Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted another patent (number 11,414,046) for a seat belt system for a vehicle. It involves a secure, yet comfortable, safety belt positioning and safety system.
About the patent
Safety belts typically include a strap, such as a shoulder strap or a lap strap, and a buckle, as well as one or more anchors that secure the safety belts to the vehicle seat and that provide directional guidance for positioning the strap on the occupant’s body as the latch is inserted into the receiver. The one or more anchors are typically stationary and disposed at predetermined positions on the vehicle seat.
Apple says that if the safety belt secures the occupant to the vehicle seat in an undesirable manner, the occupant can’t adjust the location or position of the one or more anchors in order to adjust how the strap is positioned on the occupant’s body.
What’s more, it may be difficult to locate the latch. For example, the latch may become lodged between portions of the vehicle seat and may be difficult to locate or retrieve in order to operate the safety belt. Apple says that new approaches to safety belt positioning and presentation systems are desirable.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: A safety belt presentation system includes a safety belt presentation track extending from a first position to a second position spaced from the first position, a latch that includes a tongue disposed between a first side of the latch and second side of the latch and a first coupling portion, and a driving mechanism that includes a second coupling portion configured to releasably couple the first coupling portion of the latch. The driving mechanism is configured to control the latch to move from the first position to the second position along the safety belt presentation track when the first and second coupling portions are coupled.
When might we see an Apple Car?
On. Nov. 18, 2021, Bloomberg reported that Apple is accelerating development on its “Apple Car.” The article says the electric vehicle will be self-driving and could roll out in 2025.
What’s more, in a note to clients — as noted by AppleInsider — investment bank Wedbush says Apple is likely to announce a strategic electric vehicle partnership in 2022 to lay the groundwork for an “Apple Car” release in 2025.
