Shoulder adjuster

• US 5,205,588 A
• Filed: 08/05/1991
• Issued: 04/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamaoka, Mikimasa, Kosugi, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Graysay, Tamara L.
• Application Number:
  US07/740,702
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/808, 280/801 A, 297/468, 297/483
• US Class Current: 280/801.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/202 the slider comprising spring-actuated locking means B60R22/205 takes precedence

Abstract

A shoulder adjuster includes a guide rail fitted so that the longitudinal direction is set as a vertical direction to a vehicle and provided with a plurality of notches formed at intervals in the longitudinal direction; and a slide member slidable in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail and having engaging parts engaging with the notches and a shoulder anchor fitting part. The notches have cut-in edge parts positioned on the underside in the vertical direction and substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail and cut-in edge parts positioned on the upside in the vertical direction and obliquely to the longitudinal direction as to expand apertures of the notches. The slide member has an anchor fitting part to provide advancement and retreatment in the engaging direction and includes an elastic member for biasing the anchor fitting part in the engaging direction. The engaging parts are integral with the anchor fitting part and biased by the elastic member in the engaging direction.

Claims

1. A shoulder adjuster for a vehicle comprising:

an elongated guide rail fixed to the vehicle to extend in a vertical direction, said guide rail including flanges at side fringes thereof, said flanges being formed by folding the guide rail rearwardly, a plurality of notches formed in the respective flanges at intervals in a longitudinal direction, and a slot situated between the flanges and extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail,

a slide member attached to the guide rail to slide along the longitudinal direction thereof and having engaging parts engaging the notches of the guide rail, and

an anchor fitting part having a lower side attached to the slide member, an upper side adapted to attach to a shoulder anchor for a seat belt, and an elastic member situated between the guide rail and the anchor fitting part for urging the anchor fitting part in a direction away from the guide rail to thereby bias the engaging parts of the slide member to the notches of the guide rail so that when the upper side of the anchor fitting part is pushed against a biasing force of the elastic member, the engaging parts of the slide member disengage from the notches of the guide rail to allow the anchor fitting part to move freely.

4. The shoulder adjuster as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastic member is a coil spring.

5. The shoulder adjuster as set forth in claim 4, wherein a portion of said anchor fitting part is disposed on the rear side of said guide rail, a portion of said anchor fitting part is protruded on a front side of said guide rail via said slot, and said coil spring is wound on said portion protruded on the front side.

2. The shoulder adjuster as set forth in claim 8, wherein said anchor fitting part is intruded resisting the biasing force of said elastic member when pushing said anchor fitting part in a direction vertical to said guide rail, said engaging parts separate from said notches, and said slide member becomes movable in a downward direction of said guide rail.

3. The shoulder adjuster as set forth in claim 2, wherein said engaging parts are biased by said elastic member and enter said notches of said guide rail when the pushing force on said anchor fitting part is released.

6. A shoulder adjuster for a vehicle comprising:

an elongated guide rail fixed to the vehicle to extend in a vertical direction and having a plurality of notches at intervals in a longitudinal direction, each notch having a lower cut-in edge part orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail and an upper cut-in edge part obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail to expand an aperture of the notch,

a slide member attached to the guide rail to slide along the longitudinal direction thereof and having engaging parts engaging the notches of the guide rail, and

an anchor fitting part having a lower side attached to the slide member, an upper side adapted to attach to a shoulder anchor for a seat belt, and an elastic member situated between the guide rail and the anchor fitting part for urging the anchor fitting part in a direction away from the guide rail to thereby bias the engaging parts of the slide member to the notches of the guide rail so that when the upper side of the anchor fitting part is pushed against a biasing force of the elastic member, the engaging parts of the slide member disengage from the notches of the guide rail to allow the anchor fitting part to move freely.