Laminated tongue for vehicle seat belt buckle system
First Claim
1. A switch comprising a buckle and tongue, said buckle having a latch bar mounted therein for locking the tongue in the buckle, said buckle further including a spring biased contact mounted therein contacting an end of the tongue when the tongue is locked in the buckle, said tongue being a unitary structure and including laminated electrically conductive portions separated by an insulating portion, said portions of the unitary tongue structure comprised of alternating laminations of electrically conductive and non-conductive material through its thickness, and said contact contacting said electrically conductive portions when the tongue is locked in the buckle, with an electrical circuit completed when the tongue is locked in the buckle through the electrically conductive portions of the tongue and the contact in the buckle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle safety system comprising passenger restraint structure including a buckle with a laminated tongue, the tongue being electrically conductive in portions with other portions insulating the electrically conductive portions so that the electrical circuit is completed which negates warning indication and/or which controls inflation of an inflatable restraint, for example, when the tongue is latched in the buckle.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. A switch comprising a buckle and tongue, said buckle having a latch bar mounted therein for locking the tongue in the buckle, said buckle further including a spring biased contact mounted therein contacting an end of the tongue when the tongue is locked in the buckle, said tongue being a unitary structure and including laminated electrically conductive portions separated by an insulating portion, said portions of the unitary tongue structure comprised of alternating laminations of electrically conductive and non-conductive material through its thickness, and said contact contacting said electrically conductive portions when the tongue is locked in the buckle, with an electrical circuit completed when the tongue is locked in the buckle through the electrically conductive portions of the tongue and the contact in the buckle.
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2. A switch as claimed in claim 1, said electrically conductive portions of said tongue electrically connected to inflator means for an inflatable restraint so that the circuit activating inflation of said restraint is completed when the tongue is locked in the buckle.
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3. The switch as claimed in claim 1, said electrically conductive portions connected to a circuit energizing a signal device for warning that the buckle and tongue are not latched, said tongue and buckle conductive portions completing a circuit to open the signal device circuit when the buckle and tongue are latched.
Specification
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Current AssigneeRonald C. Lawwill
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Original AssigneeRonald C. Lawwill
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InventorsLawwill, Ronald C.
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Primary Examiner(s)Waring, Alvin H.
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Application NumberUS05/402,653Time in Patent Office512 DaysField of Search340/52E,278 307/1SB 180/82C 200/61.58BUS Class Current340/457.1CPC Class CodesA44B 11/2511 acting perpendicularly to t...A44B 11/2561 Tongue elementsA44B 11/2569 Safety measures buckles for...B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckleB60R 21/18 the inflatable member forme...B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or...
