Remotely actuated seat belt buckle

• US 20100101060A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pelliccia, Nicklaus John, Walega, Frank Glenn, Marriott, Brandon Scott, Grzybowski, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,240,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/603
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2523 acting parallel to the main plane of the buckle and in the same direction as the fastening action
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/32 Devices for releasing in an emergency, e.g. after an accident ; Remote or automatic unbuckling devices unlocking devices for retractors B60R22/3416
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/322 using automatic actuating means B60R22/321 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/325 using remote control means B60R22/321, B60R22/322 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45 Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45461 Interlocking portion actuated or released responsive to preselected condition [e.g., heat, pressure]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45466 having electric or fluid powered, actuation or release, of interlock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45623 and operator therefor

Abstract

A buckle assembly for a vehicle comprises a seat belt tongue and a seat belt buckle with a blocking mechanism and a manual release button. The blocking mechanism is configured to latch the tongue in the buckle. The buckle assembly further comprises a remote buckle release mechanism, including a buckle release cable and a motor module operably connected to the cable. The motor module is configured to pull the cable to release the blocking mechanism to thereby release the seat belt tongue from the buckle. The buckle assembly is also configured to be actuated by an occupant via the manual release button on the buckle. The remote buckle release mechanism does not interfere with operation of the manual release button. The remote buckle release mechanism may also be configured to automatically release the buckles a predetermined time after an airbag deployment.

Claims

1. A buckle assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat belt with a tongue;

a seat belt buckle with a blocking mechanism and a manual release button, the buckle configured to receive and releasably latch to the tongue; and

a remote buckle release mechanism, including;

a buckle release cable; and

a motor module operably connected to the buckle release cable, wherein the motor module is configured to pull the cable to release the blocking mechanism to thereby release the tongue from the buckle,

wherein the buckle assembly is configured to be actuated by the manual release button to unlatch the tongue from the buckle, and wherein the motor module is actuated from a location remote from the buckle to thereby release the tongue from the buckle via the remote buckle release mechanism.

2. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the remote buckle release mechanism includes a remote emergency release switch mounted in the vehicle at the location remote from the buckle, the remote emergency release switch operably connected to the motor module such that actuation of the remote release switch actuates the motor module to release the blocking mechanism to thereby unlatch the tongue from the buckle.

3. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the buckle further includes a lock bar and ejector spring.

4. The buckle assembly of claim 3, wherein the remote buckle release mechanism is configured to release the blocking mechanism without directly acting on the lock bar or ejector spring.

5. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism includes a slider and a lock pin.

6. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the cable is rigidly affixed to a drum, wherein the drum is configured to be rotated, and wherein the motor module is configured to rotate the drum in order to wind the cable onto the drum.

7. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises an inner actuation cable slidable within an outer cable housing.

8. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism includes a slider movable between a locked an unlocked position.

9. The buckle assembly of claim 8, wherein the cable is connected to the slider and configured to move the slider out from under a lock pin to release a latch plate latching the tongue to the buckle.

10. The buckle assembly of claim 9, wherein the cable is connected to the slider with a bar and hook cable attachment.

11. The buckle assembly of claim 9, wherein the cable includes a ball-type cable end that pulls on the slider.

12. The buckle assembly of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control unit for each seat in the vehicle, the electronic control unit including the motor module and at least one vehicle or seat sensor, and wherein the electronic control unit is connected to a control module.

13. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the remote buckle release mechanism includes a hook and ladder assembly to pull the buckle release cable to release the blocking mechanism.

14. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the remote buckle release mechanism includes a dual cam assembly configured to pinch and pull the buckle release cable to release the blocking mechanism.

15. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the remote buckle release mechanism includes a push device to load the buckle release cable to thereby pull the buckle release cable to release the blocking mechanism.

16. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of seats, wherein each of the seats includes;

a seat belt with a tongue;

a seat belt buckle with a blocking mechanism and a manual release button, the buckle configured to receive and releasably latch to the tongue; and

a buckle release cable connected to the blocking mechanism of the buckle, the cable being configured to release the blocking mechanism to thereby release the seat belt tongue from the buckle when the cable is pulled, and

wherein actuation of the manual release button on the buckle unlatches the tongue from the buckle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the cable is attached at a first end to the blocking mechanism, and wherein the cable is attached to a manual pull handle at a second end, the pull handle being configured so that a user may pull on the handle to thereby pull the cable in order to release the blocking mechanism and unlatch the tongue from the buckle.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the cable is attached to one of the plurality of seats.

19. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein each buckle release cable for each of the plurality of seats is configured to be linked to a single emergency release handle so that actuation of the single emergency release handle pulls on each buckle release cable for each of the plurality of seats to thereby unlatch each tongue from its respective buckle.

20. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the buckle release cable is connected to a motor module, and wherein actuation of the motor module pulls the cable to unlatch the tongue from the buckle.