GB2235361A

GB2235361A - Seat belt presenter

Info

Publication number: GB2235361A
Application number: GB8919587A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard James Foster
Original assignee: BSRD Ltd
Current assignee: BSRD Ltd
Priority date: 1989-08-30
Filing date: 1989-08-30
Publication date: 1991-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2009-08-30
Also published as: GB8919587D0; GB2235361B

Abstract

A retractable vehicle safety belt arrangement has a fall 8 of webbing between a slider point 4 and an anchorage 10 carried by a vehicle B-post 5 rearward of the respective seat 2, and a motor driven presenter located in said B-post comprises a flexible cable 17 with a tubular member 18 carrying a retractable hook-like element 9. When the seat becomes occupied the cable 17 is extended as shown so that element 9 engages the fall 8 of the webbing and carries it forward for convenient handling by the occupant of the seat. <IMAGE>

Description

SEAT BELT PRESENTER This invention relates to improvements to seat belt arrangements of motor vehicles and relates more particularly to a presenter for a seat belt.

In motor vehicles in generai it is ow a requirement for the vehicle builder to fit seat helps or use by front and rear seat occupants. In the case at @ront seats it is common practice to fit lap and diagonai seat belts provided with suitable spring loaded retractcr The retractors usually are arranged in or near the centre dooi LJ11 lar such that after use the belt returns to a neat but readily accessible stowage portion against the pillar. However in the case of twodoor vehicles in which access C occasional rear seats is provided via front passenger doors, the pillar or so called B post is located appreciably aft of the front seats.This renders the front seat belts comparatively inaccessible to the front seat occupants, who may therefore be tempted not to use them or at least will have di: ficulty in so doing. More accessible or convenient stowage of the front seat belts would however result in the partial obstruction of the door aperture.

The present invention seeks to reduce the above shortcoming by providing in a vehicle a seat @@@@ presenter operable to transport a stowed seat be] I to convenient handling position for the occupant.

According to the present invention ter is provided in a vehicle a seat belt arrangement @@@@ upper and lower locating points a retractable seat belt tne fall of webbing of which when retracted stowes in a retracted position between said points away from the occupant of the respective seat and a presenter comprising a flexible member capable of movement between a first retracted position on movement from which it is engageable with said fall of webbing and a second presenting position whereat it carries said fall of webbing towards the occupant and motor means operable to effect said movement.

Preferably said flexible member comprises a tubular element slideable in an outer sheath to be extendible therefrom between said positions, by a motor driven cable.

Preferably, said flexible member carries a hook-like element for engaging the fall of webbing and which is retractable within said sheath in the first position.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1, illustrates in broken lines the interior of a car body with a front seat webbing seat belt presenter arrangement in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2, illustrates a typical mounting of electric motor means and Fig. 3, illustrates on an enlarged scale a part sectional view of a presenter.

Referring to Fig. 1, the vehicle is a two-door vehicle the left-hand front door being indicated by reference 1 is adjacent to front seat 2 provided with a lap and diagonal type seat belt. The seat belt has a webbing retractor, 3 within the rear trim,a pivotally mounted slider point 4 at approximately shoulder height on the B post 5 and a floormounted slider bar 6. The belt webbing 7 comes off the reel of retractor 3 through an aperture 11 and the slider point 4, the fall 8 of webbing carrying a adjustable buckling tongue 9 and terminating in a loop 10 which embraces a slider bar 6. In the stowed or retracted position, the fall 8 rests as indicated in Fig. 1(a) adDacenx the B-post in conventional manner.A few inches rearward of tne fall of webbing a blister 12 is provided in the interior trim through which the outward end 13 of a presenter is stowed and is extendable in such a way as to engage the fall 8 of webbing and partially withdraw it forward towards the vicinity of an occupants left elbow, as shown in Fig. 1(b) for convenient handling and manual insertion into a buckle (not shown), securely mounted at the centre of the vehicle, typically on the transmission tunnel.

The presenter comprises a fixed uvular casing indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 by reference 15, conccal.ed behind the body trim in the rear compartment and leading to a reversible electric drive unit 16 such as illustrsltecss in ig. 3, located within the rear quarter of the vehicle, te be accessible behind suitable trim in the boot. The drive unit is a combined motor and gear box which drives a small conical drum. The drum thereby serves to extend or withdraw an inner flexible cable 17.

The outer-most section of the cauls 17 which carries the presenter end 13 carries a nylon tubjlr part 18 the outer end of which is fixed to the cable and to a pivotable end fixture comprising a short swinging arm 19 with integral end button 20.

The arm 19 is spring biassed to swing into the position shown in Fig. 3 when the cable is extended but when the cable is withdrawn by the drive unit the @@@@@ar part 18 together with the end fixture are withdrawn lntc te casing 15 so that the arm 19 is pulled into alignment with the dasing and is stowed concealed therein with only the end button 20 visible at the forward end of the trim blister. ncn driven out of the sheath from the stowed position 19 springs into a position shown in Fig. 3 such as to pick -, and carry forward the fall 8 of webbing as already indicated, for convenient handling by the seat occupant.Guide peg 22 locates in longitudinal groove 23 of the tube 18 to maintain alignment in the outer tube 15.

The motor unit may be constructed in a manner generally already known for retractable radio aerials or for passive seat belt systems and need not be described in greater detail herein.

However the tubular part which is together with the end fixture extendible, whilst sufficiently rigid to positively carry the fall of webbing forward, is so sufficiently flexible that it will neither inflict injury to the occupant or suffer damage resulting from accidental abuse such as bending.

The motor drive unit is typically arranged to be energised following a brief interval of (say) 5 seconds after occupation of the respective seat and can be readily activated by existing seat belt warning logic. Alternatively, special control logic may be applied if required by particul.ar vehicle builders.

It will be understood that whilst the seat belt presenter described herein is designed to be reliable, any failure thereof will not prevent use of the seat belt albeit with the inconvenience incurred if he presenter becomes inoperative.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A vehicle seat belt arr.ngement having upper and lower locating points, a retractable seat belt the fall of webbing of which when retracted stows in a retracted position between said points away from the occupant of the respective seat and a presenter comprising a flexible member capable of movement between a first retracted position on movement from which it is engageable with said fall of webbing and a second presenting position whereat it presents said fall of webbing closer to the occupant and motor means operable to effect said movement.

2. A vehicle seat belt arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flexible member comprises a tubular element slideable in an outer sheath to be extendible therefrom and retractable thereto between said positions by a cable driveable by said motor means.

3. A vehicle seat belt arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said flexible member carries a hooklike element for engaging said fall of webbing said element being retractable within said sheath in said first position.

4. A vehicle seat belt arrangement as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 installed in a B > post of an automobile.

5. A vehicle seat belt arrangement as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 said motor means being installed or adapted for installation in the rearward luggage compartment of the vehicle.