Installation accommodated in a hollow vehicle bearer for the height adjustment of an upper deflection fitting for the shoulder belt of a belt system

• US 4,166,642 A
• Filed: 11/01/1977
• Issued: 09/04/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Jahn, Walter, Gimbel, Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stack, Jr., Norman L.
• Application Number:
  US05/847,496
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 280/744, 280/745, 280/747, 297/388, 297/389, 297/385
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42781 mechanical triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/43 Safety locks for back-rests B60N2/433
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/205 the slider comprising emergency actuated locking means

Abstract

An installation for the height adjustment of an upper deflection fitting for the shoulder belt of a belt system, which is accommodated in a hollow bearer of a vehicle, whereby the installation is steplessly displaceably guided in guidances of the hollow bearer while a hollow bearer wall is provided with at least one row of teeth or recesses into which engage the coordinated teeth or recesses of a detent member connected with the deflection fitting, against the effect of at least one spring force retaining the detent member in the normal position.

Claims

1. A mechanism, accommodated in a hollow vehicle bearer, for adjusting the height of an upper deflection fitting for a shoulder belt of a belt system, comprising:

guide means for infinitely variably displaceably adjusting the position of said mechanism within said hollow bearer;

engagement means provided in a wall of said hollow bearer;

detent means operatively connected with the deflecting fitting and being provided with complementary engagement means shaped for locking contact with said engagement means;

spring means biasing said complementary engagement means into a disengaged position relative to said engagement means under normal use conditions and for enabling engagement between said complementary engagement means and said engagement means upon application of tensional belt forces in excess of normal user retention forces of the type occurring during strong vehicle braking action and during a vehicle impact, said excessive tensional forces acting on said detent means so as to pull said complementary engagement means into said locking contact.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, comprising:

means for automatically adjusting the position of said upper deflection fitting in dependence upon the adjustment of a vehicle seat in the longitudinal direction, said means for automatically adjusting including slide means within said hollow bearer wall and cooperating with said detent member and complementary engagement means, and transmission means operatively connected between said slide and said vehicle seat for steplessly displacing said slide means in conjunction with said longitudinal seat movement.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the engagement means include at least one row of teeth.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that the complementary engagement means include at least one row of teeth.

5. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the engagement means include aperture means.

6. A mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that the complementary engagement means include at least one row of teeth.

7. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow bearer wall provided with said engagement means faces the interior space of the vehicle.

8. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the detent means cooperates with a slide means abutting at the guide means of the hollow bearer in such a manner that the detent means which is guided in a recess of the slide means at least approximately transversely to the movement direction of the latter, is adapted to be pulled out against the action of at least one return spring.

9. A mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that the detent means is securely connected with a fastening means having a shank portion for the deflection fitting, and in that the shank portion is guided displaceable in height within an elongated aperture provided in the hollow bearer wall.

17. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the detent means is securely connected with a fastening means having a shank portion for the deflection fitting, and in that the shank portion is guided displaceable in height within an elongated aperture provided in the hollow bearer wall.

10. A mechanism, accommodated in a hollow vehicle bearer, for adjusting the height of an upper deflection fitting for the shoulder belt of a belt system, characterized in that the mechanism is steplessly displaceably guided in guide means of the hollow bearer, and in that one hollow bearer wall is provided with engageable means, a detent means operatively connected with the deflection fitting and provided with complementary engageable means, said complementary engageable means engaging in the engageable means against the action of a spring force retaining the detent means in its normal position during those occurring tensional belt forces which exceed the belt forces acting on the belt by the belt user during normal driving operation, in that the detent means cooperates with a slide means abutting at the guide means of the hollow bearer in such a manner that the detent means which is guided in a recess of the slide means at least approximately transversely to the movement direction of the latter, is adapted to be pulled out against the action of at least one return spring, in that the detent means is securely connected with a fastening means having a shank portion for the deflection fitting, in that the shank portion is guided to be displaceable in height within an elongated aperture provided in the hollow bearer wall, and in that the fastening means is a bolt.

11. A mechanism, accommodated in a hollow vehicle bearer, for adjusting the height of an upper deflection fitting for the shoulder belt of a belt system, characterized in that the mechanism is steplessly displaceably guided in guide means of the hollow bearer, in that one hollow bearer wall is provided with engageable means, a detent means operatively connected with the deflection fitting and provided with complementary engageable means, said complementary engageable means engaging in the engageable means against the action of a spring force retaining the detent means in its normal position during those occurring tensional belt forces which exceed the belt forces acting on the belt by the belt user during normal driving operation, in that the detent means cooperates with a slide means abutting at the guide means of the hollow bearer in such a manner that the detent means which is guided in a recess of the slide means at least approximately transversely to the latter, is adapted to be pulled out against the action of at least one return spring, in that the detent means is securely connected with a fastening means having a shank portion for the deflection fitting, in that the shank portion is guided to be displaceable in height within an elongated aperture provided in the hollow bearer wall, and in that the detent means is provided with a continuous bore accommodating the return spring, whereby the return spring forcing the detent means into the recess of the slide means is secured at the slide means.

12. A mechanism, accommodated in a hollow vehicle bearer, for adjusting the height of an upper deflection fitting for the shoulder belt of a belt system, characterized in that the mechanism is steplessly displaceably guided in guide means of the hollow bearer, in that one hollow bearer wall is provided with engageable means, a detent means operatively connected with the deflection fitting and provided with complementary engageable means, said complementary engageable means engaging in the engageable means against the action of a spring force retaining the detent means in its normal position during those occurring tensional belt forces which exceed the belt forces acting on the belt by the belt user during normal driving operation, in that the detent means cooperates with a slide means abutting at the guide means of the hollow bearer in such a manner that the detent means which is guided in a recess of the slide means at least approximately transversely to the movement direction of the latter, is adapted to be pulled out against the action of at least one return spring, in that the detent means is securely connected with a fastening means having a shank portion for the deflection fitting, in that the shank portion is guided to be displaceable in height within an elongated aperture provided in the hollow bearer wall, and in that a transmission means is provided operatively connecting the slide means with a seat of the vehicle, said transmission means being operable to steplessly displace the slide means against the force of a spring during the adjustment of the seat in the driving direction.

13. A mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that the transmission means includes a bowden cable.

14. A mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that the transmission means includes means for compensating between differences in the travel path of the seat in its adjustment in the longitudinal direction and the travel path of the slide means in the guide means provided in the hollow bearer.

15. A mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that said engageable means are of substantially complementary form-locking configuration.

16. A mechanism according to claim 15, characterized in that the first-mentioned engageable means are arranged in a hollow bearer wall facing the interior space of the vehicle.

18. A mechanism, accommodated in a hollow vehicle bearer, for adjusting the height of an upper deflection fitting for the shoulder belt of a belt system, characterized in that the mechanism is steplessly displaceably guided in guide means of the hollow bearer, in that one hollow bearer wall is provided with engageable means, a detent means operatively connected with the deflection fitting and provided with complementary engageable means, said complementary engageable means engaging in the engageable means against the action of a spring force retaining the detent means in its normal position during those occurring tensional belt forces which exceed the belt forces acting on the belt by the belt user during normal driving operation, in that the detent means cooperates with a slide means abutting at the guide means of the hollow bearer in such a manner that the detent means which is guided in a recess of the slide means at least approximately transversely to the movement direction of the latter, is adapted to be pulled out against the action of at least one return spring, and in that the detent means is provided with a continuous bore accommodating the return spring, whereby the return spring forcing the detent means into the recess of the slide means is secured at the slide means.

19. A mechanism, accommodated in a hollow vehicle bearer, for adjusting the height of an upper deflection fitting for the shoulder belt of a belt system, characterized in that the mechanism is steplessly displaceably guided in guide means of the hollow bearer, in that one hollow bearer wall is provided with engageable means, a detent means operatively connected with the deflection fitting and provided with complementary engageable means, said complementary engageable means engaging in the engageable means against the action of a spring force retaining the detent means in its normal position during those occurring tensional belt forces which exceed the belt forces acting on the belt user during normal driving operation, in that the detent means cooperates with a slide means abutting at the guide means of the hollow bearer in such a manner that the detent means which is guided in a recess of the slide means at least approximately transversely to the movement direction of the latter, is adapted to be pulled out against the action of at least one return spring, and in that a transmission means is provided operatively connecting the slide means with a seat of the vehicle, said transmission means being operable to steplessly displace the slide means against the force of a spring during the adjustment of the seat in the driving direction.

20. A mechanism according to claim 19, characterized in that the transmission means includes a bowden cable.

21. A mechanism according to claim 20, characterized in that the transmission means includes means for compensating between differences in the travel path of the seat in its adjustment in the longitudinal direction and the travel path of the slide means in the guide means provided in the hollow bearer.