A PASSIVE SAFETY BELT SYSTEM

Abstract

THE GEOMETRY AND BEHAVIOR OF SEVERAL FRONT-SEAT PASSIVE BELT CONFIGURATONS HAVE BEEN STUDIED AND EVALUATED AND GENERAL DESIGN CRITERIA ARE DISCUSSED. THE PREFERRED SOLUTION IS A THREE-POINT BELT WITH TWO ENDS ATTACHED TO THE DOOR. THE BELT STRAPS AUTOMATICALLY, AND FOR COMFORTABLE EXIT, THE OCCUPANT MAY MAKE A SLIGHT MANUAL OPERATION. CRASH TESTS INDICATE THAT THE BELT PERFORMS APPROXIMATELY AS A STANDARD THREE-POINT BELT. DOOR STRENGTH, RETRACTOR STRENGTH, STRAP STRENGTH AND TENSION, AND SEAT INFLUENCE HAVE BEEN TESTED. CURVES ARE GIVEN FOR RECORDED AND COMPUTED DATA, INCLUDING OLD AND NEW SEVERITY INDEX.