Regulation 16.08 Consolidated to Supplement 3 (Revision 10 Amendment 3) (Proposal) Safety-belts, ISOFIX and i-Size Part 2
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1. Safety-belt (seat-belt, belt)
An arrangement of straps with a securing buckle, adjusting devices and attachments which is capable of being anchored to the interior of a power-driven vehicle and is designed to diminish the risk of injury to its wearer, in the event of collision or of abrupt deceleration of the vehicle, by limiting the mobility of the wearer’s body. Such an arrangement is generally referred to as a “belt assembly”, which term also embraces any device for absorbing energy or for retracting the belt.
The arrangement can be tested and approved as a safety-belt arrangement or as a restraint system.
2.1.1. LAP BELT
A two-point belt which passes across the front of the wearer’s pelvic region.
2.1.2. DIAGONAL BELT
A belt which passes diagonally across the front of the chest from the hip to the opposite shoulder.
2.1.3. THREE-POINT BELT
A belt which is essentially a combination of a lap strap and a diagonal strap.
2.1.4. S-TYPE BELT
A belt arrangement other than a three-point belt or a lap belt.
2.1.5. HARNESS BELT
A S-type belt arrangement comprising a lap belt and shoulder straps; a harness belt may be provided with an additional crotch strap assembly.
2.2. Belt type
Belts of different “types” are belts differing substantially from one another; the differences may relate in particular to:
2.2.1. Rigid parts (buckle, attachments, retractor, etc.);
2.2.2. The material, weave, dimensions and colour of the straps; or
2.2.3. The geometry of the belt assembly.
2.3. Strap
A flexible component designed to hold the body and to transmit stresses to the belt anchorages.
2.4. Buckle
A quick-release device enabling the wearer to be held by the belt. The buckle may incorporate the adjusting device, except in the case of a harness belt buckle.
2.5. Belt adjusting device
A device enabling the belt to be adjusted according to the requirements of the individual wearer and to the position of the seat. The adjusting device may be part of the buckle, or a retractor, or any other part of the safety-belt.
2.6. Pre-loading device
An additional or integrated device which tightens the seat-belt webbing in order to reduce the slack of the belt during a crash sequence.
2.7. “Reference zone” means the space between two vertical longitudinal planes, 400 mm apart and symmetrical with respect to the H-point, and defined by rotation from vertical to horizontal of the head-form apparatus, described in UN Regulation No. 21 Annex 1. The apparatus shall be positioned as described in that annex to UN Regulation No. 21 and set to the maximum length of 840 mm.
2.8. “Airbag assembly” means a device installed to supplement safety-belts and restraint systems in power-driven vehicles, i.e. system which, in the event of a severe impact affecting the vehicle automatically deploys a flexible structure intended to limit, by compression of the gas contained within it, the gravity of the contacts of one or more parts of the body of an occupant of the vehicle with the interior of the passenger compartment. Any such described deployed structure shall not be considered as a rigid part.
2.9. “Passenger airbag” means an airbag assembly intended to protect occupant(s) in seats other than the driver’s in the event of a frontal collision.
2.10. “Child restraint” means a safety device as defined in UN Regulation No. 44. or UN Regulation No. 129
2.11. “Rearward-facing” means facing in the direction opposite to the normal direction of travel of the vehicle.
2.12. Attachments
Parts of the belt assembly including the necessary securing components, which enable it to be attached to the belt anchorages.
2.13. Energy absorber
Device designed to disperse energy independently of or jointly with the strap and forming part of a belt assembly.
2.14. Retractor
Device to accommodate part or the whole of the strap of a safety-belt.
2.14.1. NON-LOCKING RETRACTOR (TYPE 1)
A retractor from which the strap is extracted to its full length by a small external force and which provides no adjustment for the length of the extracted strap.
2.14.2. MANUALLY UNLOCKING RETRACTOR (TYPE 2)
A retractor requiring the manual operation of a device by the user to unlock the retractor in order to obtain the desired strap extraction and which locks automatically when the said operation ceases.
2.14.3. AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING RETRACTOR (TYPE 3)
A retractor allowing extraction of the strap to the desired length and which, when the buckle is fastened, automatically adjusts the strap to the wearer. Further extraction of the strap is prevented without voluntary intervention by the wearer.
2.14.4. EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR (TYPE 4)
A retractor which during normal driving conditions does not restrict the freedom of movement by the wearer of the safety-belt. Such a device has length adjusting components which automatically adjust the strap to the wearer and a locking mechanism actuated in an emergency by:
2.14.4.1. Deceleration of the vehicle (single sensitivity).
2.14.4.2. A combination of deceleration of the vehicle, movement of the webbing or any other automatic means (multiple sensitivity).
2.14.5. EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR WITH HIGHER RESPONSE THRESHOLD (TYPE 4N)
A retractor of the type defined in paragraph 2.14.4., but having special properties as regards its use in vehicles of categories M2, M3, N1, N2 and N32.
2.14.6. BELT ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR HEIGHT
A device enabling the position in height of the upper pillar loop (directly connected to the vehicle or the rigid seat structure) of a belt to be adjusted according to the requirements of the individual wearer and the position of the seat. Such a device may be considered as a part of the belt or a part of the anchorage of the belt.
2.14.7. FLEXIBLE SHOULDER ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR HEIGHT
A device for adjusting to the shoulder height of the individual wearer, where the adjusting part is not directly attached to the vehicle construction (e.g. pillar) or the seat construction (e.g. the rigid seat structure), but where the adjusting of the shoulder part:
(a) Is realized via shifting over a flexible construction; and
(b) Is not interfering the routing of the lap belt.
2.15. Belt anchorages
Parts of the vehicles structure or seat structure or any other part of the vehicle to which the safety-belt assemblies are to be secured.
2.16. Vehicle type as regards safety-belts and restraint systems
Category of power-driven vehicles which do not differ in such essential respects as the dimensions, lines and materials of components of the vehicle structure or seat structure or any other part of the vehicle to which the safety-belts and the restraint systems are attached.
2.17. Restraint system
A system for a specific vehicle type or a type defined by the vehicle manufacturer and agreed by the Technical Service consisting of a seat and a belt fixed to the vehicle by appropriate means and consisting additionally of all elements which are provided to diminish the risk of injury to the wearer, in the event of an abrupt vehicle deceleration, by limiting the mobility of the wearer’s body.
