BUCKLE GUIDE

• US 20160129877A1
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spahn, Brian Robert, Yilma, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 9,974,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: A44B 11/2546 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2592 fastening by sliding in the main plane or a plane parallel to the main plane of the buckle A44B11/2503, A44B11/2584 take precedence

Abstract

A guide mechanism may be provided in a buckle assembly including an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. The guide mechanism in one example includes notches in the outer sleeve mateable to notches in a tongue piece. In another example, the guide mechanism includes ribs formed on an interior of the outer sleeve, that together with a wall of an outer button included in the outer sleeve, form a slot for receiving a tongue piece. In yet another example, the guide mechanism includes a pair of leaf springs having openings therein forming a slot for receiving a tongue piece.

Claims

1. A buckle system, comprising:

a tongue piece including a first pair of notches facing a latch plate;

an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, the outer sleeve fittable over the inner sleeve and including a second pair of notches; and

a slot defined in the outer sleeve to receive the latch tongue plate and having a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to the second pair of notches.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the notches is one of curved and rectangular.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an outer button mounted on the outer sleeve and an inner button mounted on the inner sleeve.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tensioning mechanism for urging a top side of the outer sleeve away from a top side of the inner sleeve.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the tensioning mechanism includes a damping mechanism.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a seat belt connected to the tongue piece.

7. A buckle system, comprising:

an inner sleeve;

an outer sleeve, the outer sleeve fittable over the inner sleeve and having a plurality of ribs formed on an interior surface thereof;

an L-shaped outer release button disposed in the outer sleeve and having a descending portion; and

an L-shaped inner release button disposed in the inner sleeve and including an inner button descending portion having a slot configured to receive the outer button descending portion;

wherein a slot is defined by the ribs and a wall of the outer release button.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the ribs have a length that is substantially one-third to one-half a length of the outer sleeve.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a tongue piece including a tongue latch plate configured to be received by the slot.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a tensioning mechanism for urging a top side of the outer sleeve away from a top side of the inner sleeve.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the tensioning mechanism includes a damping mechanism.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising a tongue piece and a seat belt connected to the tongue piece.

13. A buckle system, comprising:

an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, the outer sleeve fittable over the inner; and

a pair of leaf springs, each of the leaf springs being attached at a top edge to a top edge of the outer sleeve, and having a bottom edge resting on a top side of the inner sleeve,

respective openings defined in each of the leaf springs, wherein the openings form a slot for receiving a tongue piece when the leaf springs are compressed.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an outer button mounted on the outer sleeve and an inner button mounted on the inner sleeve.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the outer button is fixedly mounted on the outer sleeve.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the outer button is pivotably mounted on the outer sleeve.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the outer button is slidably mounted on the outer sleeve.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a tensioning mechanism for urging a top side of the outer sleeve away from a top side of the inner sleeve.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the tensioning mechanism includes a damping mechanism.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising a seat belt connected to the tongue piece.