Disclosed are embodiments of passenger seats equipped with seat belts for mitigating seat damage and spinal tension from free-flail movements. In embodiments, the assembly includes a seat back, a first slip ring positioned proximate a top of the seat back, a second slip ring positioned lower on the seat back, a retractor, and a webbing threaded through each of the first and second slip rings. During normal use of the seat the first slip ring forms a first pivot for the webbing, and during a qualifying deceleration event the second slip ring forms a new pivot for the webbing lower on the seat back. In a further embodiment, first and second webbings form primary and auxiliary restraints guided by respective first and second pivots.

Disclosed are embodiments of passenger seats equipped with seat belts for mitigating seat damage and spinal tension from free-flail movements. In embodiments, the assembly includes a seat back, a first slip ring positioned proximate a top of the seat back, a second slip ring positioned lower on the seat back, a retractor, and a webbing threaded through each of the first and second slip rings. During normal use of the seat the first slip ring forms a first pivot for the webbing, and during a qualifying deceleration event the second slip ring forms a new pivot for the webbing lower on the seat back. In a further embodiment, first and second webbings form primary and auxiliary restraints guided by respective first and second pivots.

A seatback portion has a tether passageway defined therein from proximate an upper section to proximate a lower section thereof. A seatbelt tether includes a tensioning mechanism, a tether ring and a connecting portion that extends from the tether ring to the tensioning mechanism. The connecting portion extends through the tether passageway with the tether ring located at the upper section outside the seatback portion. The tether ring is shaped and dimension to slide-ably receive a seatbelt. The tensioning mechanism selectively applies tension to the tether ring. In a non-tensioned state the tether ring is movable to an upper outboard side of the seatback portion. In a tensioned state the tether ring is pulled toward a headrest supporting section of the seatback portion inboard and away from the upper outboard side of the seatback portion.

A seat belt retractor is provided for a vehicle and includes a safety seat belt strap for buckling up an occupant on a vehicle seat of the vehicle. The seat belt retractor also includes a regulator for regulating a seat belt restraining force level and/or a seat belt tensioner force level for the safety seat belt strap. A sensor detects restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data. A controller actuates the regulator on the basis of the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data such that the seat belt retractor generates and/or includes the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data.

A seatbelt system may include a seatbelt configured to constrain a waist and a torso of an occupant. The seatbelt may also include a coupling configured to selectively couple a portion of a vehicle and the seatbelt to one another. The system may also include a reel configured to receive at least a portion of the seatbelt, and a tension sensor associated with the coupling and/or the seatbelt and configured to generate a signal indicative of tension in the seatbelt. The system may also include a deployment sensor associated with the seatbelt and configured to generate a signal indicative of a length of the seatbelt deployed from the reel. The system may also include an occupant detector configured to determine, based at least in part on the signals indicative of tension and the length, whether an occupant is properly wearing the seatbelt, such that the seatbelt constrains the occupant.

A multi-point safety belt system is provided with a tension sensor that opens and closes a switch to send a signal indicating the force securing a seat occupant secured by the safety belt system.

An apparatus and method for improving the safety-relevant wear-comfort of a seatbelt worn by an occupant of a vehicle seat uses at least one sensor to detect the contour and/or position of the seatbelt, at least one actuator system for moving the seatbelt in order to change the contour and/or position, and at least one control module for controlling the actuator system. The control module is operative to control the actuator system automatically as a function of a deviation of the seatbelt contour/position, as detected by the sensor, from a predefined contour/position which reflects correct wear of the seatbelt.

The present invention is directed to child safety seats, and more particularly to a harness or belt tensioning indicator for a child safety seat harness system. The tension indicator includes a body portion for receiving a belt, harness or webbing. The tension indicator also includes a sliding indicator that is capable of moving from a first, unactuated position to a second, actuated position when the belt, harness or webbing that is received in the body portion is tensioned from a first tension to a second, correct tension.

A system for detecting seatbelt positioning includes: a seatbelt having a plurality of stripes extending lengthwise along a length of the seatbelt longer than an entire width of the seatbelt. The plurality of stripes are arranged in an alternating pattern of bright and dark in near-infrared, each having a width in a direction perpendicular to a lengthwise dimension of the seatbelt. The plurality of stripes may include at least two bright stripes and at least two dark stripes, and the widths of the stripes may define an asymmetric pattern with at least one of: two bright stripes having different widths, or two dark stripes having different widths.

An occupant protection device includes a drive unit which adjusts a degree of tension of a seat belt and a control unit which controls the drive unit to tension the seat belt to remove looseness of the seat belt when a vehicle has been switched from an automated driving to a manual driving.