Locking device for seat belt for vehicles

• US 3,866,944 A
• Filed: 05/03/1973
• Issued: 02/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Akihiro Kajita
• Original Assignee: Akihiro Kajita
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kuniyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Application Number:
  US05/356,714
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15SB 180/82C,112 242/107.4
• US Class Current: 280/803
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/04 Passive restraint systems, i.e. systems both applied and removed automatically, e.g. by movement of the vehicle door

Abstract

A locking device for a seat belt releasably binding the passenger to the seat in a vehicle, in which a seat belt retractor carrying one end portion of the seat belt is disposed in the vehicle door or compartment, and means for automatically locking and unlocking the seat belt retractor in interlocking relation with the closure and opening of the vehicle door are provided so that the passenger can be reliably bound to the seat in response to the closure of the door and released from the state of binding in response to the opening of the door.

Claims

1. A locking device for a seat blet releasably binding the body of the passenger to the seat in a vehicle having a striker mounted on the vehicle body comprising a seat belt retractor for releasably holding one end portion of said seat belt, said seat belt retractor including a shaft hving a retracting direction, an automatic locking wheel having a plurality of tooth portions and mounted firmly on said shaft, a locking lever pivoted at substantially the central portion thereof to the door by a pin and having an engaging end portion engageable with said tooth portions of said automatic locking wheel, a return spring associated with said locking lever for normally biasing said engaging end portion of said locking lever toward said automatic locking wheel, a release lever engageable at one end portion thereof with the other end portion of said locking lever, a ratchet wheel rotatable in unitary relation with a latch wheel engageable with the striker mounted on the vehicle body, and a rod connecting the other end portion of said release lever to a portion of said ratchet wheel.

2. A locking device for a seat belt as in claim 1 and comprising a solenoid including an armature engaging said other end portion of said locking lever to retain said locking lever in a predetermined released position under normal operating conditions.

3. A locking device as in claim 2 where power means connect to said solenoid and said power means include a gravity actuated sensor to change power supply to said solenoid when said sensor is actuated to operatively move said locking lever to position its said engaging end portion in engagement with said tooth portion of said automatic locking wheel and prevent movement of the seat belt.

4. A locking device as in claim 1 including a pivotal emergency release lever operatively engaging the other end portion of said locking lever to move said locking lever to a release position when said emergency release lever is actuated.

5. A locking device as in claim 1 where the device is mounted in a vehicle door having an inside door handle, an open lever operatively connects to the said ratchet wheel, and means connect said open lever to said inside door handle to move said ratchet wheel and said rod to release said locking lever upon movement of said inside door handle to a door open position.