TONGUE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20100180409A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enshu Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Enshu Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Tadao
• Granted Patent: US 8,418,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/593.100
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2561 Tongue elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4088 One-piece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45241 Slot and tab or tongue
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material

Abstract

In a tongue used in a seat belt system, a tongue main body 25 including a belt insertion hole 23 in which to insert a seat belt 3 is provided with an insertion part 27 in a projecting manner. The insertion part 27 is capable of being inserted in a buckle in the seat belt system, and includes a lock hole 27a to which a lock piece included in the buckle is capable of being locked. A front surface of the insertion part 27 is formed into a concave and convex surface by being provided with multiple convex parts 29 or multiple concave parts. The convex parts 29 or the concave parts included in a rear surface of the tongue are formed corresponding to the convex parts 29 or the concave parts included in the front surface. A height of each convex part 29 from a reference position or a depth of each concave part from the reference position is 0.01 mm to 0.10 mm.

Claims

1. A tongue used in a seat belt system, comprising:

a tongue main body including a belt insertion hole in which to insert a seat belt;

an insertion part being capable of being inserted in a buckle in the seat belt system, including a lock hole to which a lock piece included in the buckle is capable of being locked, and projecting from the tongue main body; and

a plurality of convex parts or a plurality of concave parts being included in a front surface of the insertion part, the front surface of the insertion part being formed into a concave and convex surface by the structure.

2. The tongue according to claim 1,

wherein the convex parts or the concave parts included in a rear surface of the tongue are formed corresponding to the convex parts or the concave parts included in the front surface.

3. The tongue according to claim 1,

wherein a height of each convex part from a reference position or a depth of each concave part from the reference position is 0.01 mm to 0.10 mm.

4. A tongue used in a seat belt system, comprising:

a tongue main body including a belt insertion hole in which to insert a seat belt;

an insertion part being capable of being inserted in a buckle in the seat belt system, including a lock hole to which a lock piece included in the buckle is capable of being locked, and projecting from the tongue main body; and

a plurality of convex parts or a plurality of concave parts being included in a front surface of the tongue main body, the front surface of the tongue main body being formed into a concave and convex surface by the structure.

5. The tongue according to claim 4,

wherein the convex parts or the concave parts included in a rear surface of the tongue are formed corresponding to the convex parts or the concave parts included in the front surface.

6. The tongue according to claim 4,

wherein a height of each convex part from a reference position or a depth of each concave part from the reference position is 0.01 mm to 0.10 mm.

7. A tongue used in a seat belt system, comprising:

a tongue main body including a belt insertion hole in which to insert a seat belt;

an insertion part being capable of being inserted in a buckle in the seat belt system, including a lock hole to which a lock piece included in the buckle is capable of being locked, and projecting from the tongue main body; and

a plurality of convex parts or a plurality of concave parts being included in a front surface of the insertion part and a front surface of the tongue main body, the front surface of the insertion part and the front surface of the tongue main body being each formed into a concave and convex surface by the structure.

8. The tongue according to claim 7,

wherein the convex parts or the concave parts included in a rear surface of the tongue are formed corresponding to the convex parts or the concave parts included in the front surface.

9. The tongue according to claim 7,

wherein a height of each convex part from a reference position or a depth of each concave part from the reference position is 0.01 mm to 0.10 mm.

10. A method of manufacturing a tongue which is used in a seat belt system, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a shape in which an insertion part capable of being inserted in a buckle in the seat belt system is provided in a projecting manner on a tongue main body including a seat belt insertion hole in which to insert a seat belt;

performing a coining process in order to form a front surface of the insertion part into a concave and convex surface provided with a plurality of concave parts or a plurality of convex parts;

applying a plating process on the tongue main body and the insertion part; and

covering an area surrounding the seat belt insertion hole of the tongue main body with a resin.

11. A method of manufacturing a tongue which is used in a seat belt system, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a shape in which an insertion part capable of being inserted in a buckle in the seat belt system is provided in a projecting manner on a tongue main body including a seat belt insertion hole in which to insert a seat belt;

performing a coining process in order to form a front surface of the tongue main body into a concave and convex surface provided with a plurality of concave parts or a plurality of convex parts;

applying a plating process on the tongue main body and the insertion part; and

covering an area surrounding the seat belt insertion hole of the tongue main body with a resin.

12. A method of manufacturing a tongue which is used in a seat belt system, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a shape in which an insertion part capable of being inserted in a buckle in the seat belt system is provided in a projecting manner on a tongue main body including a seat belt insertion hole in which to insert a seat belt;

performing a coining process in order to form a front surface of each of the tongue main body and the insertion part into a concave and convex surface provided with a plurality of concave parts or a plurality of convex parts;

applying a plating process on the tongue main body and the insertion part; and

covering an area surrounding the seat belt insertion hole of the tongue main body with a resin.