Inflector with clamping device for a safety belt in motor vehicles

• US 4,491,343 A
• Filed: 03/16/1984
• Issued: 01/01/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: REPA Feinstanzwerk GmbH
• Original Assignee: REPA Feinstanzwerk GmbH
• Inventors: Fohl, Artur
• Primary Examiner(s): Reger, Duane A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carroll, John A.
• Application Number:
  US06/590,125
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/802, 280/805, 280/806, 280/808, 297/479, 297/483
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1855 the means being sensitive to belt tension

Abstract

Deflector device with clamping device for a safety belt in motor vehicles in which the deflector is mounted on slider movable back and forth. The clamping device has a stationary jaw and a space swivelable jaw movable toward the stationary jaw to clamp the belt passing up between the jaws and then over the deflector surface. A spring normally urges the swivelable jaw away from the stationary jaw. An end of slider is disposed adjacent the swivelable jaw such that a belt pull sufficient to overcome the spring force will move the deflector device and attached slide causing the swivelable clamping jaw to swivel and move toward the stationary jaw clamping the belt therebetween.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a motor vehicle to clamp a safety belt, said apparatus comprising a stationary clamp member, a movable clamp member which cooperates with said stationary clamp member to define space through which the belt passes, a movable slide member, a deflector member connected to said slide member and having a surface across which the safety belt extends between said deflector and slide members, said movable clamp member being movable toward said stationary clamp member by said slide member under the influence of force applied against said deflector member by the belt to thereby clamp the belt between said movable and stationary clamp members.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable clamp member is a roller which is supported for pivotal movement about an axis which is offset from a central axis of said roller, said slide member being engageable with said roller to pivot said roller about the offset axis.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including means for supporting said movable clamp member for pivotal movement toward and away from said stationary clamp member, said stationary clamp member being disposed on a first side of an axis about which said movable clamp member pivots, said slide member being disposed in engagement with said movable clamp member at a location which is disposed on a second side of the axis about which said movable clamp member pivots to enable said slide member to apply force against said movable clamp member to pivot said movable clamp member toward said stationary clamp member.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable clamp member is a roller which is supported for pivotal movement about an axis which is offset from a central axis of said roller, said apparatus further including track means for guiding movement of said slide member along a linear path disposed to one side of the axis about which said roller pivots.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a support member for connecting said deflector member with said slide member.

6. An apparatus for use in a motor vehicle to clamp a safety belt, said apparatus comprising a clamp member, a roller having an outer side surface which cooperates with said clamp member to define a space through which the belt passes, means for supporting said roller for pivotal movement about an axis which is offset form the central axis of the roller, spring means for biasing said roller to a retracted position spaced from said clamp member, a movable slide member, a deflector member connected with said slide member and having a surface across which the belt extends, track means for guiding movement of said slide member toward said roller under the influence of force applied to said deflector member by the belt, said roller being pivotal about its offset axis against the influence of said spring means by movement of said slide member along said track means toward said roller to thereby clamp the belt between said roller and clamp member.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said slide member has surface means for engaging said roller and applying force against said roller to pivot said roller about its offset axis.

8. An apparatus for clamping a safety belt which extends toward and passes over an occupant seated in a vehicle to restrain the occupant from moving away from the seat upon a sudden change in acceleration of the vehicle, comprising a safety belt extending across an occupant of the vehicle and having one end attached to an automatic roll-up device mounted on the vehicle and the other end detachably connected to a belt lock, a deflector device having a deflector member with a cambered surface which is partly wrapped around by said belt, a slider mounted on the vehicle and slideable back and forth, said deflector member being mounted on said slider and slideable therewith, a clamping device having a stationary clamping jaw normally spaced from a swivelable clamping jaw to permit said belt to pass therebetween and to move freely relative to said deflector member, spring means urging said swivelable clamping jaw away from said stationary clamping jaw, said slider being disposed adjacent said swivelable clamping jaw, said slider and connector member being movable upon an increase in belt pull sufficient to overcome said urging of the spring means to cause the swivelable clamping jaw to swivel and move toward the stationary clamping jaw to clamp the belt between said stationary and movable clamping jaws.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the swivelable clamping jaw is a cylindrical roller having a flattened portion, which roller is swivelably supported eccentrically to the roller and wherein said slider is adjacent said flattened portion.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said roller clamping jaw is supported in a fitting having a base plate and two legs, and wherein one leg has a slot with a stop pin, extending into the roller to limit the swiveling movement of the roller, and wherein said stop pin forms an abutment for said spring urging said roller jaw away from said stationary jaw.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said stationary clamping jaw is a clamping piece mounted on said base plate of the fitting.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein at least one of the swivelable clamping jaw and stationary clamping jaw has an elastic, nonskid clamping surface.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said slider with deflector device, and said clamping device mounted one beneath the other are supported in a sliding guide fixed to the vehicle.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said slider with deflector device and clamping device are hidden behind a vehicular panelling with an opening to permit the passage of said belt.