A seat belt system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, the system having seat belt webbing connected to a seat belt retractor that includes (a) a frame; (b) a spool with the seat belt webbing wound around, wherein the spool is rotatably mounted to the frame and configured to rotate in a webbing extraction direction and a webbing retraction direction; (c) an energy absorbing device for absorbing energy when the spool is rotated in the webbing extraction direction after an emergency event has occurred; and (d) a mechanism for selectively cancelling the operation of the energy absorbing device by preventing motion of the spool in the webbing extraction direction.

A vehicle occupant restraint device for the protection of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat comprises plural restraining elements and a controller. The controller differentiates between a first situation in which the vehicle seat is in a position within the range of a standard position, and a second situation in which the vehicle seat with the vehicle occupant is in a position beyond the standard position. When the first situation is given, the controller activates a tensioning unit for tensioning a seat belt of the second restraining element and an airbag of the first restraining element. When the second situation is given, a third restraining element integrated in the vehicle seat and/or operatively connected with the vehicle seat can be activated and/or connected by the controller so that the vehicle seat is moved initially via the third restraining element to a position within the range of the standard position.

A vehicle occupant restraint device for the protection of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat comprises plural restraining elements and a controller. The controller differentiates between a first situation in which the vehicle seat is in a position within the range of a standard position, and a second situation in which the vehicle seat with the vehicle occupant is in a position beyond the standard position. When the first situation is given, the controller activates a tensioning unit for tensioning a seat belt of the second restraining element and an airbag of the first restraining element. When the second situation is given, a third restraining element integrated in the vehicle seat and/or operatively connected with the vehicle seat can be activated and/or connected by the controller so that the vehicle seat is moved initially via the third restraining element to a position within the range of the standard position.

A lateral shock absorber is provided and includes a protective fender and a locking mechanism. The protective fender is pivoted to a base of a child car safety seat and pivotally switchable relative to the base. The locking mechanism is for selectively engaging with the protective fender to restrain the protective fender from switching to an unfolded state or disengaging from the protective fender to allow the protective fender to switch to the unfolded state when the protective fender is located in a folded state. The locking mechanism includes a locking assembly and an abutting block. The locking assembly is driven to a locking state for engaging with the protective fender when the abutting block is pressed downwardly. The locking assembly is driven to a releasing state for disengaging from the protective fender when the abutting block is not pressed. Besides, a related child car safety seat is also provided.

A lateral shock absorber is provided and includes a protective fender and a locking mechanism. The protective fender is pivoted to a base of a child car safety seat and pivotally switchable relative to the base. The locking mechanism is for selectively engaging with the protective fender to restrain the protective fender from switching to an unfolded state or disengaging from the protective fender to allow the protective fender to switch to the unfolded state when the protective fender is located in a folded state. The locking mechanism includes a locking assembly and an abutting block. The locking assembly is driven to a locking state for engaging with the protective fender when the abutting block is pressed downwardly. The locking assembly is driven to a releasing state for disengaging from the protective fender when the abutting block is not pressed. Besides, a related child car safety seat is also provided.

A system for providing occupant restraint includes a seatbelt, a tensioning mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The seatbelt may include an upper portion and a lower portion, or just a single span. The tensioning mechanism is configured to remove slack in one or more portions of the seatbelt in response to an event such as an impact event. The locking mechanism is configured to lock an end of the seatbelt after the tensioning mechanism removes the slack, to prevent the seatbelt from extending. A connector may be included that defines an upper portion of the seatbelt and a lower portion of the seatbelt. The tensioning mechanism may include a load limiter to lessen a force transmitted to the seatbelt during tensioning. The load limiter may include an energy absorption element. The tensioning mechanism and the locking mechanism may be coupled to either span.

A system for providing occupant restraint includes a seatbelt, a tensioning mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The seatbelt may include an upper portion and a lower portion, or just a single span. The tensioning mechanism is configured to remove slack in one or more portions of the seatbelt in response to an event such as an impact event. The locking mechanism is configured to lock an end of the seatbelt after the tensioning mechanism removes the slack, to prevent the seatbelt from extending. A connector may be included that defines an upper portion of the seatbelt and a lower portion of the seatbelt. The tensioning mechanism may include a load limiter to lessen a force transmitted to the seatbelt during tensioning. The load limiter may include an energy absorption element. The tensioning mechanism and the locking mechanism may be coupled to either span.

A belt retractor comprises a frame (10), a belt reel (12) rotatably arranged in the frame (10) and having a first end (16) and an opposite second end (17) as well as comprising a blocking mechanism (18) arranged at an end face of the belt reel (12) by which the belt reel (12) can be blocked within the frame (10). The belt retractor further comprises an axially extending first load limiter which is releasably coupled to the belt reel (12) by means of a disconnecting clutch (24), a second load limiter which is coupled to be rotationally fixed to the first load limiter or a hub, and a third load limiter which can be coupled to be rotationally fixed to the belt reel (12) by means of a connecting clutch (38). Moreover, a method for controlling such belt retractor is provided.

A belt retractor comprises a frame (10), a belt reel (12) rotatably arranged in the frame (10) and having a first end (16) and an opposite second end (17) as well as comprising a blocking mechanism (18) arranged at an end face of the belt reel (12) by which the belt reel (12) can be blocked within the frame (10). The belt retractor further comprises an axially extending first load limiter which is releasably coupled to the belt reel (12) by means of a disconnecting clutch (24), a second load limiter which is coupled to be rotationally fixed to the first load limiter or a hub, and a third load limiter which can be coupled to be rotationally fixed to the belt reel (12) by means of a connecting clutch (38). Moreover, a method for controlling such belt retractor is provided.

A lateral shock absorber includes a protective fender pivoted to a base of a child car safety seat and a locking mechanism disposed on the base. The protective fender is pivotally switchable between a folded state or an unfolded state. The locking mechanism is for selectively engaging with the protective fender to restrain the protective fender from switching to the unfolded state or disengaging from the protective fender to allow the protective fender to switch to the unfolded state when the protective fender is located in the folded state. The locking mechanism includes a locking assembly, an abutting component and an abutting block connected to the abutting component. The locking assembly engages with the protective fender to restrain the protective fender from moving, and the abutting component is driven by the abutting block to disengage the locking assembly from the protective fender when the abutting block is pressed downwardly.