Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
232 words
An inflatable seat belt for restraining movement of an occupant in a vehicle, comprising: a webbing attached to the vehicle and extending for restraining movement of the occupant; an inflatable portion formed over a part of the webbing and contacting the occupant when the webbing is worn, said inflatable portion including a cylindrical skirt disposed on one side of the webbing and formed of a heat resisting material; a filter directly attached to and completely surrounding the skirt; an elastic inflatable tube having an elongated shape and completely surrounding the webbing and the filter containing the skirt, said elastic inflatable tube having heat resistance and being fixed to the webbing; and a knitted member in a flat form and connected to the webbing to cover the entire inflatable tube, said knitted member having an elasticity in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the webbing; a tongue fixed to the skirt and having a gas flow path therein; and a buckle attached to the vehicle and engagable to the tongue, said buckle having a port to supply hot gas to the inflatable portion through the gas flow path of the tongue, said hot gas flowing through the skirt and passing through the filter to lower temperature of the hot gas so that the inflatable tube is inflated by the gas while the knitted member is expanded by enlargement of the tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
232 words
An inflatable seat belt for restraining movement of an occupant in a vehicle, comprising: a webbing attached to the vehicle and extending for restraining movement of the occupant; an inflatable portion formed over a part of the webbing and contacting the occupant when the webbing is worn, said inflatable portion including a cylindrical skirt disposed on one side of the webbing and formed of a heat resisting material; a filter directly attached to and completely surrounding the skirt; an elastic inflatable tube having an elongated shape and completely surrounding the webbing and the filter containing the skirt, said elastic inflatable tube having heat resistance and being fixed to the webbing; and a knitted member in a flat form and connected to the webbing to cover the entire inflatable tube, said knitted member having an elasticity in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the webbing; a tongue fixed to the skirt and having a gas flow path therein; and a buckle attached to the vehicle and engagable to the tongue, said buckle having a port to supply hot gas to the inflatable portion through the gas flow path of the tongue, said hot gas flowing through the skirt and passing through the filter to lower temperature of the hot gas so that the inflatable tube is inflated by the gas while the knitted member is expanded by enlargement of the tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An inflatable seat belt according to claim 1, wherein said inflatable portion formed of the skirt, the filter, the inflatable tube and the knitted member is a laminated and not folded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
An inflatable seat belt according to claim 2, wherein said inflatable portion further includes a non-expandable cover for covering the knitted member, said cover being sewn by a thread along the longitudinal direction of the webbing so that when the inflatable tube is inflated, the thread is torn to allow the inflatable tube to inflate easily.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An inflatable seat belt according to claim 3, wherein said skirt has a length of about one third of the length of the filter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
An inflatable seat belt according to claim 4, wherein said inflatable portion further includes an end fitting situated inside the skirt and a caulking fitting situated over the cover to sandwich the skirt, the filter, the inflatable tube and the knitted member therebetween, said tongue passing through the end fitting and the caulking fitting.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
An inflatable seat belt according to claim 5, wherein said elastic inflatable tube is made of silicone rubber.