Tongue assembly

• US 5,100,176 A
• Filed: 05/10/1991
• Issued: 03/31/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Ball, Keith R., McCune, Phillip H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICKSON, PAUL N
• Application Number:
  US07/698,605
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/808, 280/806, 280/807, 247/483, 247/468, 247/476, 247/479, 24/196, 24/171, 24/68 CD, 24/635
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2557 with strap length adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2561 Tongue elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4019 Sliding part or wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4084 Looped strap

Abstract

A tongue assembly for use in a safety apparatus in which belt webbing restrains movement of an occupant of a vehicle includes a base, a cover, and a cam. The cover is mounted for sliding movement on the base. The cover has an actuator portion engageable by the belt webbing to slide the cover along the base between a first portion and a second position. The cover engages and pivots a cam when the cover slides from its first position to its second position. The cam has a clamping surface disposed adjacent a clamping surface on the base. A portion of the belt webbing passes between the clamping surfaces on the base and the cam member. The cam is pivoted by sliding movement of the base into a clamping position in which the cam clamps the belt webbing against the base to block movement of the belt webbing through the tongue assembly.

Claims

1. A tongue assembly for use in a safety apparatus in which belt webbing restrains movement of an occupant of a vehicle, said tongue assembly comprising:

a base having a latching portion for engagement with a buckle, a first clamping surface engageable by the belt webbing, and an opening through which the belt webbing extends;

a cover mounted on said base, said cover having an actuator portion engaged by the belt webbing upon tensioning of the belt webbing to move said cover on said base between a first position and a second position; and

a clamping member mounted on said base, said clamping member having a second clamping surface disposed adjacent said first clamping surface on said base, the belt webbing passing between said first clamping surface on said base and said second clamping surface on said clamping member;

said clamping member being movable into a clamping position in which said second clamping surface on said clamping member clamps the belt webbing against said first clamping surface to block movement of the belt webbing through the tongue assembly in a first direction;

said cover having means for moving said clamping member into its clamping position to clamp the belt webbing when said cover moves from its first position to its second position.

2. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping member comprises a cam mounted for pivotal movement on said base.

3. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said base comprises a latch plate and a plastic body portion molded on said latch plate, said plastic body portion having said first clamping surface thereon, said plastic body portion including a pair of cam support posts projecting upwardly from said first clamping surface for supporting said cam for pivotal movement on said base.

4. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said clamping member relative to said cover comprises at least one rib depending from an inner wall surface of said cover and having a surface for engaging said clamping member to move said clamping member into its clamping position.

5. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping member extends transversely across the belt webbing at a location spaced from said webbing opening in said base and the belt webbing is clamped between said first and second clamping surfaces at said location spaced from said webbing opening in said base.

6. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said base comprises a generally planar latch plate and said first and second clamping surfaces clamp the belt webbing between them in a direction transverse to the plane of said latch plate.

7. A tongue assembly for use in a safety apparatus in which belt webbing restrains movement of an occupant of a vehicle, said tongue assembly comprising:

a base having a latching portion for engagement with a buckle, a first clamping surface engageable by the belt webbing, and an opening through which the belt webbing extends;

a movable member mounted on said base said movable member having actuator means engageable by a first portion of the belt webbing for moving said movable member on said base between a first position and a second position; and

a clamping member mounted on said base, said clamping member having a second clamping surface disposed adjacent said first clamping surface on said base, a second portion of the belt webbing passing between said first clamping surface on said base and said second clamping surface on said clamping member;

said clamping member being movable into a clamping position in which said second clamping surface on said clamping member clamps the second portion of the belt webbing against said first clamping surface at a location spaced from said opening to block movement of the belt webbing through the tongue assembly in a first direction; and

said movable member having means for moving said clamping member into its clamping position when said movable member moves from its first position to its second position.

8. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said movable member comprises a cover for said tongue assembly having a top wall and opposite side walls, said actuator means being formed integrally with said top and side walls.

9. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said clamping member comprises a cam mounted for pivotal movement on said base.

10. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said first clamping surface on said base comprises a plurality of teeth having crests extending transversely across the belt webbing and oriented to resist movement of the belt webbing across said first clamping surface in said first direction to an extent greater than in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

11. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said base comprises a generally planar latch plate and said first and second clamping surfaces clamp the belt webbing between them in a direction transverse to the plane of said latch plate.

12. A tongue assembly for use in a safety apparatus in which belt webbing restrains movement of an occupant of a vehicle, said tongue assembly comprising:

a base having a latching portion for engagement with a buckle, a first clamping surface engageable by the belt webbing, and a webbing opening disposed intermediate said latching portion and said first clamping surface, a first portion of the belt webbing extending through said webbing opening;

a cover mounted on said base, said cover having an actuator portion disposed at least partially in said webbing opening in said base and engageable by the first portion of the belt webbing to slide said cover along said base between a first position and a second position; and

a cam mounted on said base, said cam having a second clamping surface disposed adjacent said first clamping surface on said base, a second portion of the belt webbing passing between said first clamping surface on said base and said second clamping surface on said cam;

said cam being pivotable between a first position and a second position in which said second clamping surface on said cam clamps the second portion of the belt webbing against said first clamping surface to block movement of the belt webbing through the tongue assembly in a first direction;

said cover having a surface for engaging said cam when said cover slides from its first position to its second position;

said actuator portion of said cover being movable by the first portion of the belt webbing to slide said cover from its first position to its second position to pivot said cam from its first position to its second position to clamp the belt webbing.

13. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said cam is rotatable about an axis, said second clamping surface on said cam is spaced radially outwardly from said axis by a first distance, and said cam has a clearance surface spaced radially outwardly from said axis by a second distance which is less than said first distance, said clearance surface being generally parallel to and spaced from said first clamping surface on said base when said cover is in its first position.

14. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said base comprises a metal latch plate and a plastic body portion molded on said latch plate, said plastic body portion having said first clamping surface thereon, said first clamping surface on said base comprising a plurality of teeth for blocking movement of the belt webbing across said first clamping surface.

15. A tongue assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said base comprises a generally planar latch plate and said first and second clamping surfaces clamp the belt webbing between them in a direction transverse to the plane of said latch plate.