Described herein is a device comprising members in a kinematic relationship. The kinematic relationship is at least partially governed by at least one magnetic flux interaction that, in effect, may provide a tunable resistance to movement, changing the rate of relative movement between the members. In one embodiment, the device comprises a first member in a kinematic relationship with at least one further member to form a system. The system moves within a limited range of motion and the system interacts when an external energizing force is imposed on the system causing the members to respond due to their kinematic and dynamic characteristics and thereby creating relative motion between the members. The trigger member is coupled to the at least the first member and moves in response to a pre-determined system movement. When the trigger member moves, the trigger member imposes a braking action on the system or a member or members thereof. The speed and/or intensity of the braking action imposed by the trigger member on the system or a member or members thereof is controlled by the trigger member rate of movement. This rate of movement is in turn governed by a magnetic flux interaction between the trigger member and the at least one first member causing formation of a magnetically induced eddy current force between the parts.

Described herein is a device comprising members in a kinematic relationship. The kinematic relationship is at least partially governed by at least one magnetic flux interaction that, in effect, may provide a tunable resistance to movement, changing the rate of relative movement between the members. In one embodiment, the device comprises a first member in a kinematic relationship with at least one further member to form a system. The system moves within a limited range of motion and the system interacts when an external energizing force is imposed on the system causing the members to respond due to their kinematic and dynamic characteristics and thereby creating relative motion between the members. The trigger member is coupled to the at least the first member and moves in response to a pre-determined system movement. When the trigger member moves, the trigger member imposes a braking action on the system or a member or members thereof. The speed and/or intensity of the braking action imposed by the trigger member on the system or a member or members thereof is controlled by the trigger member rate of movement. This rate of movement is in turn governed by a magnetic flux interaction between the trigger member and the at least one first member causing formation of a magnetically induced eddy current force between the parts.

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 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.

For a vehicle seat, for instance an aircraft passenger seat, a seat belt system including a seat belt reel having a rotating shaft, a seat belt wound on the rotating shaft, and a lock for locking at least one of the rotating shaft and the seat belt. At least one sensor is operative to output a signal when a sensed parameter exceeds a predetermined magnitude threshold. An activation device is operative to activate the lock. A time delay device electrically coupled to the at least one sensor and the activation device is operative to, upon receiving the signal output by the at least one sensor, activate the activation device upon completion of a time delay after receiving the signal output by the at least one sensor. Further embodiments include shoulder belts forming loops allowing a predetermined amount of forward travel prior to restraining a passenger.

A retainer apparatus including a first retainer portion, a second retainer portion, a wireless signal transmitting device, a wireless signal receiving device, and a sensor. The wireless signal transmitting device, the wireless signal receiving device, and the sensor is physically contained within at least one of the first retainer portion and 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 retainer apparatus including a first retainer portion, a second retainer portion, a wireless signal transmitting device, a wireless signal receiving device, and a sensor. The wireless signal transmitting device, the wireless signal receiving device, and the sensor is physically contained within at least one of the first retainer portion and 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 dual-web retractor includes a frame having first, second and third sidewalls spaced apart from one another with the second sidewall positioned between the first and third sidewalls, a spool rotatably mounted to and between the first, second and third sidewalls, the spool having a first spool section defined between the first and second sidewalls and a second spool section defined between the second and third sidewalls, a first web having one end coupled to the first spool section, and a second web having one end coupled to the second spool section, wherein rotation of the spool causes the first and second webs to be simultaneously paid taken up on or paid out from the first and second respective spool sections.

A dual-web retractor includes a frame having first, second and third sidewalls spaced apart from one another with the second sidewall positioned between the first and third sidewalls, a spool rotatably mounted to and between the first, second and third sidewalls, the spool having a first spool section defined between the first and second sidewalls and a second spool section defined between the second and third sidewalls, a first web having one end coupled to the first spool section, and a second web having one end coupled to the second spool section, wherein rotation of the spool causes the first and second webs to be simultaneously paid taken up on or paid out from the first and second respective spool sections.

A motor vehicle, seat and multi-point restraint system combination may include one or a combination of means for selectively preventing forward pivoting of the seat, one or more web attenuators for dampen forces applied thereby by one or more respective shoulder webs of the multi-point restraint system, at least one sleeve received on at least one shoulder web and a corresponding sleeve adjuster for adjusting a position of the sleeve along the respective shoulder web, web retractors operatively coupled to each of a pair of lap webs and to each of a pair of thigh webs of the multi-point restraint system, and at least one web retractor operatively coupled to the shoulder webs of the multi-point restraint system.