Seat belt connecting device

• US 4,444,432 A
• Filed: 03/25/1981
• Issued: 04/24/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, James T.
• Application Number:
  US06/247,552
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 297/478, 297/476, 297/480, 297/483, 280/801, 280/803, 280/807, 280/808, 24/136 R, 24/136 K, 24/171, 24/230 BC, 24/230 AK, 24/230 AL
• US Class Current: 297/476
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/30 Coupling devices other than buckles, including length-adjusting fittings or anti-slip devices adaptations of manual three-point seat belt systems for use by small passengers using other means than belt anti-slip devices B60R22/024; buckles A44B11/00; releasable fastenings in general F16B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4084 Looped strap

Abstract

A seat belt connecting device for connecting an outer belt composed of a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion to an inner belt, comprises a frame member, to which the inner belt is fastened, an outer belt supporting member which is rotatably and slidably supported by the frame member, an elastic member which is provided between the frame member and the outer belt supporting member and a locking member which is formed in the frame member for locking the outer belt supporting member. When the outer belt is tensioned due to the load applied by the occupant at an emergency time, the outer belt supporting member slides while being rotated, overcoming a pushing force of the elastic member until the outer belt supporting member is locked by the locking member. Consequently, the outer belt is stopped from being shifted with respect to the seat belt connecting device.

Claims

1. A seat belt connecting device for connecting an outer belt composed of a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion to an inner belt, comprising:

a rectangular-shaped frame member, to one side of which one end of said inner belt is fastened;

an outer belt supporting member which supports said outer belt between said lap belt portion and said shoulder belt portion;

both ends of said outer belt supporting member being rotatably and slidably supported by opposed sides of said frame member in parallel with said side to which said inner belt is fastened;

at least one portion of a surface of said outer belt supporting member being formed so as to generate friction resistance relative to said outer belt;

an elastic member which is provided between said frame member and said outer belt supporting member so as to push said outer belt supporting member in the direction opposite to the tensioning direction of said outer belt; and

a locking member which is formed in said frame member for locking said outer belt supporting member to stop the rotation and the sliding movement of said outer belt supporting member when said outer belt supporting member slides, overcoming a pushing force of said elastic member, pulled by said outer belt at an emergency time.

2. A seat belt connecting device according to claim 1, wherein:

said outer belt supporting member is composed of a roller comprising a columnar outer belt supporting portion around which said outer belt extends, locking portions having a polygonal section respectively, which are formed adjacent to both ends of said outer belt supporting portion and a columnar shaft portions which project from said locking portions;

said opposed sides of said frame member is provided with long holes respectively, which extend along said opposed sides, and into which said shaft portions are rotatably and slidably inserted respectively; and

said locking member projects from both ends of an opposed side of said frame member to said side to which said inner belt is fastened, so as to be engaged with said locking portions of said roller when said roller moves toward said opposed side of said frame member, pulled by said outer belt.

4. A seat belt connecting device according to claim 2, wherein:

said outer belt supporting portion of said roller is covered with rubber.

5. A seat belt connecting device according to claim 2, wherein:

said elastic member is composed of a spring which is disposed in said frame member and which presses said shaft portions of said roller against the bottom surfaces of said long holes.

6. A seat belt connecting device according to claim 1, wherein:

said outer belt supporting member is composed of a first supporting member which shiftably supports said outer belt and a second supporting member which operates as said locking member;

said first suppporting member is composed of a pair of cylindrical bodies and is rotatably mounted to both ends of an opposed side of said frame member to said side to which said inner belt is fastened, through said elastic member; and

said second supporting member is shaped into a column of which outer diameter is smaller than that of said first supporting member and of which surface is formed rough, and is mounted to said opposed side between said pair of cylindrical bodies;

whereby when said first supporting member is pulled by said outer belt which extends around said first supporting member, said elastic member is deformed and then said first supporting member moves in the outer belt tensioning direction so that said second supporting member is contacted with said outer belt to lock said outer belt for preventing said seat belt from shifting with respect to said outer belt supporting member.

7. A seat belt connecting device according to claim 6, wherein:

said elastic member is composed of a pair of flat spiral springs which are rotatably mounted in both ends of said opposed side of said frame member within said pair of cyindrical bodies respectively.

3. A seat belt connecting device according to claim 3, wherein:

at least one portion of the surface of said outer belt supporting portion of said roller is formed rough.

8. A seat belt connecting device for connecting an outer belt composed of a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion to an inner belt, comprising:

a frame member to which one end of said inner belt is fastened;

a supporting member provided with a cylindrical surface for supporting said outer belt, which is rotatably supported by said frame member so as to be slidable relative to said frame member when a load larger than a predetermind value is applied to said outer belt;

a frictional force applying means, which applies frictional force to said outer belt at an emergency time;

said friction applying means applying said frictional force to said outer belt when said outer belt supported by said supporting member, moves together with said supporting member at an emergency time, so as to stop the movement of said outer belt relative to said frame member;

said frictional force applying means being composed of a fixed member provided with a rough surface, which is fixed to said frame member;

said supporting member being composed of a pair of flat spiral springs which are mounted in both ends of said fixed member and rollers along which said outer belt extends and which are rotatably supported by said frame member around said flat spiral springs, whereby at an emergency time, said flat spiral springs are deformed due to the load of said outer belt applied to said rollers to move said rollers and then said outer belt is pressed to said rough surface of said fixed member.

9. A seat belt connecting device for connecting an outer belt composed of a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion to an inner belt, comprising:

a frame member to which one end of said inner belt is fastened;

a supporting member provided with a cylindrical surface for supporting said outer belt, which is rotatably supported by said frame member so as to be slidable relative to said frame member when a load larger than a predetermined value is applied to said outer belt at an emergency time; and

a friction applying means for applying a frictional force to said outer belt only when said supporting member slides relative to said frame member so as to stop the movement of said outer belt;

said friction applying means being composed of a fixed member provided with a rough surface, which is fixed to said frame member;

said supporting member being composed of a pair of rollers along which said outer belt extends and which are rotatably supported by said frame member and a pair of flat spiral springs each of which is accommodated within each of said rollers;

whereby at an emergency time, said flat spiral springs are deformed due to the load of said outer belt applied to said rollers to slide said rollers relative to said frame member and then said outer belt is pressed to said rough surface of said fixed member.

10. A seat belt supporting device for connecting an outer belt composed of a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion to an inner belt, comprising:

a frame member to which one end of said inner belt is fastened;

a supporting member provided with a cylindrical surface for supporting said outer belt, which is rotatably supported by said frame member so as to be slidable relative to said frame member when a load larger than a predetermined value is applied to said outer belt at an emergency time; and

a friction applying means for applying a frictional force to said outer belt only when said supporting member slides relative to said frame member so as to stop the movement of said outer belt,

said friction applying means being composed of a rough surface formed in said supporting member, an elastic member for biasing said supporting member so as to rotate at a usual time, and a locking member for locking said supporting member slided with respect to said frame member overcoming the force of said elastic member at an emergency time;

whereby at an emergency time, the load of said outer belt applied to said supporting member overcomes the force of said elastic member to slide said supporting member relative to said frame member, said locking member locks said supporting member and said outer belt is pressed to said rough surface of said supporting member.