CONTROLLED MEMORY KEEPER

• US 3,695,697 A
• Filed: 10/08/1970
• Issued: 10/03/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Stoffel
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Stoffel
• Inventors: Stoffel, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Bobby R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marquette, Darrell
• Application Number:
  US05/079,097
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 297/388,389 244/122B 242/17SB 160/178R,178C 24/171,129D,126R,136R,132R
• US Class Current: 297/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/19 with means for reducing belt tension during use under normal conditions included in the retractor B60R22/44
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4019 Sliding part or wedge

Abstract

A movable gripping device which is used with a shoulder strap in a motor vehicle safety seat belt restraint system.

Claims

1. In a safety seat belt assembly mounted in a vehicle, the combination comprising:

a. a flexible belt element having one end connected to a retracting means in a vehicle seat which retracting means continuously yieldably urges retraction of said belt element into the vehicle seat, an opposite end having means to anchor said belt element to the vehicle, and an intermediate section for extension over a vehicle occupant'"'"''"'"'s body for restraining the occupant against sudden impact of the vehicle;

b. a gripping device having a passageway for extending said belt element therethrough, said gripping device having means to grip said belt element in the passageway at a selected location;

c. a seat receptacle accepting and retaining said gripping device in a normal position during operation of the vehicle, said receptacle being mounted overhead and rearward of the occupant, and said receptacle having an opening for extension therethrough of said belt element for connection to the retracting means;

d. means in said receptacle for engaging said gripping device while said belt element is gripped therein, the engagement preventing retraction of said belt element beyond a predetermined length;

e. projection means on said gripping device for releasing the grip of said gripping device on said belt element as a result of rotation of said device upward and forward in said receptacle; and

f. said means in said seat receptacle permitting said gripping device to move forward out of engagement with said receptacle while the belt element is gripped therein and extended over occupant'"'"''"'"'s body to the anchoring means, said gripping device forward movement allowing occupant to move forward during operation of the vehicle.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping device comprises an upper flange and a lower flange having unitary construction, said flanges defining the passageway through which the flexible belt element extends.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said gripping device is constructed of a resilient material.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein at least one surface of the passageway has roughening means and the thickness of the passageway is less than the thickness of the belt element, the passageway thickness and surface roughening means facilitating a grip on said belt element.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said resilient material is a molded synthetic resin.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said roughening means comprises a series of lateral notches formed on the surface and extending across the width of the passageway.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said receptacle is constructed of a molded synthetic resinous material.

8. In a safety seat belt assembly mounted in a motor vehicle, the combination comprising:

a. a flexible belt element having one end connected to a retracting means mounted within a motor vehicle seat, the retracting means continuously yieldably urging retraction of said belt element into the vehicle seat, an opposite end having means to anchor said belt element to the mOtor vehicle, and an intermediate section for extension thereof over a vehicle occupant'"'"''"'"'s body for restraining the occupant against sudden impact of the motor vehicle;

b. a gripping device of a resilient molded synthetic resinous material, which gripping device has an upper flange and a lower flange defining a passageway therethrough through which said belt element extends, the passageway having a thickness which is less than the thickness of the belt element thereby causing the gripping device to grip the belt element at a selected location;

c. a continuous series of lateral notches formed on at least one surface of the passageway and extending across the width thereof to assist the gripping device in gripping the belt element;

d. a projection on the rearward end of the lower flange adjacent to the passageway;

e. a projection on the forward end of the gripping device upper flange to facilitate the application of an upward rotational movement to the gripping device when the belt element is rotated upwardly and forwardly;

f. a seat receptacle having a lower extremity and an upper extremity constructed of a molded synthetic resinous material, said receptacle being mounted overhead and rearward of the occupant within a vehicle seat, the upper and lower extremities defining an opening for passage of the belt element therethrough for connection to the retracting means;

g. the seat receptacle lower extremity having a convex shape which substantially complements a concave shape of the lower surface of the gripping device lower flange for accepting said gripping device in a normal position during vehicle operation;

h. the upper extremity and lower extremity of said seat receptacle being positioned to engage said gripping device to prevent further movement thereof toward said seat receptacle, thereby preventing further retraction of said flexible belt element while it is gripped in the passageway;

i. a lip on the forward end of said seat receptacle upper extremity, said lip being positioned to engage the gripping device upper flange providing downward restraint thereon when the gripping device is rotated upwardly by the upward movement of the belt element, said movement causing the gripping device upper flange to move away from the gripping device lower flange when the rearward projection on the gripping device lower flange engages the convex lower extremity of the seat receptacle; and

j. said seat receptacle having a configuration which permits the gripping device to move forward out of engagement with said seat receptacle while the belt element is gripped therein and the occupant moves forward during normal operation of the motor vehicle.

9. A gripping device having a passageway for extending a flexible seat belt element therethrough, said gripping device of resilient material including an upper flange and a lower flange having unitary construction, said flanges defining the passageway through which the flexible belt element extends, at least one surface of said passageway has roughening means and the thickness of the passageway being less than the thickness of the belt element, the passageway thickness and surface roughening means facilitating a grip on said belt element, said gripping device shaped for removable acceptance and retention in a receptacle in a vehicle during normal operation thereof, and means on said gripping device for releasing the grip of said gripping device on said belt element as a result of rotation of said device upward and forward in said receptacle.

10. A gripping device of a resilient molded synthetic resinous material for reception in a receptacle, which comprises:

a. an upper flange and a lower flange defining a passageway therethrough through which a belt element extends, said passageway having a thickness which is less than the thickness of the belt element thereby causing said gripping device to grip the belt element at a selected location;

b. a continuous series of lateral notches formEd on at least one surface of said passageway and extending across the width thereof to assist said gripping device in gripping the belt element;

c. a projection on the rearward end of said lower flange adjacent to the passageway; and

d. a projection on the forward end of said gripping device upper flange to facilitate the application of an upward rotational movement to said gripping device in the receptacle when the belt element is rotated upwardly and forwardly causing said gripping device upper flange to move away from said gripping device lower flange when the projection on the rearward end of said gripping device lower flange engages the receptacle.