Installation for feeding the lock tongue and/or the belt band of a belt system

• US 4,175,633 A
• Filed: 03/21/1978
• Issued: 11/27/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Andres, Rudolf, Ament, Eduard
• Primary Examiner(s): Makay, Albert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siemens, Terrance L.
• Application Number:
  US05/888,745
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 180/82 C, 297/384, 297/388, 297/389, 280/744, 280/747
• US Class Current: 180/270
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/03 Means for presenting the belt or part thereof to the wearer , e.g. foot-operated

Abstract

An installation for feeding the lock-tongue and/or the belt-band of a safety belt system, especially of a three-point safety belt with belt roller, into a position favorable for the fastening of the belt in a preferably two-door passenger motor vehicle, in which after boarding of the vehicle, the lock-tongue and/or the belt-band is transferred by a servo-mechanism from a rearward position not impairing the free access to the rear seats in the course of a rectilinear feed movement into a forward position coordinated to the driver or co-driver; the servo-mechanism together with the lock-tongue and/or belt-band returns into the starting position immediately after the termination of the belt-engaging operation and after a predetermined or freely selectable time interval in case the lock-tongue and/or the belt-band is not picked up.

Claims

1. An installation for feeding a part of a safety belt system into a position favorable for the engagement of the belt, comprising servo-means operable after boarding of the vehicle to transfer said part from a rear position essentially allowing unimpaired access to the rear seat into a forward position accessible to the drive or co-driver, characterized in that the servo-means is operable to return said part into the rear position substantially immediately after the termination of the belt-engaging operation and after a predetermined time interval should said belt-engaging operation fail to be performed.

2. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the part is at least one of lock-tongue and belt-band of a safety belt system.

3. An installation according to claim 2, characterized in that the belt system is a three-point belt system with belt roller means.

4. An installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the transfer of said part is performed with a substantially rectilinear movement.

5. An installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the servo-means is operable to return into its starting position immediately after the termination of the engaging operation and with a non-picked-up lock-tongue or belt-band is operable to return to its starting position together with the loosely held lock-tongue and belt-band after a predetermined time interval.

6. An installation according to claim 5, characterized in that said time interval is freely selectable.

7. An installation with a belt-lock means according to claim 5, characterized in that upon engagement of the lock-tongue into the belt-lock means, a switch is actuated, by means of which the servo-means is controlled for reversal and set into operation.

8. An installation according to claim 7, characterized in that a timer means is provided which after a predetermined time that is longer than the time required for the engagement, controls the servo-means for reversal and sets the same into operation.

9. An installation according to claim 8, characterized in that a switch means is provided at a place that can be readily reached by the driver and co-driver whose actuation controls the servo means for reversal and sets the same into operation.

10. An installation according to claim 9, characterized in that the servo-means includes an electric motor whose rotary movements are transmitted by way of an interconnected transmission means onto a feed-arm means carrying out a rectilinearly rising movement.

11. An installation according to claim 10, characterized in that an overload means is operatively associated with the servo-means.

12. An installation according to claim 11, characterized in that the free end of the feed-arm means, at which abuts the lock-tongue at least during the feed movement, is constructed as through-fitting means which continuously surrounds the belt-band and which disengages from the feed-arm means during the return movement in case of encountering an obstacle.

13. An installation according to claim 12, characterized in that the through-fitting means is provided with a triangularly shaped aperture standing on its head and having an external configuration essentially similar thereto.

14. An installation according to claim 12, characterized in that the through-fitting means is provided with a slot guidance means which during the movement of the feed-arm means, carries out a positively controlled pivot movement.

15. An installation with a belt-lock means according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that upon engagement of a lock-tongue into a belt lock means, a switch is actuated, by means of which the servo-means is controlled for reversal and set into operation.

16. An installation according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that a timer means is provided which after a predetermined time that is longer than the time required for the engagement, controls the servo-means for reversal and sets the same into operation.

17. An installation according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that a switch means is provided at a place that can be readily reached by the driver and co-driver whose actuation controls the servo means for reversal and sets the same into operation.

18. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the servo-means includes an electric motor whose rotary movements are transmitted by way of an interconnected transmission means onto a feed-arm means carrying out a rectilinearly rising movement.

19. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that an overload means is operatively associated with the servo-means.

20. An installation with a feed-arm means according to claim 2, characterized in that the free end of the feed-arm means, at which abuts the lock-tongue at least during the feed movement, is constructed as through-fitting means which continuously surrounds the belt band and which disengages from a feed-arm means during the return movement in case of encountering an obstacle.

21. An installation according to claim 20, characterized in that the through-fitting means is provided with a triangularly shaped aperture standing on its head and having an external configuration essentially similar thereto.

22. An installation according to claim 20, characterized in that the through-fitting means is provided with a slot guidance means which during the movement of the feed-arm means, carries out a positively controlled pivot movement.