The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for vehicle occupant safety during automotive collisions. The apparatus includes a plurality of compression elements rigidly fixed to a first seat belt guide and a second seat belt guide. The compression elements are arranged to resist compressive loading in response to an impact force, such as that experienced during rapid deceleration of a vehicle occupant in an automotive collision. When a pre-determined threshold force has been overcome, the compression elements predictably deform, thus absorbing energy associated with the deceleration. As a result of deformation of the compression elements, additional seat belt length is pulled from the apparatus, thus shielding the vehicle occupant from maximal injury.

A seat belt assembly including a seat belt webbing, a buckle, and a connector tongue assembly. The tongue assembly includes a body, a slot in the body for receiving a seat belt webbing, a locking mechanism located proximate the slot, and a spring biasing the locking mechanism towards the slot to frictionally engage the webbing to prevent freefall of the assembly.

A seat belt assembly including a seat belt webbing, a buckle, and a connector tongue assembly. The tongue assembly includes a body, a slot in the body for receiving a seat belt webbing, a locking mechanism located proximate the slot, and a spring biasing the locking mechanism towards the slot to frictionally engage the webbing to prevent freefall of the assembly.

A bayonet connector device including a female coupler including an annular wall defining a female coupler opening and a central axis, and a plurality of female coupler engagement structures extending radially inward from the annular wall toward the central axis, and a male coupler sized to be received within the female coupler opening and including a plurality of male coupler engagement structures shaped to mesh with the female coupler engagement structures. The female coupler engagement structures and the male coupler engagement structures define an inner length in an axial direction parallel with the central axis, and an outer length in the axial direction at a position radially farther away from the central axis than the inner length. The outer length is greater than the inner length.

A bayonet connector device including a female coupler including an annular wall defining a female coupler opening and a central axis, and a plurality of female coupler engagement structures extending radially inward from the annular wall toward the central axis, and a male coupler sized to be received within the female coupler opening and including a plurality of male coupler engagement structures shaped to mesh with the female coupler engagement structures. The female coupler engagement structures and the male coupler engagement structures define an inner length in an axial direction parallel with the central axis, and an outer length in the axial direction at a position radially farther away from the central axis than the inner length. The outer length is greater than the inner length.

A rotary lap belt energy attenuator for reducing inertial loads on seat components. In embodiments, a shackle assembly includes a seat frame component, a shackle pivotally attached to the seat component and attachable to a lap belt component, a deformable link attached to the shackle and the seat component, an attachment guide configured to travel along the guideway, and an energy attenuator positioned in the guideway. In use, each of the deformable link and the energy attenuator undergo plastic deformation during rotary motion of the shackle to attenuate impact energy.

A rotary lap belt energy attenuator for reducing inertial loads on seat components. In embodiments, a shackle assembly includes a seat frame component, a shackle pivotally attached to the seat component and attachable to a lap belt component, a deformable link attached to the shackle and the seat component, an attachment guide configured to travel along the guideway, and an energy attenuator positioned in the guideway. In use, each of the deformable link and the energy attenuator undergo plastic deformation during rotary motion of the shackle to attenuate impact energy.

An extension unit includes a buckle member, a first coupling member, a second coupling member, and a webbing belt. The buckle member is engaged with a first tongue plate of a seat belt apparatus, includes a first holder holding the webbing belt, and a fixing member fixing an end of the webbing belt. The second coupling member is disposed between the buckle member and the first coupling member and coupled to the first coupling member. The webbing belt joins the buckle member and the first coupling member. The second coupling member is so disposed that a projected region extending inward in a vehicle width direction is defined. The projected region has a size corresponding to a thickness of an operator's hand and is not overlapped with the buckle member. The second coupling member includes a second holder holding the webbing belt extending from the first holder to the fixing member.

An extension unit includes a buckle member, a first coupling member, a second coupling member, and a webbing belt. The buckle member is engaged with a first tongue plate of a seat belt apparatus, includes a first holder holding the webbing belt, and a fixing member fixing an end of the webbing belt. The second coupling member is disposed between the buckle member and the first coupling member and coupled to the first coupling member. The webbing belt joins the buckle member and the first coupling member. The second coupling member is so disposed that a projected region extending inward in a vehicle width direction is defined. The projected region has a size corresponding to a thickness of an operator's hand and is not overlapped with the buckle member. The second coupling member includes a second holder holding the webbing belt extending from the first holder to the fixing member.

An adaptive belt is attached to a vehicle seat and includes a first section (101), a second section (102), and a third section (103). The adaptive belt includes a retracted configuration and a fully extended configuration. In the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is folded between the first section and the second section such that a first attachment attaches the first section to a first portion of the second section. In the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is also folded between the second section and the third section such that a second attachment attaches a second portion of the second section to a first portion of the third section. In the fully extended configuration, all of the attachments fail thereby increasing a length of the adaptive belt. In response to a threshold loading condition, the adaptive belt changes from the retracted configuration to the fully extended configuration.