GB2402653A

GB2402653A - Fitting for a seat-belt

Info

Publication number: GB2402653A
Application number: GB0313509A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Katarina Bohman; Land Yngve H
Original assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Current assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Priority date: 2003-06-11
Filing date: 2003-06-11
Publication date: 2004-12-15
Also published as: GB0313509D0

Abstract

A seatbelt fitting for use by a pregnant woman comprises a net, web,or sheet 10 attached by hook and loop style fastenings 16,17 to the diagonal and lap portions of a three point seatbelt. The fitting may be attached directly to the diagonal and lap portions, as shown in figure 3, or looped around them and attached to itself. The fitting may also include a hand inflated pad, to cushion the passenger, and a further under seat restraint, to maintain the lap portion of the belt in the correct position. The fitting is intended to reduce the pressure applied to the abdomen by the traditional narrow belt.

Description

PATENTS ACT 1977 P17693GB-NF/jsd

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A FITTING FOR A SEAT- BELT AND A SEAT-BELT INCORPORATING THE FITTING" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a fitting for a seat-belt and a seat- belt arrangement incorporating such a fitting. In particular the invention relates to a seat-belt fitting for use by pregnant women.

During a typical year there are a large number of motor vehicle accidents involving pregnant women. In many cases the woman herself may sustain only minor injuries or no injuries at all, whilst the injuries sustained by the foetus and/or placenta may be sufficient as to cause foetus loss.

During the final weeks of pregnancy the combined mass of the placenta and foetus may be in excess of 9 kilograms. A conventional seat-belt, of the "lap-and-diagonal" form will, if properly worn, not extend across the abdomen in front of the placenta or uterus. The lap strap should be worn across the hips, passing beneath the abdomen and the diagonal strap should pass above the abdomen. Even if one of the straps should pass across the abdomen, the force that would thus apply to the placenta and uterus during an accident situation by the relatively narrow strap may itself cause an injury.

Motor vehicle manufacturers do not wish to provide seat-belts which are "specific" for pregnant women, even though such seat-belts have been proposed before.

The present invention seeks to provide a fitting which may be used with a seat-belt to provide protection for a pregnant woman in an accident situation, and a seat-belt arrangement which incorporates such a fitting.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a fitting for a seat-belt, the fitting comprising an element formed of fabric, netting or the like, the element presenting a lower edge and an upper edge, the upper edge being inclined relative to the lower edge, the lower edge and the upper edge each being provided with a respective fastening for use in fastening the element to a lap-and-diagonal safety-belt.

Preferably the lower edge is provided with a fastening in the form of a strip of hook-and-loop material, and the upper edge is provided with a fastening in the form of a strip of hook-and-loop material.

Conveniently a region of the fitting is provided with a load-distributing element.

Preferably the load-distributing element is in the form of an inflatable cushion.

Advantageously the cushion is associated with a hand-actuated pump.

Conveniently the fitting is provided with a lap belt retainer.

Preferably the lap belt retainer includes a member extending from the lower edge of the element and means to secure the member in a predetermined position.

Advantageously the means to secure the member in a predetermined position comprise a plate to be located on the squab of a seat and a swap connected to the plate.

Conveniently the element is provided with additional fastenings adapted to engage the said fastenings provided at the lower edge and the upper edge so that the lower edge may be folded and fastened to an intermediate part of the fabric to form a sleeve, and the upper edge of the fitting may be folded with the fastening connected to the element to form another sleeve.

The invention also provides a seat-belt arrangement, the seat-belt arrangement including a lap strap and a diagonal swap, and also incorporating a fitting as described above, the fitting being connected to the lap swap and the diagonal swap so that the lower-most edge of the fitting is connected to the lap snap, and the upper-most of the fitting is connected to the diagonal strap.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE I is a perspective view of a vehicle seat, with a seat occupant, with the occupant wearing a lap-and-diagonal seat-belt for use with a fitting in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 is a view of one form of fitting in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the fitting of Figure 2 in place, FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the seat-belt arrangement incorporating the seat-belt and fitting as shown in Figure 3, FIGURE 5 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 4 showing a modified embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 6 is a view of a modified fitting for use in the invention, FIGURE 7 is a view of another modified fitting for use in the invention, FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat showing the fitting of Figure 7 in position.

Referring initially to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a vehicle seat 1 having a squab 2 and back-rest 3 is illustrated, the seat being occupied by an occupant 4. The occupant is wearing a conventional seatbelt incorporating a lap strap 5 and a diagonal strap 6. Part of the lap strap 5 extending across the hips of the seat occupant is provided with a fastening element 7 in the form of a strip of hook-and-loop material such as that sold under the Registered Trade Mark VELCRO and the diagonal strap 6 is provided with a similar fastening element 8 in the region where the diagonal strap 6 passes across the chest of the seat occupant 4. The fastenings are on the side of the belt, in each case, which is closest to the seat occupant.

A fitting 10 for use with the seat-belt of Figure 1 is illustrated in Figure 2. The fitting 10 is formed of fabric or may be in the form of a net. The fabric may be a fabric such as is used for the manufacture of an air-bag, but any appropriate fabric may be used. The fabric may have a slight degree of "stretch" which may provide desirable load-limiting properties, but the degree of stretch of the fabric should be limited.

The element 10 is of generally trapezoidal form. The element has a lower edge formed of two portions, the first portion 11 being shown inclined is upwardly towards the left from a substantially central point, and the adjacent portion 12 being shown inclined upwardly towards the right from the said point.

The element has a relatively short side edge 13 at the left-hand side and a much longer side edge 14 at the right-hand side. The upper-most edge 15 is inclined.

Figure 2 shows specific dimensions for one embodiment of the invention, but these dimensions are given merely by way of example.

A first fastening element 16 in the form of a strip of hook-and-loop material such as sold under the Registered Trade Mark VELCRO extends across the lower edge 11, 12 of the fitting, and a corresponding fastening element 17 extends adjacent the upper edge 15.

It is to be appreciated that the fitting 10 is to be mounted to the lapand diagonal seat-belt 5, 6 illustrated in Figure 1, with the fastening 16 provided at the lower edge of the fitting 10 being engaged with the fastening element 7 provided on the lap strap 5 and the fastening element 17 provided at the upper edge 15 of the fitting being connected to the fastening element 8 provided on the diagonal strap 6 of the seat-belt fitting. The fabric of the fitting 10 then extends across the abdomen of the seat occupant in front of the placenta and uterus and will tend to decelerate the placenta and uterus in the event that an accident should occur. The straps 5 and 6 overlie the edges of the fitting 10.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the lower lap strap 5 and the upper diagonal strap 6, showing the fabric of the element 10 effectively trapped against the occupant of the two straps 5 and 6.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention, again showing the lap strap 5 and the diagonal strap 6. In this embodiment of the invention the fabric of the fitting 10 is passed right around the lap strap 5, the fastening element provided at the edge of the fabric element being connected to another fastening element provided on the inner face of the fabric forming the fitting, so that a connection 20 is formed. The edge part of the fabric thus forms a sleeve which accommodates the lap straps. Similarly the fabric passes round the diagonal strap 6 and the fastening at the edge of the fabric makes a connection 21 with a fastening provided on the inner face of the fabric. Thus another sleeve is formed which accommodates the diagonal strap. It is to be appreciated that in the embodiment of Figure 5, the fitting may be used with conventional seat-belt, rather than a seat-belt provided with specific fastenings as shown in Figure 1.

It is to be appreciated, therefore, that the embodiments described above may be utilised with a conventional seat-belt or a slightly modified seatbelt, and thus the seat-belt itself may be used in the ordinary way by an ordinary seat occupant, the fitting only being placed in position when the seat-belt is utilised by a pregnant woman.

The embodiment of Figure 5 has two advantages. The first advantage is that the embodiment of Figure 5 may be used with an absolutely conventional seat-belt, without the seat-belt being modified in any way. A second advantage of the embodiment of Figure 5 is that as portions of the fabric are wrapped around the lap belt and the diagonal belt to form sleeves, whilst not being directly connected to either of these belts, the belt parts may slide through the sleeves relative to the fitting. This can be advantageous if the seat-belt incorporates a pretensioner since, during the pretensioning of the seat-belt, the seat-belt may slide relative to the fitting, ensuring that the fitting remains in the desired position.

In an accident situation the fabric or net will help ensure that the foetus and placenta are decelerated simultaneously with the rest of the seat occupant.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment of the invention a fitting 30 which is broadly equivalent to the fitting to of Figure 2 is provided with a load-distributing element in the form of an inflatable cushion 31, the cushion being associated with a hand-pump 32 for inflation of the cushion. The hand-pump 32 is in the form of a hollow ball formed of a rubber or equivalent material, associated with a non-return valve, the ball being compressible by hand to inflate the cushion 31. A load distributing element such as the cushion 31 may be provided especially if the pregnant woman is the driver of the car, the cushion being located to be positioned between the abdomen of the pregnant woman and the rim of a steering wheel. Instead of a cushion reinforcing ribs may be provided.

Figure 7 illustrates another modified embodiment of the invention in which a fitting 40 of the type generally described above is provided with a lap belt restrainer. Extending from the lower edge 41 of the fitting is a strap 42 which extends to a plate 43, which may be a plate formed of fabric, or which may be a more rigid plate. The plate 43 may be associated with a mounting strap 44.

Referring now to Figure 8 it can be seen that the plate 43 is intended to I be located on the squab 2 of the seat, with the strap 44 embracing the back- i rest 1 of the seat to hold the plate 43 in position. The plate will thus be located beneath the buttocks of a seat occupant. The strap 42 extends upwardly from the forward-most edge of the plate 43 at a position where it will pass between the legs of a seat occupant. The lap strap 5 of the seat-belt is connected to the lower edge 41 of the fitting 40. The length of the strap 42 is such that the lap strap 5 is retained in position across the hips of the seat occupant, and the lap strap 5 will not tend to ride up to a higher, undesirable position.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to embodiments in which the fastening is a hook-and-loop material, as sold under the Trade Mark VELCRO any other suitable form of fastening may be used including snap-fastenings, hooks or buttons. I In the present Specification "comprises" means "includes or consists of" and "comprising" means "including or consisting of".

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following Claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. l

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A fitting for a seat-belt, the fitting comprising an element

formed of fabric, netting or the like, the element presenting a lower edge and an upper edge, the upper edge being inclined relative to the lower edge, the lower edge and the upper edge each being provided with a respective fastening for use in fastening the element to a lap-and-diagonal safety- belt. I i
2. A fitting according to Claim 1 wherein the lower edge is provided with a fastening in the form of a strip of hook-and-loop material, and the upper edge is provided with a fastening in the form of a strip of hook- and-loop material.
3. A fitting according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein a region of the fitting is provided with a load-distributing element.
4. A fitting according to Claim 3 wherein the load-distributing element is in the form of an inflatable cushion.
5. A fitting according to Claim 4 wherein the cushion is associated with a hand-actuated pump. I
6. A fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the fitting is provided with a lap belt retainer.
7. A fitting according to Claim 6 wherein the lap belt retainer includes a member extending from the lower edge of the element and means to secure the member in a predetermined position.
8. A fitting according to Claim 7 wherein the means to secure the member in a predetermined position comprise a plate to be located on the squab of a seat and a strap connected to the plate.
9. A fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the element is provided with additional fastenings adapted to engage the said fastenings provided at the lower edge and the upper edge so that the lower edge may be folded and fastened to an intermediate part of the fabric to form a sleeve, and the upper edge of the fitting may be folded with the fastening connected to the element to form another sleeve.
10. A seat-belt arrangement, the seat-belt arrangement including a lap strap and a diagonal strap and incorporating a fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims, the fitting being connected to the lap strap and the diagonal strap so that the lower-most edge of the fitting is connected to the lap strap, and the upper-most of the fitting is connected to the diagonal strap.
11. A fitting substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
12. A fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as I shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
13. A fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
14. A fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
15. A seat-belt arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

S
16. A seat-belt arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
17. A seat-belt arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
18. A seat-belt arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.