TONGUE AND SEAT BELT DEVICE USING THE SAME

• US 20150021896A1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan GK (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okano, Motonori, Tabata, Yuuki, Kawai, Yoshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,204,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/807
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2503 Safety buckles safety belts in vehicles B60R22/00; safety belts for aircraft B64D25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2553 Attachment of buckle to strap
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2561 Tongue elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1812 Connections between seat belt and buckle tongue
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/12 Construction of belts or harnesses B60R21/18 takes precedence ; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/18 Anchoring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/34 Belt retractors, e.g. reels anchoring devices , e.g. guide loops , with means to tension the belt in an emergency B60R22/195

Abstract

[Object] Smooth sliding against a seat belt is allowed in a normal state, and effectiveness of suppressing extension of a lap belt is increased in an emergency state.

[Solution] A seat belt slide portion 17 has a recess portion 20 provided in a seat belt slide surface 18 and a specified number of projections 27 provided in the recess portion 20. The seat belt slide surface 18 has a shoulder belt-side seat belt slide surface 22 that is disposed on a shoulder belt 9 side and extends in a longitudinal direction of a seat belt insertion hole 16. Relative to a position where the distance in a direction perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole 16 is a minimum, the shoulder belt-side seat belt slide surface 22 extends from the shoulder belt 9 side to a lap belt 10 side, and the distance of a part 22a of the shoulder belt-side seat belt slide surface 22 is positioned on the lap belt 10 side relative to the position of a virtual line α.

Claims

1. A tongue that is slidably supported by a seat belt, separates the seat belt into a shoulder belt and a lap belt, and has an engagement portion engageable with a buckle, the tongue has

a seat belt insertion hole that is provided so as to be elongated in a direction perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the engagement portion and allows the seat belt to be inserted therethrough;

and

a seat belt slide portion that forms part of the seat belt insertion hole and has a seat belt slide surface against which the seat belt slides,

wherein the seat belt slide portion has a specified number of recess portions provided in the seat belt slide surface, and a specified number of projections are separately provided in the recess portions,

wherein the seat belt slide surface at least has a shoulder belt-side seat belt slide surface that is disposed on a shoulder belt side and extends in a longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole, and

wherein, relative to a position where the distance in a direction perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole is a minimum, the shoulder belt-side seat belt slide surface extends from the shoulder belt side to a lap belt side, and part of the shoulder belt-side seat belt slide surface is positioned on the lap belt side relative to the position where the distance is the minimum.

2. The tongue according to claim 1, wherein a cross section, which is perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole, of an outer circumferential surface of each of the recess portions has an arc shape.

3. The tongue according to claim 1, wherein the seat belt slide surface has a lap belt-side seat belt slide surface that is disposed on the lap belt side and extends in the longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole.

4. The tongue according to claim 1, wherein, the seat belt slide surface has a first and second-end seat belt slide surfaces that is disposed at both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole and extend in the direction perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole.

5. The tongue according to claim 4,

wherein a plurality of the recess portions are provided, and

wherein, the seat belt slide surface has an intermediate seat belt slide surface that is disposed between the plurality of recess portions and extends in the direction perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seat belt insertion hole.

6. The tongue according to claim 1, wherein, the projections do not project further to an outside than the seat belt slide surface from the recess portions.

7. The tongue according to claim 6, wherein each of the projections has a substantially spherically shaped tip end.

8. A seat belt device at least comprising:

a seat belt;

a seat belt retractor that retracts the seat belt;

a tongue slidably supported by the seat belt; and

a buckle, into which the tongue is inserted and with which the tongue is engaged,

wherein the seat belt is worn by an occupant when the tongue is inserted into and engaged with the buckle, and

wherein the tongue is according to claim 1.