Fastening device for securing a pivotable anchoring fitting of a safety belt system to a load-bearing part of a vehicle

• US 5,178,412 A
• Filed: 08/27/1991
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Repa GmbH
• Original Assignee: TRW Repa GmbH
• Inventors: Wier, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICKSON, PAUL N
• Application Number:
  US07/750,285
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/805, 280/806, 280/808, 280/748, 297/483, 297/470, 297/468
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/06 having the belt or harness connected to a member slidable in a vehicle-mounted track

Abstract

In order to reduce the risk of head injuries in a passive safety belt system, the upper anchoring fitting provided with a buckle insert is automatically pivoted in response to loads typical of an accident to a safety position in which the anchoring fitting projects only a minimal amount into the region of a passenger head in a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A fastening device for a vehicle safety belt system comprising a pivot bearing mounted on a load-bearing part of the vehicle at a height corresponding to a region of the head of a passenger, an anchoring fitting adapted to be connected to a safety belt mounted on said pivot bearing, said anchoring fitting being movable on said pivot bearing between a first position directed towards said passenger head region and a second position away from said passenger head region, said anchoring fitting being free, in normal use of the safety belt system, to pivot between said first and second positions, and biasing means which are disabled in normal use of the safety belt system and, in response to occurrence of loads typical of an accident, are enabled to urge said anchoring fitting to said second position.

2. The fastening device according to claim 1, wherein said biasing means comprise a spring.

3. The fastening device according to claim 2, wherein said spring is a leaf spring which has a first end fixed directly to said anchoring fitting and a second end shaped and arranged for bearing on said load bearing part of the vehicle.

4. The fastening device according to claim 3, wherein said leaf spring is disabled in normal use by being maintained in a tensioned state and having its second end releasably held on said anchoring fitting, said second end of the leaf spring being adapted to be released in response to traction forces acting on said anchoring fitting upon occurrence of said loads typical of an accident.

5. The fastening device according to claim 4, wherein said anchoring fitting is attached by means of a rivet between two legs of a stirrup member which is in turn fixed to an axis rotatably mounted on said vehicle part, said first end of the leaf spring being fixed to the anchoring fitting by means of said rivet, said second end of the leaf spring being U-shaped and said leaf spring extending away from said rivet along the anchoring fitting and passing around said pivot bearing, and said second end of the leaf spring engaging below a head portion of the rivet, and said rivet extending through elongated openings in the legs of said stirrup member.