Shoulder pad for vehicle seat belt

Abstract

A shoulder pad ( 24 ) is mounted on a shoulder strap of a seat belt so as to be positioned, in use, between the shoulder strap ( 20 ) and the shoulder of a user. The pad ( 24 ) has a friction-increasing surface ( 40 ) on a side thereof that faces towards the shoulder strap ( 20 ) and resilient projections ( 50 ) extending from said friction-increasing surface ( 40 ) to hold the friction-increasing surface ( 40 ) out of engagement with the shoulder strap in normal use but to allow the friction-increasing surface ( 40 ) to come into engagement with the shoulder strap when a force exceeding a predetermined value is applied thereto.

1 . A shoulder pad for a vehicle seat belt, adapted to be mounted on a shoulder strap of the seat belt so as to be positioned, in use, between the shoulder strap and the shoulder of a user, the pad having a friction-increasing surface on a side thereof that faces towards the shoulder strap, characterized by resilient projections extending from said friction-increasing surface to hold the friction-increasing surface out of engagement with the shoulder strap in normal use but to allow the friction-increasing surface to come into engagement with the shoulder strap when a force exceeding a predetermined value is applied thereto.  
     
     
         2 . A shoulder pad according to  claim 1 , wherein said friction-increasing surface contains an array of openings and each resilient projection comprises a spring element projecting outwardly from a respective opening.  
     
     
         3 . A shoulder pad according to  claim 2 , wherein each spring element has one end embedded in a side wall of the corresponding opening.  
     
     
         4 . A shoulder pad according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient projections comprise inserts of synthetic foam material  
     
     
         5 . A shoulder pad according to  claim 4 , wherein the inserts have a slippery surface.  
     
     
         6 . A shoulder pad according to any preceding claim, including a tether strap having friction-reducing elements adapted to abut against the shoulder strap.  
     
     
         7 . A shoulder pad for a vehicle seat belt, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGS.  1  to  6  of the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         8 . A shoulder pad for a vehicle seat belt, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.