Self-locking strap guide for a seat belt

• US 5,160,167 A
• Filed: 03/26/1991
• Issued: 11/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ECIA - Equipements et Composants Pour L'Industrie Automobile
• Original Assignee: Ecia (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Fourrey, Francois, Verhoog, Roel
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US07/675,007
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/806, 280/808, 297/483, 297/486
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1855 the means being sensitive to belt tension

Abstract

A self-locking strap guide (S) has a base (10) with a flange (11) for mounting on the structure or shell (C) and with a support (12) against which the strap (S) can be pressed, a lock (20) with a shoe (21) articulated via an axle (30) on the base (10) in such a way that the strap (S) can pass between the support (12) and shoe (21), and in such a way that this shoe (21) can press the strap (S) against this support (12), and elastic stressing means (40) tending normally to move this shoe (21) and this support (12) apart.

Claims

1. Self-locking strap guide (S) for a seat belt, said guide being adapted to be fixed to a vehicle structure or shell (C) and comprising:

a base (10) with a flange (11) for mounting on the structure or shell (C), and with a support (12) against which the strap (S) can be pressed;

a lock (20) with a shoe (21) articulated via an axle (30) on the base (10) such that the strap (S) can pass between the support (12) and the shoe (21), and such that the shoe (21) can press the strap (S) against the support (12); and

elastic stressing means (40) tending normally to move the shoe (21) and the support (12) apart;

wherein the lock (20) has the form of a stirrup with two parallel cheeks (22) which are placed on either side of the support (12), which receive the axle (30), and which are joined by the shoe (21) forming a bridge; and

wherein the axle (30) has a rectangular configuration, one of the long parallel sides of which constitutes a journal (31) fixed to the base (10) and on which the lock (20) is mounted so as to pivot, and the other long side of which constitutes a bearing piece (32) situated in such a way that the lock (20) is placed between the journal (31) and the bearing piece (32).

2. Strap guide according to claim 1, wherein the support (12) is inclined to the flange (11) in a rising direction moving away from the flange.

3. Strap guide according to claim 2, wherein support (12) is a sloping side of a roof, the other sloping side of which is joined to the flange (11).

4. Strap guide according to claim 1, wherein said elastic stressing means (40) comprises a spring, one end (41) of which is anchored to the axle (30), and the other end (42) of which is anchored to the lock (20).

5. Strap guide according to claim 1, wherein the support (12) is provided with a pad (13).

6. Strap guide according to claim 1, wherein the support (12) and the shoe (21) are plane.

7. Strap guide according to claim 1, wherein:

said elastic stressing means (40) comprises a spring, one end (41) of which is anchored to the axle (30), and the other end (42) of which is anchored to the lock (20);

the axle (30) has the configuration of an open rectangle, the long parallel sides of which are joined by a branch (33); and

the spring (40) is a spiral spring which is threaded over a free extremity of the journal (31), one (41) of the ends of which is engaged in a recess (413) in a face of said extremity, and the other end (42) of which is engaged in a recess (412) in one of said cheeks (22) of the lock (20).

8. Self-locking strap guide (S) for a seat belt, said guide being adapted to be fixed to a vehicle structure or shell (C) and comprising:

a base (10) with a flange (11) for mounting on the structure or shell (C), and with a support (12) against which the strap (S) can be pressed;

a lock (20) with a shoe (21) articulated via an axle (30) on the base (10) such that the strap (S) can pass between the support (12) and the shoe (21), such that the shoe (21) can press the strap (S) against the support (12); and

elastic stressing means (40) tending normally to move the shoe (21) and the support (12) apart;

wherein the support (12) is provided with a pad (13); and

wherein the pad (13) has at one end thereof a rim (31) shaped in a U in order to fit over the support (12), and had at an opposite end thereof a bevel (132).

9. Self-locking strap guide for a seat belt, said guide being adapted to be fixed to a vehicle structure of shell and comprising:

a base (10) with a flange (11) for mounting on said structure of shell, and with a non-movable support (12) adapted to be contacted by a strap (S) of said belt;

a lock (20) pivotally mounted on said base (10) by an axle (30) and having a shoe (21) which is unitarily movable with said lock (20), which is located to be facing said non-movable support (12) in order to form therewith a clamping means when moved toward said non-movable support (12), and which has an edge; and

biasing means (40) connecting said base (10) and lock (20) and providing an action normally to maintain said support (12) and shoe (21) apart;

wherein said strap (S) is adapted to pass between said support (12) and shoe (21) and on said edge such that said strap (S) is freely movable when said support (12) and shoe (21) are maintained apart, and such that said strap (S) is clamped between said support (12) and said shoe (21) when said strap (S) is formed against said shoe edge to overcome said action of said biasing means (40).

10. Strap guide according to claim 9, wherein the support (12) is inclined relative to the flange (11) in a rising direction moving away from the flange.

11. Strap guide according to claim 10, wherein support (12) is a sloping side of a roof, the other sloping side of which is joined to the flange (11).

12. Strap guide according to claim 9, wherein the lock (20) has the form of a stirrup with two parallel cheeks (22) which are placed on either side of the support (12), which receive the axle (30), and which are joined by the shoe (21) forming a bridge.

13. Strap guide according to claim 12, wherein the axle (30) has a rectangular configuration, one of the long parallel sides of which constitutes a journal (31) fixed to the base (10) and on which the lock (20) is mounted so as to pivot, and the other long side of which constitutes a bearing piece (32) situated in such a way that the lock (20) is placed between the journal (31) and the bearing piece (32).

14. Strap guides according to claim 13, wherein said elastic stressing means (40) comprises a spring, one end (41) of which is anchored to the axle (30), and the other end (42) of which is anchored to the lock (20).

15. Strap guide according to claim 14, wherein the axle (30) has the configuration of an open rectangle, the long parallel sides of which are joined by a branch (33);

and wherein the spring (40) is a spiral spring which is threaded over a free extremity of the journal (31), one (41) of the ends of which is engaged in a recess (413) in a face of said extremity, and the other end (42) of which is engaged in a recess (412) in one of said cheeks (22) of the lock (20).

16. Strap guide according to claim 9, wherein the support (12) is provided with a pad (13).

17. Strap guide according to claim 16, wherein the pad (13) has at one end thereof a rim (131) shaped in a U order to fit over the support (12), and has at an opposite thereof a bevel (132).

18. Strap guide according to claim 9, wherein the support (12) and the shoe (21) are plane.