Deflection device for a safety belt arrangement having progressive belt clamping

• US 4,682,791 A
• Filed: 10/24/1985
• Issued: 07/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Britax-Klob GmbH & Company Theodor-Heuss-Strasse 2 D-8060 Dachau
• Original Assignee: Britax-Kolb GmbH & Company
• Inventors: Ernst, Hans-H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weaver, Ross
• Application Number:
  US06/793,698
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/802, 280/806, 280/807, 280/808, 180/268
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/185 with stopping means for acting directly upon the belt in an emergency, e.g. by clamping or friction B60R22/195 takes precedence; combined with the retractor B60R22/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1855 the means being sensitive to belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/42 having means for acting directly upon the belt, e.g. by clamping or friction not combined with the retractor B60R22/185

Abstract

The invention relates to a deflection device with means for direct clamping locking of the belt which takes place according to the severity of the loading in a progressive manner. With the usually occurring locking in normal vehicle conditions, such as for example upon braking above 0.4 g, a first arresting action takes place with a weak clamping which does not damage the textile webbing. Only in the case of higher loading, which occurs in the case of an accident, a second arresting action occurs which effects secure and slip-free load transfer by application of aggressive clamping means. This type of locking is--excluding taut belts--the most efficient. It results in very small initial displacement of the occupant. The use-cost analysis is optimal since light and economic winders can be employed.

Claims

1. Deflection device for a safety belt preferably for mounting on the B and C columns of vehicles having means for direct locking of the belt by clamping and for receiving the loading in the case of an accident, characterised in that a two-stage arresting device is provided in such manner that on the occurrence of the usual locking not caused by an accident after exceeding of a predetermined deceleration a first arresting action in the form of a clamping not damaging to the belt takes place by tilting movement of a resiliently biased deflection element to bring two preclamping surfaces at least one of which is of a deformable material into mutual engagement with the belt, which in the case of an accident causing a higher deceleration transfers into a second arresting action having a more fully effective belt clamping for secure and substantially slip-free load absorption.

2. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that for the first arresting action the deflection element is tiltable with a lever ratio greater than 2 and in that both of said preclamping surfaces are of deformable material,

5. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that the deflection element includes a base body formed as a semicircular profile from which two mounting arms extend in the axial direction and two upwardly extending limit pins.

8. Deflection device according to the claim 1 characterised in that the pivot arms on the one hand have a circular mounting aperture for reception of the mounting journals and on the other hand have an opening having a pivot boss which engages in a pressed holder of the base plate.

9. Deflection device according to the claim 1 characterised in that the pivot arms are substantially horizontally arranged in their initial position.

10. Deflection device according to the claim 1 characterised in that the deflection device is inclined in the driving direction onto the shoulder of the occupants and is rigidly connected to the chassis.

11. Deflection device according to the claim 1 characterised in that between the deflection element and the base plate a solenoid is integrated which responds to electrical signals of an electronic vehicle sensor and/or brake light circuit to effect a movement for initiation of clamping.

12. Deflection device according to claim 1 charactised in that it includes a base body as a stamped bent part has two limit surfaces with holes for a roller axle and a concave support surface, two support ribs, pressed clamping surfaces and a lower clamping surface, and in that a pivot axle is fixedly arranged by two openings.

13. Deflection device according to claim 12 characterised in that the base body is provided with a low friction rotating deflector roller, in a first arresting stage clamps against a hard rubber pin with rounded metallic clamping surfaces and in a second arresting stage clamps with a lower clamping surface against a clamping surface of a flange of the base plate.

14. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that the deflection device is carried on a base plate and a clamping jaw is secured in a spring-biased manner onto the base plate.

15. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that the deflection element is mounted with its rotation axis in an elastic bearing.

17. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that the deflection device includes a housing and a winder for the belt is intergrated in said housing.

18. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that a vehicle-sensitive sensor is integrated in the deflection device.

22. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that a movable clamping jaw together with a deflector roller is mounted on a pivot pin secured to the vehicle, in that the clamping jaw is provided with a toothed clamping surface covered with a deformable mass and and there is provided another clamping jaw having a deformable clamping pad forming a clamping surface, and located in an opening in said other clamping jaw.

23. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that for the first arresting action the deflection element is tiltable with a lever ratio greater than 2 and in that at least one of the deformable material surfaces is elastically deformable.

24. Deflection device according to claim 1 characterised in that for the first arresting action the deflection element is tiltable with a lever ratio greater than 2 and in that at least one of the deformable material surfaces is plastically deformable.

3. Deflection device for a safety belt preferably for mounting on the B and C columns of vehicles having means for direct locking of the belt by clamping and for receiving the loading in the case of an accident, characterised in that a two-stage arresting device is provided in such manner that on the occurrence of the usual locking not caused by an accident after exceeding of a predetermined deceleration a first arresting action in the form of a clamping not damaging to the belt takes place by tilting movement of a resiliently biased deflection element with a lever ratio greater than 2 to bring two deformable preclamping-surfaces comes into mutual engagement with the belt, further tilting movement of said deflection element caused by a higher accident deceleration effecting a second arresting action with more fully effective belt clamping for secure and substantial slip-free load absorption by bringing two aggressive clamping surfaces into mutual engagement with the belt.

4. Deflection device according to claim 3 characterised in that the deflection element has two journal mountings, is spring-biased and is rotatable in two pivot arms connected to a base plate via a deliberate weak point.

6. Deflection device according to claim 4 characterised in that the aggressive clamping surfaces are formed from a flange and a clamping part adapted for form-locking therewith.

7. Deflection device according to claim 6 characterised in that the flange is secured on the base plate and the clamping part is formed from the deflection element.

16. Deflection device according to claim 3 characterised in that the clamping surfaces are constructed to be integrated as progressive clamping surfaces in that on an at least one aggressively toothed clamping surface a flexible adhesive layer is provided.

19. Deflection device for a safety belt preferably for mounting on the B and C columns of vehicles having means for direct locking of the belt by clamping and for receiving the loading in the case of an accident, characterised in that a two-stage arresting device is provided in such manner that on the occurrence of the usual locking not caused by an accident after exceeding of a predetermined deceleration a first arresting action in the form of a clamping not damaging to the belt takes place by tilting movement of a resiliently biased deflection element which in the case of an accident causing a higher deceleration transfers into a second arresting action having a more fully effective belt clamping for secure and substantially slip-free load absorption, the deflection device embodying a vehicle-sensitive sensor, the sensor having a movable sensor part so arranged in the deflection element mounted rotatably on the vehicle, that this sensor part acts on an activation member and thereby the activation member can be applied with its gripping surface onto the belt.

20. Deflection device according to claim 19 characterised in that the activation member is rotatably secured as a pivot lever on the deflection element and the deflection element is to be moved by the activation member with the clamping surface onto the belt when the activation member itself comes into engagement with the belt.

21. Deflection device according to claim 20 characterised in that the movable sensor part is a ball.