Title: Passive seat belt system

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Abstract: A passive occupant restraint system includes a shoulder belt retractor mounted inboard the occupant seat for winding the inboard end of a shoulder belt having an outboard end attached to the upper rear corner of the door. A lap belt has an outboard end mounted on the door by a lap belt retractor and an inboard end mounted on the shoulder belt by a latch plate which is slidably movable along the shoulder belt by manual effort of the occupant. The latch plate remains relatively stationary on the shoulder belt during winding and unwinding of the shoulder belt upon door movement so that the occupant may position the latch plate generally adjacent the outboard end of the shoulder belt to stow the lap belt generally parallel with the door or may position the sliding latch plate at mid-length along the shoulder belt so that the latch plate will be automatically located adjacent the shoulder belt retractor when the door is closed to establish the lap belt in restraining proximity with the lower torso. A buckle assembly is mounted inboard the seat generally adjacent the shoulder belt retractor. The latch plate is manually slidable along the shoulder belt into latching engagement with the buckle to fix the length of the lap belt and thereby provide effective restraint of the occupant lower torso.


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