Buckle apparatus

• US 10,179,562 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Hayashi, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US15/388,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1806 for buckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/18 Anchoring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/20 adjustable in position, e.g. in height
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A buckle apparatus includes a buckle, a moving member, a sliding member and a guide member. A tongue of a seatbelt apparatus can be engaged with the buckle. By being moved, the moving member moves the buckle. The sliding member is provided at the moving member and moves together with the moving member. The guide member allows the sliding member to slide in accordance with movement of the moving member and guides the sliding member. Friction between the guide member and the sliding member is less than friction between the guide member and the moving member.

Claims

1. A buckle apparatus comprising:

a buckle with which a tongue of a seatbelt apparatus is engageable;

a moving member that, consequent to being moved, moves the buckle;

a sliding member provided at the moving member, the sliding member moving together with the moving member;

a guide member that allows the sliding member to slide in accordance with movement of the moving member and guides the sliding member, friction between the guide member and the sliding member being less than friction between the guide member and the moving member, and

a resilient deformation portion that is provided at both sides of the sliding member, that projects from the sliding member in a movement direction of the moving member, and that is resiliently deformable by a projecting direction distal end portion of the resilient deformation portion abutting against the guide member, and by the resilient deformation portion receiving a force from the guide member consequent to the displacement of the sliding member toward the guide member.

2. The buckle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sliding member is formed of a softer material than the guide member.

3. The buckle apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a friction reduction element provided between the sliding member and the guide member, the friction reduction element reducing the friction between the sliding member and the guide member; and

a retention portion provided at an abutting region of the sliding member against the guide member, the retention portion retaining the friction reduction element.

4. The buckle apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

an end at one side of the retention portion in a movement direction of the moving member opens out at an end at one side of the sliding member in the movement direction of the moving member, and the end at the one side of the retention portion in the movement direction of the moving member has a greater dimension, in a direction orthogonal to both the movement direction of the moving member and a direction of opposition between the retention portion and the guide member, than a middle portion of the retention portion in the movement direction of the moving member.

5. A buckle apparatus comprising:

a buckle with which a tongue of a seatbelt apparatus is engageable;

a moving member that, consequent to being moved, moves the buckle;

a sliding member provided at the moving member, the sliding member moving together with the moving member;

a guide member that allows the sliding member to slide in accordance with movement of the moving member and guides the sliding member, friction between the guide member and the sliding member being less than friction between the guide member and the moving member;

a friction reduction element provided between the sliding member and the guide member, the friction reduction element reducing the friction between the sliding member and the guide member, and

a retention portion provided at an abutting region of the sliding member against the guide member, the retention portion retaining the friction reduction element.

6. The buckle apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sliding member is formed of a softer material than the guide member.

7. The buckle apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a resilient deformation portion is provided at both sides of the sliding member, that projects from the sliding member in a movement direction of the moving member, and that is resiliently deformable by a projecting direction distal end portion of the resilient deformation portion abutting against the guide member, and by the resilient deformation portion receiving the force from the guide member consequent to the displacement of the sliding member toward the guide member.

8. The buckle apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

an end at one side of the retention portion in a movement direction of the moving member opens out at an end at one side of the sliding member in the movement direction of the moving member, and the end at the one side of the retention portion in the movement direction of the moving member has a greater dimension, in a direction orthogonal to both the movement direction of the moving member and a direction of opposition between the retention portion and the guide member, than a middle portion of the retention portion in the movement direction of the moving member.