Side Facing Restraint System

1 . A method of restraining a high mobility vehicle occupant who is facing sideways in the vehicle relative to the vehicle's direction of travel in the event of a vehicle collision, the occupant having a leading shoulder and a trailing shoulder, the method comprising the steps of:

activating one or more belt webbing retractors of the restraint in the event of a vehicle collision;

allowing the occupant's trailing shoulder to rotate forward during the vehicle collision by a controlled amount after the restraint is activated; and

allowing the occupant's lower torso to move in the vehicle direction of travel during the vehicle collision by a controlled amount after the restraint is activated.

2 . A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the occupant's trailing shoulder to rotate forward includes the steps of restraining the leading side of the occupant's upper torso with a leading shoulder belt associated with a leading shoulder belt retractor, and allowing the trailing side of the occupant's upper torso to move away from a trailing shoulder belt associated with a separate trailing shoulder belt retractor.

3 . A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein each one of the leading shoulder belt retractor and trailing shoulder belt retractor includes a spool having its belt webbing would thereon, and the step of allowing the occupant's trailing shoulder to rotate forward includes the step of utilizing the film spool effect of the leading and trailing shoulder belt retractors to promote shoulder belt elongation.

4 . A method as set forth in claim 2 further including the step of allowing shoulder belt elongation in a selected amount during the vehicle collision.

5 . A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the occupant's lower torso to move in the vehicle direction of travel during the vehicle collision by a controlled amount after the restraint is activated includes the steps of:

restraining the occupant's lower torso with a trailing lap belt associated with a trailing lap belt retractor that is subject to the film spool effect; and

blocking withdrawal of belt webbing from the spool of the trailing lap belt retractor with a webbing grabber associated therewith

6 . A method as set forth in claim 5 further including the step of allowing lap belt elongation in a selected amount during the vehicle collision.

7 . A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the step of allowing the occupant's trailing shoulder to rotate forward includes the steps of restraining the leading side of the occupant's upper torso with a leading shoulder belt associated with a leading shoulder belt retractor, and allowing the trailing side of the occupant's upper torso to move away from a trailing shoulder belt associated with a separate trailing shoulder belt retractor;

each one of the leading shoulder belt retractor and trailing shoulder belt retractor includes a spool having its belt webbing would thereon, and the step of allowing the occupant's trailing shoulder to rotate forward includes the step of utilizing the film spool effect of the leading and trailing shoulder belt retractors to promote shoulder belt elongation; and

the step of allowing the occupant's lower torso to move in the vehicle direction of travel during the vehicle collision by a controlled amount after the restraint is activated includes the steps of restraining the occupant's lower torso with a trailing lap belt associated with a trailing lap belt retractor that is subject to the film spool effect, and blocking withdrawal of belt webbing fro the spool of the trailing lap belt retractor with a webbing grabber associated therewith.

8 . A high mobility restraint for a vehicle occupant who is facing sideways in the vehicle relative to the vehicle's direction of travel and who has a leading shoulder and a trailing shoulder, the restraint comprising:

means for activating one or more belt webbing retractors of the restraint in the event of a vehicle collision;

means for allowing the occupant's trailing shoulder to rotate forward during the vehicle collision by a controlled amount after the restraint is activated; and

means for allowing the occupant's lower torso to move by a controlled amount in the vehicle direction of travel during the vehicle collision after the restraint is activated.

9 . A restraint as set forth in claim 8 wherein the means for allowing the occupant's trailing shoulder to rotate forward comprises:

a first shoulder belt for the leading shoulder of the occupant and a first shoulder belt retractor for retracting the first shoulder belt, the first shoulder belt made from belt webbing having a selected elongation characteristic, the first shoulder belt retractor exhibiting the film spool effect; and

a second shoulder belt for the trailing shoulder of the occupant and a second shoulder belt retractor for retracting the second shoulder belt, the second shoulder belt made from belt webbing having a selected elongation characteristic, the second shoulder belt retractor exhibiting the film spool effect;

10 . A restraint as set forth in claim 8 wherein the means for allowing the occupant's lower torso to move by a controlled amount in the vehicle direction of travel during the vehicle collision after the restraint is activated.

11 . A high mobility belt webbing restraint system for helping to restrain a side facing occupant of a vehicle, the occupant having a leading shoulder and a trailing shoulder, the system comprising:

a shoulder restraint assembly including a first shoulder belt for the leading shoulder of the occupant and a first shoulder belt retractor for retracting the first shoulder belt, the first shoulder belt made from belt webbing having a selected elongation characteristic, the first shoulder belt retractor exhibiting the film spool effect;

the shoulder restraint assembly also including a second shoulder belt for the trailing shoulder of the occupant and a second shoulder belt retractor for retracting the second shoulder belt, the second shoulder belt made from belt webbing having a selected elongation characteristic, the second shoulder belt retractor exhibiting the film spool effect;

a lap restraint assembly including a first lap belt for the trailing side of the occupant, a first lap belt retractor for retracting the first lap belt. and a first webbing grabber associated with the first lap belt retractor, the first lap belt made from belt webbing having a selected elongation characteristic; and

the lap restraint assembly also including a second lap belt for the leading side of the occupant and a second lap belt retractor for retracting the second lap belt and a second webbing grabber associated with the second lap belt retractor, the second lap belt made from belt webbing having a selected elongation characteristic.

12 . A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein each one of the first and second webbing grabbers is actuated in response to locking of its associated retractor block withdrawal of belt webbing from its associated retractor in the event of a vehicle collision.