Mechanism for maintaining a strap of a safety belt in an adjustable position

• US 4,840,405 A
• Filed: 05/25/1988
• Issued: 06/20/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ECIA - Equipements et Composants Pour L'Industrie Automobile
• Original Assignee: ECIA - Equipements et Composants Pour L'Industrie Automobile
• Inventors: Escaravage, Girard
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertsch, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US07/198,349
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 280/804, 280/808, 280/801, 297/483
• US Class Current: 280/801.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06

Abstract

The mechanism comprises, among other elements, a case (10), a lock (20) and a strap holder (30). The case has a periphery (11) and a front wall (12) provided with a slot (121) and a guide (122). The lock comprises a push-button (24), a keeper (21) articulated to the case at (212), a catch (22) movable in the slot and carrying the strap holder (30). Application in automobile vehicles.

Claims

1. A mechanism for maintaining a strap of a safety belt in an adjustable position for fixing to a structure, and comprising a case, a lock and a strap holder;

wherein

said case comprises;

a periphery with an anchoring base; and

a front wall which is provided with a longitudinal slot having at least one closed end and with a guide located on the longitudinal axis of said slot in the vicinity of said closed end thereof; and

said lock comprises;

a push-member having a first end, accessible from the exterior of said case, and a second end located inside the latter and mounted in said guide to be movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to said front wall;

a keeper located in said case and articulated to the latter to be tiltable relative to said front wall between a first retaining position, where it is close to said front wall, and a second releasing position where it is away from said front wall and cooperating with said second end of said push-member;

a catch slidingly engaged in said slot and having an outer end, associated with said strap holder, and an inner end located in said case for cooperation with said keeper; and

a spring located in said case and acting on said keeper for biasing the latter in its first position in a direction toward said second end of said push-member and the front wall of the case;

whereby, when said first end of said push member is pushed, said keeper is pivoted from its first position to its second position so that it is allowed to release said inner end of said catch.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring base is adapted to bear against said structure.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the periphery includes two end portions each provided with a flange at least one of which flanges is provided with an aperture.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the anchoring base comprises the flanges, one of which flanges is for engaging in a cavity in said structure while the other flange is provided with an aperture adapted to be put into alignment with an aperture in said structure.

5. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spring is a spring strip having in the vicinity of a middle part, thereof means for maintaining the keeper in position.

6. A mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the means for maintaining the keeper in position are bent wings.

7. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the keeper is a lever provided in the length thereof with a shoulder cooperative with the catch.

8. A mechanism according to claim 7 wherein the shoulder of the keeper is adapted to retain the flange of the stud of the catch.

9. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the periphery of the case has two lateral side portions provided with notches and the keeper is provided with lateral tabs engaged in said notches so as to constitute an articulation.

10. A mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said lateral tabs are disposed at an end of the keeper which is remote from an end of the keeper which cooperates with the push-member.

11. A mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the maintaining means bear against the lateral tabs of the keeper.

12. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the catch is formed by a stud provided with a flange which cooperates with the keeper.