A child car seat system includes a car seat having a strap with a restraining device to secure over a body of a child; a sensing system to be incorporated into the restraining device, the sensing system having a first sensor associated with a first half of the restraining device; a second sensor associated with a second half of the restraining device; a third sensor secured positioned within a body of the restraining device; a control system in electrical communication with the first, second, and third sensors; and an alarm in communication with the control system; the alarm is activated via the control system when the first sensor and the second sensor are separated from one another, such as when the restraining device is unsecure; and the third sensor is to alert the control system when the car seat is occupied.

In a cover of a buckle device, an engagement hook of a side wall of an upper cover is fit together with an engagement groove of a side wall of a lower cover to assemble the upper cover to the lower cover. When the side wall of the upper cover receives an external force, a holder of a buckle switch is sandwiched between a side plate of a buckle body and a rib of the lower cover such that the side plate receives the external force. Accordingly, the rigidity at the engagement hook of the cover is able to be increased.

A stored energy release comprises an actuatable member slidably received within a housing. The actuatable member has an extended orientation wherein a portion of the actuatable member extends outwardly from the housing and a retracted orientation wherein the actuatable member resides within the housing. A biasing member is located between the actuatable member and the housing biases the actuatable member to the retracted orientation. A shaft is within the housing with the actuatable member configured for sliding movement along the shaft. A retaining member is located between the actuatable member and the shaft. The retaining member maintains the actuatable member in the extended orientation whereby potential energy is stored within the biasing member. A piezoelectric element selectively engages the retaining member to disable the retaining member and release the stored potential energy within the biasing member to place the actuatable member in the retracted orientation.

An improved supplemental binding attachment scheme involving an extended strap and customizing tool enables customizing of a strapped article of leisure wear. The customizing tool may take the form of a stud, or any number of personalized shapes, including characters, strings, logos, icons and anything that attaches to show that any article belongs to a user. Kits, straps, and software-based instructions are likewise included in the present disclosure.

A control docking station system for controlling locking engagement between a first female member and a male member that together form a locking mechanism. The first female member is connected to a safety device. The male member can be locked to and released from the first female member. The system includes a controller configured to sense an unsafe interlock signal. A second female member is operably connected to the controller's housing. Each female member includes a receiver base and a pair of pivoting locking tabs that is engageable with a key-like projection on the male member. The male member may be unlocked from the first female member when the controller senses an interruption to the unsafe interlock signal or if the unsafe interlock signal is overridden. The male member may be docked in the second female member during safe circumstances and/or the safety device is unused.

A driver identification seatbelt system including a seatbelt system having at least one first belt with a first coupling member, and a second coupling member. The driver identification seatbelt system further including a fingerprint recognition member.

Buckle assemblies having electronic engagement indicating devices for use with child seats and other restraint systems are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a restraint system for use with a child seat can include first and second web connectors which each have a corresponding tongue, and a buckle assembly including a housing that encloses a latch configured to engage the tongues. The buckle assembly can further include a magnet operably coupled to the latch, and an electronic switch operably positioned in the housing. The latch is configured to move between a first latch position in which the latch is disengaged from the tongues, and a second latch position in which the latch is engaged with the tongues. Movement of the latch from the first latch position to the second latch position moves the magnet relative to the electronic switch. In some embodiments, the electronic switch can include a Hall effect sensor that outputs a signal in response to movement of the magnetic field that is indicative of the engagement status of the latch.

A seatbelt buckle device includes a buckle switch (40) having a switch substrate (42) and a slider part (50) which slides on the switch substrate (42) and a frame (20) which has a substantially U-shaped section and slidably holds an ejector (30) which operates synchronously with attachment/detachment of a tongue plate (1). The buckle switch (40) and the frame (20) are assembled integrally with each other as the a leg part (43) as a rear end of the switch substrate (42) is fixed to a side wall (22A) of the frame (20) through a switch substrate housing (45) and thus supported by the frame (20).

A stored energy release comprises an actuatable member slidably received within a housing. The actuatable member has an extended orientation wherein a portion of the actuatable member extends outwardly from the housing and a retracted orientation wherein the actuatable member resides within the housing. A biasing member is located between the actuatable member and the housing biases the actuatable member to the retracted orientation. A shaft is within the housing with the actuatable member configured for sliding movement along the shaft. A retaining member is located between the actuatable member and the shaft. The retaining member maintains the actuatable member in the extended orientation whereby potential energy is stored within the biasing member. A piezoelectric element selectively engages the retaining member to disable the retaining member and release the stored potential energy within the biasing member to place the actuatable member in the retracted orientation.

A seat belt system 10 has a retractor 28; a lap belt 14, an inflator 200, a buckle 210 and a tongue 220. The flexible, retractable inflatable lap belt 14 is attached to the retractor 28. The lap belt 14 protectively houses an inflatable member including an airbag 116 which includes a feed or fill hose 118. The buckle and tongue are configured to receive and transmit inflation gas from the inflator 200 to the lap belt 14. The airbag 116 is located at a fixed distance from the buckle 210 and when activated the inflation gas flows through the seat belt buckle 210 into the tongue 220 and then into the airbag 116 which is fixedly located on the lap belt 14 at the fixed distance.