces, formed at an angle with respect to said first pair of locking surfaces, a selected locking surface from each of said pairs engaging said stops when said retaining means is rotated to a locked position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 3 wherein said carriage and said retaining means are provided with mutually interacting annular ring sectors for limiting the rotation of said retaining means between first and second limiting positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein said spring rotates said retaining means to an unlocking position, comprising one of the limiting positions of said interacting ring sectors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1258697A
Cited
US3583726A
Cited
US3526431A
Cited
US3618975A
Cited
US3740094A
Cited
US3833239A
Cited
US3830518A
Cited
US3807523A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-01 | 1981-01-31 | 1981-08-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-01 | 1985-01-31 | 1985-08-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-01 | 1989-01-31 | 1989-08-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |