Patent US5201385A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5201385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Seat belt actuated by antilock brake system
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
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Filing: 1990-07-26
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Granted: 1993-04-13
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Expires: 2010-07-26
Abstract
Abstract A motor vehicle is equipped with an occupant seat belt system including a belt retractor having associated control mechanism such as a reel locking mechanism, a tension relieving mechanism, and/or a belt tensioning mechanism. The onset of a incipient wheel lock up condition sensed by the antilock brake system triggers the retractor associated mechanism so that restraint of the occupant is initiated in response to wheel condition independent of actuation by a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan L. Browne
- 👤 Jenne-Tai Wang
- 👤 Yuen-Kwok Chin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:13
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; B60R21/013; B60R22/00; B60R22/34; B60R22/343; B60R22/44; B60R22/46; B60R22/4671; B60T; B60T8/00; B60R2021/01311; B60R2022/4666; B60R2022/468
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means actuating the seat belt retractor to initiate occupant restraint in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means actuating the seat belt retractor to initiate occupant restraint in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
129 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means actuating the seat belt retractor to initiate occupant restraint in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock, and time delay means effective to maintain the signal generated by the signal generating means for a predetermined time after cessation of the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock to thereby maintain the actuation of the seat belt retractor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
129 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means actuating the seat belt retractor to initiate occupant restraint in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock, and time delay means effective to maintain the signal generated by the signal generating means for a predetermined time after cessation of the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock to thereby maintain the actuation of the seat belt retractor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: spring means associated with the retractor and acting to wind the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant, tension relieving means acting to hold the belt at a slackened condition against the effort of the spring means and being releasable to restore the winding effort of the spring means, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means releasing the tension relieving means so that occupant restraint is initiated by the spring means rewinding the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: spring means associated with the retractor and acting to wind the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant, tension relieving means acting to hold the belt at a slackened condition against the effort of the spring means and being releasable to restore the winding effort of the spring means, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means releasing the tension relieving means so that occupant restraint is initiated by the spring means rewinding the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: retractor locking means locking the retractor against belt unwinding so that the occupant is restrained, vehicle deceleration sensing means associated with the retractor locking means and locking the retractor in response to vehicle deceleration, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of wheel lock condition, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means locking the retractor locking means independent of the condition of the vehicle deceleration sensing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: retractor locking means locking the retractor against belt unwinding so that the occupant is restrained, vehicle deceleration sensing means associated with the retractor locking means and locking the retractor in response to vehicle deceleration, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of wheel lock condition, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means locking the retractor locking means independent of the condition of the vehicle deceleration sensing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: retractor locking means locking the retractor against belt unwinding so that the occupant is restrained, vehicle deceleration sensing means associated with the retractor locking means and locking the retractor in response to vehicle deceleration, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of wheel lock condition, means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means locking the retractor locking means independent of the condition of the vehicle deceleration sensing means, and time delay means effective to maintain the signal generated by the signal generating means for a predetermined time after cessation of the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock to thereby maintain the actuation of the seat belt retractor for a predetermined time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: retractor locking means locking the retractor against belt unwinding so that the occupant is restrained, vehicle deceleration sensing means associated with the retractor locking means and locking the retractor in response to vehicle deceleration, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system generating a signal indicative of wheel lock condition, means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means locking the retractor locking means independent of the condition of the vehicle deceleration sensing means, and time delay means effective to maintain the signal generated by the signal generating means for a predetermined time after cessation of the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock to thereby maintain the actuation of the seat belt retractor for a predetermined time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: spring means associated with the retractor and acting to wind the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant, tensioning means actuatable to further tension and wind the belt about the occupant, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system adapted to generate a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means actuating the tensioning means so that occupant restraint is initiated by the tensioning means winding the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a vehicle having an antilock brake system which senses a condition of incipient wheel lock and a seat belt retractor actuatable to initiate occupant restraint in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration, the improvement comprising: spring means associated with the retractor and acting to wind the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant, tensioning means actuatable to further tension and wind the belt about the occupant, signal generating means associated with the antilock brake system adapted to generate a signal indicative of sensation of a condition of incipient wheel lock, and means responsive to the signal generated by the signal generating means actuating the tensioning means so that occupant restraint is initiated by the tensioning means winding the belt to a tensioned condition about the occupant in response to the sensed condition of incipient wheel lock.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-12 | 1996-10-12 | 1997-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-12 | 2000-10-12 | 2001-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-12 | 2004-10-12 | 2005-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |