Seatbelt assembly

• US 10,518,740 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ruthinowski, Richard Edward, Pline, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US15/906,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20190263350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2557 with strap length adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2561 Tongue elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1806 for buckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1812 Connections between seat belt and buckle tongue
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/286 using deformation of material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/18 Anchoring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1855 the means being sensitive to belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/195 with means to tension the belt in an emergency, e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel typeelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/28 incorporating energy-absorbing devices belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676

Abstract

A seatbelt assembly and method of operating that includes a tongue assembly having a weblock and a secondary weblock mounted to a tongue selectively securable to a buckle; a webbing extending adjacent to the weblock and secondary weblock between a torso portion and a lap portion; and the weblock and secondary weblock allowing for the webbing to slide between the torso and lap portions when in unlocked positions and pivoting relative to the tongue such that the weblock and secondary weblock prevent the webbing from sliding between lap and torso portions in locked positions.

Claims

1. A method of operating a seatbelt comprising:

allowing for webbing sliding between a lap portion and a torso portion through a tongue assembly when unlocked; and

upon forces exerted by an occupant on the webbing, a weblock and a secondary weblock both locking the webbing from movement between the lap and torso portions, wherein, in the locked position, the weblock flexes to provide payout in the torso Portion.

2. The method of claim 1, with the weblock and secondary weblock locking the webbing simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, with the weblock initially locking the webbing upon the forces exerted by the occupant and the secondary weblock locking the webbing as the weblock releases the webbing due to the exerted forces by the occupant increasing on the webbing.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the weblock includes a bar secured to a tongue plate and a housing secured to the bar, with the housing pivoting relative to the tongue plate, changing the weblock and secondary weblock from the unlocked to locked positions.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary weblock engages the webbing to retract webbing from the lap portion in the locked position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary weblock includes a pivotable flange pushing the webbing through a cutout in a tongue plate to lock the webbing in the locked position.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary weblock includes pivotable flanges compressing the webbing against a tongue plate, locking the webbing in the locked position.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the weblock includes a bar secured to a tongue plate and a housing secured to the bar, with the housing pivoting relative to the tongue plate, changing the weblock and secondary weblock from to locked positions, and the bar flexing to provide payout in the torso portion.

9. A seatbelt assembly comprising:

a tongue assembly having a weblock and a secondary weblock mounted to a tongue selectively securable to a buckle;

a webbing extending adjacent to the weblock and secondary weblock between a torso portion and a lap portion; and

the weblock and secondary weblock allowing for the webbing to slide between the torso and lap portions when in unlocked positions and pivoting relative to the tongue such that the weblock and secondary weblock prevent the webbing from sliding between lap and torso portions in locked positions, wherein the tongue assembly includes a bar secured to the tongue and a housing secured to the bar such that the housing is pivotable relative to the tongue, the weblock including a flange having a slot through which the webbing extends, with the slot selectively engaging the webbing to lock the webbing in the slot.

10. The seatbelt of claim 9 wherein the secondary weblock includes a second flange extending into contact with the webbing and pivotable through a cutout in the tongue to selectively engage the webbing between the second flange and an edge of the cutout.

11. The seatbelt of claim 9 wherein the secondary weblock includes secondary flanges extending into contact with the webbing and pivotable toward the tongue to selectively press the webbing between the secondary flanges and the tongue.

12. The seatbelt of claim 9 wherein the housing is elastomeric, and with the housing flexing when the weblock is in the locked position to allow payout of the torso portion.

13. The seatbelt of claim 12 wherein the secondary weblock engages the webbing to retract webbing from the lap portion in the locked position.

14. The seatbelt of claim 9 wherein the secondary weblock engages the webbing to retract webbing from the lap portion in the locked position.

15. A method of operating a seatbelt comprising:

allowing for webbing sliding between a lap portion and a torso portion through a tongue assembly when unlocked; and

upon forces exerted by an occupant on the webbing, a weblock and a secondary weblock both locking the webbing from movement between the lap and torso portions, with the weblock initially locking the webbing upon the forces exerted by the occupant and the secondary weblock locking the webbing as the weblock releases the webbing due to the exerted forces by the occupant increasing on the webbing.