A vehicle seat is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to a vehicle floor from a forward-facing position to a rear-facing position. The seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back. A seat belt assembly extends at least partially from the seat back. At least one airbag is incorporated into the seat belt assembly and is deployable when the vehicle seat is rotated to at least one of the rear-facing position and a position between the forward-facing position and the rear-facing position.

A driver seat for an operator includes: a fastener configured to fasten a pair of hip belts; a pair of shoulder belts each having a distal end attached to each of the pair of hip belts, the pair of shoulder belts being configured to hold a shoulder area of the operator; and a fastened-state detector configured to detect whether or not the fastener is fastened. The fastened-state detector includes: a detector main body configured to detect whether or not the fastener is fastened through electrical continuity; a signal line connected to the detector main body; and a bag-shaped section integrated with one of the pair of shoulder belts in a drawing direction of the shoulder belt, the bag-shaped section housing the signal line.

An improved occupant restraint system is provided which includes a torso support unit that provides external support to an upper torso of an individual, who may be the occupant of a vehicle exposed to upward acceleration events. The torso support system provides support to the occupant's upper torso including rib cage, arm pit, upper arm and/or shoulder region. This support can be accomplished by one or more straps, one or more bars, one or more hooks or any other support device(s) that are connected to structure of the vehicle, such as a seat or standing platform, and in turn connected to the upper torso of the occupant to transfer upward vehicle forces to various parts of the upper torso independently of the forces transferred to the lower body such as the feet, legs and seat through other vehicle structure. With such a torso support system, when an upward acceleration event occurs, the compressive forces impinging on the occupant's spinal column are reduced wherein the likelihood of occupant paralysis or death due to spinal and other acceleration-induced injuries are significantly reduced.

A motor vehicle seatbelt restraint arrangement including a continuous seatbelt. When the occupant is seated the seatbelt buckle tongue is drawable across the body to engage the buckle providing firstly a pre-impact configuration of the seatbelt characterised by a lap belt portion resting on the hips or upper legs of the occupant, wherein the lap belt portion is rearward vertically offset relative to an underside belt portion of the continuous seatbelt across the seating surface of the seat, and secondly an impact configuration of the seatbelt characterised by the lap belt portion and the underside belt portion being less rearward vertically offset and substantially vertically aligned one with respect to the other to provide a more vertically aligned loop of the continuous seatbelt around the hips or upper legs of the occupant at impact preventing submarining of the occupant out from the motor vehicle seat during impact.

A restraint system in a vehicle includes a first retractor, a second retractor, a first webbing retractably coupled to the first retractor, a second webbing retractably coupled to the second retractor, a first lower vest panel attached to the first webbing, and a second lower vest panel attached to the second webbing. The lower vest panels are inflatable and releasably attachable to each other.

The present invention relates to accessory systems for enhancing the security of restraint system used in a vehicle with a lap seatbelt system. A plurality of straps can placed on the upper surface of a vehicle seat and configured to provide a secure connection between the shoulders of the restraint system and an upper portion of the vehicle seat, the anchoring system securing the torso of the individual to the seat back. An optional plurality of straps are configured to provide a supplemental connection between the anchoring system and a rear portion of the seat, tethering the anchoring system to the vehicle to anchoring structures in the floor of the vehicle or the bottom portion of the seat. The straps can be adjusted to accommodate different heights in wearers, seats backs, and vehicle seats, making the restraint user adjustable for use by different wearers and in different vehicles.

A restraint system for a utility vehicle comprising a first restraint including a first retractor coupled to the utility vehicle at a first retractor anchor point, a first webbing retractable into the first retractor and having a first end and a second end, a first latch moveably engaged with the first webbing, and a first latch receiver configured to receive the first latch, and a second restraint including a second retractor coupled to the utility vehicle at a second retractor anchor point, a second webbing extendable from and retractable into the second retractor and having a first end coupled to the second retractor and a second end, a second latch coupled to the second webbing, and a second latch receiver positioned at a second receiver anchor point and configured to receive the second latch and retain the second end of the second webbing adjacent the second receiver anchor point.

A restraint system for a utility vehicle comprising a first restraint including a first retractor coupled to the utility vehicle at a first retractor anchor point, a first webbing retractable into the first retractor and having a first end and a second end, a first latch moveably engaged with the first webbing, and a first latch receiver configured to receive the first latch, and a second restraint including a second retractor coupled to the utility vehicle at a second retractor anchor point, a second webbing extendable from and retractable into the second retractor and having a first end coupled to the second retractor and a second end, a second latch coupled to the second webbing, and a second latch receiver positioned at a second receiver anchor point and configured to receive the second latch and retain the second end of the second webbing adjacent the second receiver anchor point.

The present invention relates to accessory systems for enhancing the security of restraint system used in a vehicle with a lap seatbelt system. A plurality of straps can placed on the upper surface of a vehicle seat and configured to provide a secure connection between the shoulders of the restraint system and an upper portion of the vehicle seat, the anchoring system securing the torso of the individual to the seat back. An optional plurality of straps are configured to provide a supplemental connection between the anchoring system and a rear portion of the seat, tethering the anchoring system to the vehicle to anchoring structures in the floor of the vehicle or the bottom portion of the seat. The straps can be adjusted to accommodate different heights in wearers, seats backs, and vehicle seats, making the restraint user adjustable for use by different wearers and in different vehicles.

A vehicle seat safety system. The vehicle safety seat system comprises a vehicle seat configured to move between a substantially reclining position and a substantially sitting position. The vehicle seat comprises at least a seat back and a seat bottom. The system also includes an enclosure configured to store a blanket airbag in an undeployed position prior to a collision, wherein the enclosure is disposed near the head of a passenger in the vehicle seat, and wherein the blanket airbag is ejected from the enclosure to an intermediate position in the event of a collision. The system further comprises a first electromechanical restraint system associated with the seat back and coupled to the blanket airbag by a first physical coupling and a second electromechanical restraint system associated with the seat bottom and coupled to the blanket airbag by a second physical coupling. The first and second electromechanical restraint systems pull the blanket airbag from the intermediate position to a deployed position in which the blanket airbag substantially covers the passenger.