5 ms·
I haven't looked it up, but the patent probably covers the ratcheting mechanism which allows the belt to adapt to any body size, retract when not in use, and lo
by 205guy 13y ago
I haven't looked it up, but the patent probably covers the ratcheting mechanism which allows the belt to adapt to any body size, retract when not in use, and locks upon impact.
A simple fixed (or manually adjustable) 3-point belt would be just as effective, but very impractical because it needs to be adjusted for each driver, and it would always hang and get slammed in the door.
- miahi 13y agoI remember that safety belts on older cars did not have this retractable and locking mechanism you see in cars today. They were fixed - as you also see in the article's photo.