Seat belt anchor device and method
First Claim
1. A seat belt anchor device for anchoring a seat belt to a stud having a shank and an enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:
- a plate member having a body thereof;
a seat belt opening in the plate body sized to receive a seat belt extending therethrough;
a keyhole opening in the plate body having an enlarged portion for fitting the stud head therethrough and a narrower portion for sliding the plate body to an installed position relative to the stud;
a spring retainer arranged to extend in overlying relation to the keyhole opening and configured to keep the plate body and stud in the installed position thereof;
an end portion of the spring retainer connected to the plate body; and
a stop that limits pivoting of the end portion to keep the spring retainer extending in overlying relation to the keyhole opening.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A seat belt anchor device and method are provided for anchoring a seat belt to a stud. The device includes a plate member having a keyhole opening into which the stud is fit with the plate member pulled upwardly to bring the stud to the installed position relative to the plate member. A spring retainer member keeps the stud and plate member in their installed position. A stop is provided to limit pivoting of the spring retainer member relative to the plate member. In some forms, the spring retainer includes resilient clamping portions for clamping engagement with the stud head therebetween in the installed portion.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A seat belt anchor device for anchoring a seat belt to a stud having a shank and an enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:
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a plate member having a body thereof;
a seat belt opening in the plate body sized to receive a seat belt extending therethrough;
a keyhole opening in the plate body having an enlarged portion for fitting the stud head therethrough and a narrower portion for sliding the plate body to an installed position relative to the stud;
a spring retainer arranged to extend in overlying relation to the keyhole opening and configured to keep the plate body and stud in the installed position thereof;
an end portion of the spring retainer connected to the plate body; and
a stop that limits pivoting of the end portion to keep the spring retainer extending in overlying relation to the keyhole opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A seat belt anchor device for anchoring a seat belt to a stud having a shank and an enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:
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an elongate plate body having opposite sides extending lengthwise along the body and a central longitudinal axis also extending lengthwise generally equally spaced from the opposite sides;
a seat belt opening extending transversely between the plate body sides adjacent a first one of the ends of the body;
a keyhole opening having an enlarged portion for fitting the stud head therethrough and a narrower portion for sliding the stud shank toward a second one of plate body ends to an installed position of the plate body relative to the stud;
a connection area of the plate body between the seat belt opening and the keyhole opening enlarged portion;
a spring retainer extending in overlying relation to the keyhole opening and configured to keep the plate body and stud in the installed position thereof;
a connection end portion of the spring retainer;
a single rivet fastener for securing the spring retainer connection end portion in the connection area of the plate body aligned along the plate body central longitudinal axis; and
a stop raised from the plate body and integrally formed therewith extending along at least a portion of the seat belt opening adjacent the connection area to limit pivoting of the riveted spring retainer end portion to keep the spring retainer extending in overlying relation to the keyhole opening during installation of the plate body to the stud. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for installing a seat belt anchor to a stud, the method comprising:
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providing a plate body having a spring retainer which extends over a keyhole opening of the plate body, and is secured to the plate body at a single location; and
restricting pivoting of the spring retainer during installation without requiring another location at which the spring retainer is secured to the plate body. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A seat belt anchor device for anchoring a seat belt to a stud having a shank and an enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:
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a plate member having a body thereof;
a keyhole opening having an enlarged portion sized for receiving the stud head therethrough and a narrower portion sized for receiving the stud shank therein for positioning the anchor device in an installed position relative to the stud;
a spring retainer arranged to extend in overlying relation to the keyhole opening and configured to maintain the plate body and stud in the installed position thereof; and
an indicator portion of the spring retainer for engaging the stud head when the stud head is generally aligned with the enlarged portion of the keyhole opening and prior to full receipt of the stud head therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A seat belt anchor device for anchoring a seat belt to a stud having a shank and an enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:
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a plate member having a body thereof;
an upper portion of the plate body for securing a seat belt thereto;
a keyhole opening in the plate body having an enlarged portion sized for receiving the stud head therethrough and a narrower portion sized for receiving the stud shank therein with the anchor device in an installed position relative to the stud;
a spring retainer arranged to extend in overlying relation to a portion of the keyhole opening;
an end portion of the spring retainer connected to a lower portion of the plate body below the keyhole opening; and
an opening in the spring retainer overlying the narrower portion of the keyhole opening for receiving the stud head therein to maintain the plate body and stud in the installed position thereof. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A seat belt anchor device for being secured to a stud having a shank and enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:
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a plate member having a keyhole opening therein including an enlarged portion for fitting the stud head therethrough and a narrow slot portion in which the stud shank is received for shifting the plate member to an installed position relative to the stud;
a spring retainer connected to the plate member that keeps the plate member in the installed position relative to the stud; and
portions of the spring retainer that resiliently clamp the stud head therebetween with plate member in the installed position. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification