A retainer apparatus including a first retainer portion, a second retainer portion, a wireless transceiver, and a sensor. The sensor includes a first sensor portion physically contained within the first retainer portion and a second sensor portion physically contained within the second retainer portion. The first retainer portion is removably attached to the second retainer portion. The sensor is configured to detect the first retainer portion being disconnected from the second retainer portion and generate a warning signal. The wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the warning signal to a controller in a vehicle to activate an audible warning alert to warn a user in the vehicle of the first retainer portion being disconnected from the second retainer portion.

A webbing length adjustment device has an outer shell, an adjustment assembly, and an elastic member. The adjustment assembly is disposed in and is moveable relative to the outer shell, and has an operating member having a lateral pressing plate portion and a sliding member moving relative to the operating member. The lateral pressing plate portion is formed on the operating member, is located above the outer shell, and is located beside the second through hole for giving more areas to exert force easily and operate conveniently. The lateral pressing plate portion is located at an outer side of a first webbing. There is no interference between the first webbing and user's hand. The elastic member is disposed in the outer shell, and is connected to the outer shell and the operating member for giving a restoring force to the operating member. The outer shell is hard to damage.

A webbing length adjustment device has an outer shell, an adjustment assembly, and an elastic member. The adjustment assembly is disposed in and is moveable relative to the outer shell, and has an operating member having a lateral pressing plate portion and a sliding member moving relative to the operating member. The lateral pressing plate portion is formed on the operating member, is located above the outer shell, and is located beside the second through hole for giving more areas to exert force easily and operate conveniently. The lateral pressing plate portion is located at an outer side of a first webbing. There is no interference between the first webbing and user's hand. The elastic member is disposed in the outer shell, and is connected to the outer shell and the operating member for giving a restoring force to the operating member. The outer shell is hard to damage.

A seat belt sensor assembly comprises a force sensor coupled to a seat belt webbing. The seat belt sensor assembly utilizes force readings from the force sensor indicating a force level above or below a predetermined threshold to determine if an action needs to be taken to control a vehicle system. Such vehicle systems could include, but are not limited to, an autonomous driving control system, an occupant health system, and a motorized seat belt retractor system. Controlling the vehicle systems could include, but is not limited to, sending audio, visual, and/or haptic warnings to vehicle occupants, including, in one embodiment, that the occupant's respiration rate is indicative of a dangerous health condition. The seat belt sensor assembly may be used in combination with a camera-based occupant monitoring system. In one embodiment, the occupant monitoring system can be used to selectively activate/deactivate discrete activation zones of the force sensor.

A restraining system for restraining an occupant of a vehicle, the system including: an occupant supporting device for supporting the occupant, the occupant supporting device has a longitudinal direction along which an occupant is intended to be positioned; a blanket including at least one restraint belt including a first end and a second end attachable to attachment members arranged on either side of the occupant supporting device such that the at least one restraint belt extends in a transverse direction across the occupant supporting device, the attachment members are movable such that the position of the at least one restraint belt is adjustable in the longitudinal direction, an activation control unit configured to receive a signal indicative of a vehicle collision, and in response to the received signal control a pre-tension device to increase the tension in the at least one restraint belt.

A restraining system for restraining an occupant of a vehicle, the system including: an occupant supporting device for supporting the occupant, the occupant supporting device has a longitudinal direction along which an occupant is intended to be positioned; a blanket including at least one restraint belt including a first end and a second end attachable to attachment members arranged on either side of the occupant supporting device such that the at least one restraint belt extends in a transverse direction across the occupant supporting device, the attachment members are movable such that the position of the at least one restraint belt is adjustable in the longitudinal direction, an activation control unit configured to receive a signal indicative of a vehicle collision, and in response to the received signal control a pre-tension device to increase the tension in the at least one restraint belt.

A seatbelt system for automatically detecting damage to a seatbelt webbing includes a strip of seatbelt webbing, a sensor, and processing circuitry. The strip of seatbelt webbing includes an embedded conductive material that extends through the strip of seatbelt webbing. The sensor is connected to the seatbelt webbing and is configured to measure electrical flow through the embedded conductive material. The processing circuitry is configured to receive the measurement of electrical flow from the sensor and to generate an alert based on the measurement.

A seatbelt system for automatically detecting damage to a seatbelt webbing includes a strip of seatbelt webbing, a sensor, and processing circuitry. The strip of seatbelt webbing includes an embedded conductive material that extends through the strip of seatbelt webbing. The sensor is connected to the seatbelt webbing and is configured to measure electrical flow through the embedded conductive material. The processing circuitry is configured to receive the measurement of electrical flow from the sensor and to generate an alert based on the measurement.

A seat belt device includes a webbing and a tongue. The webbing includes a lap belt and a shoulder belt. At least a portion of the lap belt is configured to be disposed to extend in a vehicle-width direction along a front of an abdomen of an occupant. At least a portion of the shoulder belt is configured to be disposed obliquely along a front of a chest of the occupant. The tongue is provided between the lap belt and the shoulder belt of the webbing and is configured to be coupled to a vehicle body when the tongue is to be mounted. The tongue rotates in accordance with a collision or a warning of the collision of a vehicle in a direction in which the shoulder belt is twisted with respect to the vehicle body.

A seat belt device includes a webbing and a tongue. The webbing includes a lap belt and a shoulder belt. At least a portion of the lap belt is configured to be disposed to extend in a vehicle-width direction along a front of an abdomen of an occupant. At least a portion of the shoulder belt is configured to be disposed obliquely along a front of a chest of the occupant. The tongue is provided between the lap belt and the shoulder belt of the webbing and is configured to be coupled to a vehicle body when the tongue is to be mounted. The tongue rotates in accordance with a collision or a warning of the collision of a vehicle in a direction in which the shoulder belt is twisted with respect to the vehicle body.