Locking device for vehicle seat belts

• US 5,000,481 A
• Filed: 12/18/1989
• Issued: 03/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Willson, Howard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertsch, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US07/451,855
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/802, 280/806, 280/808, 297/468, 297/473, 297/483, 24/170, 24/513, 24/516, 24/517
• US Class Current: 280/808
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2839 having a front guard or barrier
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4016 Pivoted part or lever

Abstract

This seat belt locking device is utilized to temporarily modify a shoulder/lap belt occupant restraint system in a vehicle to secure a child'"'"'s restraint seat in place in the vehicle. The clamp has a base on which overlapping shoulder and lap belt webbings are placed on a locking bar pivoted to the base is used to force the overlapping webbing to an offset, high friction position. A camming and retaining knob is turned over the free camming end of the clamping bar to further tension the lap belt webbing and to secure the bar and the webbing offset thereby in position so that the lap belt can be effectively employed to keep the child restraint seat in position under a wide range of seat belt loads as encountered during normal driving conditions.

Claims

1. A locking device for use on a vehicle seat belt system for restraining the movement of a child'"'"'s restraint seat therein in response to sudden deceleration of a vehicle such as in normal backing and turning, said seat belt system having restraining belt webbing secured at one end to first anchor and at an opposite end to a second anchor, and having a latch plate with an opening through which said webbing slides to define a shoulder portion and a lap portion, said locking device comprising:

a base portion for receiving said shoulder and lap portion in a position adjacent to said latch plate, an upper locking portion operatively secured to said base portion and movable to an offset position to frictionally engage adjacent portions of said webbing therebetween, and locking means on said base portion and selectively movable into engagement with the free end of said upper locking portion for securely locking said upper locking portion in position to engage said shoulder and lap belts together with a high friction load.

2. A locking device for selectively and temporarily modifying a vehicle occupant seat belt system into a restraint belt for a child'"'"'s safety seat positioned in a seat for an occupant in a vehicle, said seat belt system including integral shoulder and lap belt webbing extending from first and second anchor points in the vehicle and slidable through a juncture in a latch plate that is selectively attachable to an anchored seat belt buckle,

said locking device comprising:

a base plate having an end portion and a pair of laterally spaced arms extending therefrom to free ends and defining a slot therebetween,

a locking bar,

pivot means pivotally mounting said locking bar to the free ends of said spaced arms,

fastening means for holding said locking bar in position between said arms subsequent to the insertion of overlapped portions of said lap and shoulder webbing adjacent t said latch plate to effect an offset of said shoulder and lap belt webbing into said slot from the normal plane thereof so that lap belt length is frictionally fixed for embracing and anchoring said child restraint seat in position on the passenger'"'"'s seat on the vehicle.

3. A locking device for selectively and temporarily modifying a vehicle occupant seat belt system into a restraint belt for embracing and securing a child'"'"'s restraint seat positioned on a passenger seat in a vehicle, said seat belt system including integral shoulder and lap belt webbing extending from first and second anchor points in the vehicle and slidable through a juncture in a latch plate that is selectively attachable to an anchored seat belt buckle of the system, said locking device comprising:

a base plate having an end portion and a pair of laterally spaced arms extending therefrom to terminal free ends and defining a slot therebetween, an elongated locking bar having an attachment end and a free end,

pivot means pivotally operatively connecting said attachment and of locking bar to the free ends of said spaced arms so that said locking bar aligns with said slot to allow said locking bar to be manually turned in one direction to open said locking device in order that overlapping portions of shoulder and lap belt webbing be run in a line directly across said arms and said slot, said free end of said locking bar providing a manual contact surface for turning said locking bar in an opposite direction and into contact with an underlying part of said shoulder and lap belt webbing t force said underlying part into said slot to thereby form an offset in the run of said shoulder and lap belt webbing, and anchor means pivoted to said base plate and cooperating with said surface on the free end of said locking bar to provide camming means for moving and holding said locking bar in position in said slot and between said arms to thereby securely connect said lap webbing to said shoulder webbing and to tension said lap belt webbing for securing said restraint seat in position.