Belt clamping guide loop

• US 4,747,617 A
• Filed: 05/27/1987
• Issued: 05/31/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Schoof, Wendy M., Magyar, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferriter, Karin L.
• Application Number:
  US07/054,790
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 280/808, 280/801, 280/806, 280/807, 242/107.2, 297/483, 297/479, 297/478, 297/477, 297/480
• US Class Current: 280/808
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1855 the means being sensitive to belt tension

Abstract

A belt clamping guide loop includes a frame mounted on the vehicle body and a bracket mounted for limited vertical movement relative the frame. A belt deflecting loop is carried by the frame. A spring acts between the frame and the bracket to establish a normal position of the bracket and yields in response to the imposition of an occupant restraint load on the belt to permit movement of the bracket. A first clamping jaws is fixedly mounted on the frame below the guide loop and a second clamping jaw is movably mounted on the frame in spaced relation from the first clamping jaw to define a belt passage therebetween. A toggle linkage acts between the bracket and the second clamping jaw to forcibly move the second clamping jaw into belt clamping proximity with the first clamping jaw in response to the downward movement of the bracket. A pin and slot acts between the second clamping jaw and the frame to define a path of angularly converging movement of the second jaw toward the first jaw so that the second jaw is self-energized into clamping action with the belt.

Claims

1. A restraint belt guide loop assembly adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body and slidably receive the belt from a retractor and deflect the belt across the occupant comprising:

a frame mounted on the body;

a bracket mounted for limited movement relative the frame and having a belt deflecting loop carried thereby so that imposition of an occupant restraint load upon the deflecting loop by the belt induces movement of the bracket relative to the frame;

a first clamping jaw fixedly mounted on the frame and a second clamping jaw mounted for movement relative to the frame to define therebetween a belt passage through which the belt slides;

a toggle linkage acting between the bracket and the second clamping jaw to forcibly move the second clamping jaw into belt clamping proximity with the first clamping jaw upon occurrence of movement of the bracket induced by the imposition of occupant restraint load on the deflecting loop;

and means adapted to provide a defined path of angularly convergent movement of the second clamping jaw toward the first clamping jaw so that subsequent to the initial belt clamping provided by the toggle linkage the second clamping jaw is self energized into clamping action with the belt independently of the action of the toggle linkage by the occupant restraint load on the belt inducing said angularly convergent movement of the second clamping jaw toward the first clamping jaw.

2. A restraint belt guide loop assembly adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body and slidably receive the belt from a retractor and deflect the belt diagonally across the occupant shoulder, comprising:

a frame mounted on the body;

a bracket mounted for limited vertical movement relative the frame and having a belt deflecting loop carried thereby so that imposition of an occupant restraint load upon the deflecting loop by the belt induces vertical downward movement of the bracket relative to the frame;

a first clamping jaw fixedly mounted on the frame and a second clamping jaw movably mounted on the frame to define therebetween a belt passage;

a toggle linkage acting between the bracket and the second clamping jaw to forcibly move the second clamping jaw into belt clamping proximity with the first clamping jaw upon occurrence of vertical downward movement of the bracket induced by the imposition of occupant restraint load on the deflecting loop;

and guide means adapted to provide a defined path of angularly convergent movement of the second clamping jaw toward the first clamping jaw so that the second clamping jaw is self energized into clamping action with the belt by the occupant restraint load on the belt inducing said angularly convergent movement of the second clamping jaw.

3. A restraint belt guide loop assembly adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body and slidably receive the belt from a retractor and deflect the belt diagonally across the occupant shoulder, comprising:

a frame mounted on the body;

a bracket mounted for limited vertical movement relative the frame and having a belt deflecting loop carried thereby so that imposition of an occupant restraint load upon the deflecting loop by the belt induces vertical downward movement of the bracket relative to the frame;

spring means acting between the frame and the bracket to position the bracket at a normal vertical location relative the frame and yielding at a predetermined occupant restraint load imposed on the guide loop by the belt to permit vertical downward movement of the bracket;

a first clamping jaw fixedly mounted on the frame below the guide loop;

a second clamping jaw movably mounted on the frame in laterally spaced relation with the first clamping jaw to define therebetween a belt passage through which the belt passes;

a toggle linkage acting between the bracket and the second clamping jaw to forcibly move the second clamping jaw into belt clamping proximity with the first clamping jaw upon occurrence of vertical downward movement of the bracket induced by the imposition of occupant restraint load on the deflecting loop;

and guide means acting between the frame and the second clamping jaw to provide a defined path of angularly convergent movement of the second clamping jaw toward the first clamping jaw so that the second clamping jaw is self energized into clamping action with the belt by the occupant restraint load on the belt inducing said angularly convergent movement of the second clamping jaw.