Lighted soft touch buckle for restraint system

• US 20070236917A1
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gray, Mark F., Smith, Paul M.
• Application Number:
  US11/730,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236917A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/108
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2546 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2565 Illuminated buckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4866 Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45623 and operator therefor

Abstract

An occupant restraint system with an illuminable portion and/or thermal source integrated therein.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising:

a belt configured to extend and retract across a vehicle occupant;

a tongue coupled to the belt;

a buckle housing that includes a latch configured to attach the tongue inside the buckle housing; and

an illuminable portion within the buckle housing configured to selectively uniformly distribute light.

2. The occupant restraint system of claim 1, wherein the buckle housing is labeled;

and

wherein the labeling is done in phosphorescent ink.

3. The occupant restraint system of claim 1, wherein the illuminable portion includes a light source.

4. The occupant restraint system of claim 3, further comprising:

a switch configured to actuate the light source.

5. The occupant restraint system of claim 4, wherein the switch is a membrane switch movable with respect to the buckle housing.

6. The occupant restraint system of claim 4, wherein the switch is incorporated into a vehicle door configured to activate upon opening the vehicle door.

7. The occupant restraint system of claim 1, wherein the illuminable portion includes phosphorescent ink.

8. The occupant restraint system of claim 1, wherein the illuminable portion includes a light source coupled to the buckle housing.

9. The occupant restraint system of claim 1, wherein the illuminable portion is a light ring encircling at least a portion of the buckle housing.

10. The occupant restraint system of claim 1, further comprising:

a thermal source attached to the buckle housing to selectively increase and/or decrease the temperature of the buckle housing.

11. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising:

a belt configured to extend and retract across a vehicle occupant;

a tongue coupled to the belt;

a buckle housing that includes a latch configured to attach the tongue inside the buckle housing; and

a thermal source attached to the buckle housing to selectively increase and/or decrease the temperature of the buckle housing.

12. The occupant restraint system of claim 11, wherein the buckle housing is labeled;

and

wherein the labeling is done in phosphorescent ink.

13. The occupant restraint system of claim 11, further comprising:

a switch configured to actuate the thermal source.

14. The occupant restraint system of claim 13, wherein the switch is a membrane switch movable with respect to the buckle housing.

15. The occupant restraint system of claim 13, wherein the switch is incorporated into a vehicle door configured to activate upon opening the vehicle door.

16. The occupant restraint system of claim 13, further comprising:

a thermocouple, configured to measure a temperature, wherein the thermocouple is configured to activate the thermal source upon measuring a temperature beyond a predetermined threshold.

17. The occupant restraint system of claim 11, further comprising:

an illuminable portion within the buckle housing configured to selectively uniformly distribute light.

18. A buckle housing for an occupant restraint system, comprising:

a latch configured to attach a tongue inside the buckle housing; and

an illuminable portion within the buckle housing configured to selectively uniformly distribute light.

19. The buckle housing of claim 18, further comprising:

a thermal source within the buckle housing to control the temperature of the buckle housing.