Buckle Apparatus and Seat Belt Apparatus

• US 20060272138A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kohama, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/633
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2565 Illuminated buckles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45623 and operator therefor

Abstract

A buckle apparatus and a seat belt apparatus are provided capable of suppressing an occurrence of an unevenness of brightness at a time of leading illuminating light flux in an inner part of the reflector. In one form, a reflector having a curved face portion that leads illuminating light flux, which is eradiated from a light source to a light receiving face facing a light source, to an entire face of a light emitting face is provided. Further, a light intensity control device is configured to be connected in series to the light sources, and an optimum light intensity control device is selected while exchanging various light intensity control devices corresponding to the required capability and the specifications.

Claims

1. A buckle apparatus for a vehicle, the buckle apparatus comprising:

a cover having a side with an inlet;

a buckle mechanism at least partially covered by the cover and adapted for engaging a tongue of a seat belt inserted through the inlet;

a light source provided in the vicinity of the inlet; and

a reflector adjacent the light source;

a light emitting face of the reflector, the light emitting face having a predetermined area from which light from the light source is emitted to illuminate the inlet; and

a light receiving face generally facing the light source, the light receiving face being configured to diffuse light from the light source through the reflector so that light reaches the light emitting face across substantially the entire predetermined area thereof.

2. The buckle apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light receiving face has a portion that has other than a flat configuration.

3. The buckle apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light receiving face has a portion that has an arcuate configuration.

4. The buckle apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light receiving face has a central, concave portion, and a flat portion extending about the central, concave portion.

5. The buckle apparatus of claim 4, wherein the light source and the light receiving face are configured and positioned relative to each other so that substantially all the light emitted from the light source is received by the central, concave portion of the light receiving face.

6. The buckle apparatus of claim 1, wherein the face portion is configured for generally radially diffusing light through the reflector.

7. The buckle apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inlet includes an insertion direction for receiving the tongue, and wherein the face portion is configured for emitting light through the reflector in a plurality of non-parallel directions relative to the insertion direction.

8. The buckle apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light intensity control device for controlling an amount of light emitted from the light source for a desired amount of illumination of the inlet.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of the light sources all connected in series to the intensity control device.

10. A seat belt assembly comprising:

webbing for keeping an occupant under restraint and having one end with a tongue;

a retractor apparatus attached to the webbing and configured for retracting the webbing;

a buckle apparatus including;

a cover having a side with an inlet;

a buckle mechanism at least partially covered by the cover and configured for engaging the tongue when the tongue is inserted through the inlet;

at least one light source provided in the vicinity of the inlet; and

at least one reflector having a light emitting face having a predetermined area disposed for illumination of the inlet and a light receiving face facing the light source and having a face portion configured for diffusing light from the light source, through the reflector, to substantially the entire predetermined area of the light emitting face.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the light source emits a generally conical beam of light therefrom which is received by the light receiving face portion.

12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the light source has a distal end with a domed light emitting surface for radially emitting light toward the face portion of the light receiving face.

13. The assembly of claim 10, where the face portion of the light receiving face of the reflector is concave and arcuate for radially emitting light through the reflector.

14. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the face portion of the light receiving face of the reflector is positioned a predetermined distance from the light source and configured to receive substantially all of the light emitted from the light source.