Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-01
2001-08-14
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C297S472000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273469
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an assembly for use in a vehicle which comprises a webbing guide for guiding movement of seat belt webbing, a fastener for mounting the webbing guide in a vehicle, and a cover member for covering the webbing guide and the fastener.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical vehicle seat belt system includes a length of belt webbing which is extensible about a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat to restrain the occupant. Intermediate its ends, the belt webbing passes through a webbing guide, sometimes referred to as a D-ring, which is part of a webbing guide assembly mounted in the vehicle adjacent the vehicle seat. In the event of a collision, particularly a side impact collision, the head of the occupant can forcibly strike the webbing guide assembly.
The United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201 requires such a webbing guide assembly to have a Head Impact Criterion (referred to as HIC(d)) value of under 1000 determined in accordance with Standard No. 201 (1996).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an assembly for use in a vehicle comprises a webbing guide for guiding movement of seat belt webbing in the vehicle, a fastener, a resilient cover, and an energy absorbing structure. The fastener mounts the webbing guide in position in the vehicle and includes a head portion and a longitudinal axis. The resilient cover includes a cover portion covering the head portion of the fastener and at least a portion of the webbing guide. The energy absorbing structure is insertable between the webbing guide and the resilient cover. The energy absorbing structure is a part separate from the resilient cover and has ribs which deform to absorb energy from an impact to an outer surface of the resilient cover. The ribs intersect each other and extend transversely to each other. The part includes a surface for connecting the part to the cover.
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Kwaske Phillip E.
Morrison Blair E. S.
Dickson Paul N.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
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