Safety belt system

• US 4,615,540 A
• Filed: 01/04/1985
• Issued: 10/07/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoflug Gmbh (Autoflug Gruppe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Autoflug Gmbh (Autoflug Gruppe GmbH)
• Inventors: Sedlmayr, Gerhard, Just, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Watts, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US06/688,843
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 280/806, 280/807, 280/808, 297/480, 297/477, 297/478, 242/107.2
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1951 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt

Abstract

A safety belt system, especially for vehicles. The system has a three-point safety belt, a self-locking belt winding mechanism which is mounted on a structural part of the vehicle, and a clamping mechanism for the belt. The clamping mechanism is disposed on the structural part of the vehicle, and has at least one movable clamping jaw. The problem with a basic safety belt system of this type is that in particular the slack in the belt at the body of the strapped-in person, together with the belt elongation which additionally results due to the stretching of the belt, lead, upon activation of the clamping effect, to a forward shifting of the body, thus endangering the person who is strapped in. This problem is inventively solved by movably guiding the clamping mechanism on the structural part of the vehicle, and by providing a drive or control mechanism for the movement of the clamping mechanism.

Claims

1. A safety belt system for a vehicle, said system including a three-point safety belt, a self-locking belt winding mechanism which is mounted on a structural part of said vehicle, and a clamping mechanism for said belt, said clamping mechanism being disposed on or in said structural part, and having clamping jaws, at least one of which is movable;

the improvement therewith wherein said clamping mechanism is movably guided relative to said structural part; and

including a control mechanism for effecting movement of said clamping mechanism, and which includes, as said control mechanism for effecting movement of said clamping mechanism, a piston unit which is acted upon by a pressure medium, said piston unit including a piston rod which has an upper and lower end, and is movable along said structural part of said vehicle, with said clamping mechanism being connected to said upper end of said piston rod;

said unit further including a guide tube, as well as a piston which is connected to said lower end of said piston rod and is accommodated in said guide tube; and

fitting means provided for mounting said guide tube to said structural part of said vehicle.

2. A safety belt system according to claim 1, in which said guide tube has an upper end in the vicinity of said lower end of said piston rod, with a propellant charge being disposed in said guide tube between said upper end thereof and said piston, which in a rest position thereof is disposed near said upper end of said guide tube;

leads are provided for connecting said propellant charge to a vehicle sensor.

3. A safety belt system according to claim 2, in which said guide tube is provided with a constriction below the position occupied by said piston when the latter is in the rest position thereof.

4. A safety belt system according to claim 2, which includes shear pins which extend through said guide tube and said piston for securing the latter in the rest position thereof.

5. A safety belt system according to claim 2, in which, to provide communication for the passage of gas from said guide tube to said clamping mechanism, said piston rod is provided with a central longitudinal bore and, in the vicinity of a connection thereof to said piston, with transverse bores.

6. A safety belt system according to claim 5, in which said clamping mechanism is provided with a piston chamber, with the upper end of said longitudinal bore opening into said piston chamber;

a further piston is disposed in said piston chamber in such a way as to be movable transverse to said piston rod;

said further piston has a back side which faces said piston chamber, and an outer side which is remote from said piston chamber and supports one of said clamping jaws.

7. A safety belt system according to claim 6, in which said back side of said further piston is provided with a further piston rod which is adapted to extend out of said clamping mechanism.

8. A safety belt system according to claim 5, in which gas passage activates said control mechanism and said clamping mechanism.

9. A safety belt system according to claim 1, in which fitting means for mounting said guide tube in the vicinity of said lower end of said piston rod is in the form of an upwardly open arresting housing for receiving said clamping mechanism when said clamping jaws thereof are closed.

10. A safety belt system according to claim 9, in which said arresting housing is provided with arresting means for securely holding said clamping mechanism in position in said housing.

11. A safety belt system according to claim 9 in which said control mechanism is activated simultaneously with the activation of said clamping mechanism.

16. A safety belt system according to claim 1, in which said structural part of said vehicle is provided with an upper mounting or guide fitting, with said clamping device being disposed in the vicinity of said mounting or guide fitting and being movable in the direction toward said belt winding mechanism.

12. A safety belt system for a vehicle, said system including a three-point safety belt, a self-locking belt winding mechanism which is mounted on a structural part of said vehicle, and a clamping mechanism for said belt, said clamping mechanism being disposed on or in said structural part, and having clamping jaws, at least one of which is movable;

the improvement therewith wherein said clamping mechanism is movably guided relative to said structural part; and

including a control mechanism for effecting movement of said clamping mechanism, and which includes, as said control mechanism for effecting movement of said clamping mechanism, a piston unit which is acted upon by a pressure medium, said piston unit including a piston rod which has an upper and lower end, with said clamping mechanism being connected to said upper end of said piston rod;

said clamping jaws are disposed on both sides of, and are movable relative to, said piston rod by means of transverse links connected to said piston rod.

13. A safety belt system according to claim 12, in which said lower end of said piston rod is connected to said control mechanism.

14. A safety belt system according to claim 12, which includes a downwardly tapered positive guide in which said piston rod is guided.

15. A safety belt system according to claim 14, in which the interior of said positive guide is provided with arresting means for preventing upward movement of said clamping mechanism.

17. A safety belt system for a vehicle, said system including a three-point safety belt, a self-locking belt winding mechanism which is mounted on a structural part of said vehicle, and a clamping mechanism for said belt, said clamping mechanism being disposed on or in said structural part, and having clamping jaws, at least one of which is movable;

the improvement therewith wherein said clamping mechanism is movably guided relative to said structural part; and

including a control mechanism for effecting movement of said clamping mechanism, said structural part of said vehicle being provided with an upper mounting or guide fitting, with said clamping device being disposed in the vicinity of said mounting or guide fitting and being movable in the direction toward said belt winding mechanism;

which includes, as said control mechanism for effecting movement of said clamping mechanism, a drive cable having one end connected to said clamping mechanism, and having another end connected to a pyrotechnical piston unit.

18. A safety belt system according to claim 17, in which said structural part of said vehicle is a B-column;

and which includes an antifriction member, with said drive cable, in the region between said clamping mechanism and said pyrotechnical piston unit, being guided and deflected in said B-column by means of said antifriction member.

19. A safety belt system according to claim 17, which includes, as said control mechanism for effecting movement of said clamping mechanism, said piston unit which is acted upon by a pressure medium.