Seat belt anchor for vehicle seat

• US 5,226,697 A
• Filed: 08/10/1990
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kurtti, Gary R., Blake, Thomas B., Borlinghaus, Hans J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US07/565,011
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216, 297/473
• US Class Current: 297/216.18
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A seat adjuster has upper and lower tracks slidably inter-engaged with the seat carried by the upper track. A bar extends along side the upper track and has a rearward end pivotally mounted on the vehicle floor. A lock member which carries the seat belt is attached to the upper track and slides freely along the bar during normal fore and aft adjusting movement of the seat. The lower track is mounted on the vehicle floor by yieldable legs. Upon rapid vehicle deceleration, the forward momentum of the seat mass induces yielding of the yieldable legs and forward canting of the seat causing the lock member to be canted relative the bar and lock therewith so that the occupant restraint loads imposed on the seat belt are transmitted through the lock member and bar to the vehicle floor. In addition, when the seat is adjusted full rearwardly, the upper track is cantilevered rearwardly from the lower track so that the upper track yields and bends to further cant the lock member and contribute to the locking engagement of the lock member with the bar.

Claims

1. A seat belt anchoring device for a vehicle comprising:

a seat adjuster having upper and lower tracks slidably inter-engaged,

a seat carried by the upper track,

a bar extending alongside the upper track and having a rearward end pivotally mounted on the vehicle,

a lock member attached to the upper track and sliding freely along the bar during adjusting movement and locking with the bar upon canting movement of the lock member relative to the bar,

a seat belt connected to the lock member,

and legs yieldably connecting the lower track to the vehicle so that the forward momentum of the seat induces forward canting of the seat by yielding and bending of the legs during vehicle deceleration thereby causing the lock member attached to the upper track to be canted relative the bar so that the lock member locks with the bar to transmit loads imposed on the seat belt through the lock member and bar to the vehicle floor.

2. A seat belt anchoring device for a vehicle comprising:

a seat adjuster having upper and lower tracks slidably inter-engaged,

a seat carried by the upper track,

a bar extending alongside the upper track and having a rearward end pivotally mounted on the vehicle,

a lock member attached to the upper track and sliding freely along the bar during adjusting movement and locking with the bar upon canting movement of the lock member relative to the bar,

a seat belt connected to the lock member, respectively yieldably connecting front and rear portions of the lower track to the vehicle so that the forward momentum of the seat induces downward collapsing yielding and bending of the front leg and upward extending yielding and bending of the rear legs thereby canting the seat relative the bar during vehicle deceleration and causing the lock member attached to the upper track to be canted relative the bar so that the lock member locks with the bar to transmit loads imposed on the seat belt through the lock member and bar to the vehicle floor.

3. A seat belt anchoring device for a vehicle comprising:

a seat adjuster having an upper track carrying a vehicle seat and slidably inter-engaged with a lower track adapted for mounting on the vehicle floor, said upper track having a portion thereof cantilevered rearwardly from the lower track at least when the seat is adjusted rearwardly,

a bar extending alongside the upper track and having a rearward end pivotally mounted on the vehicle,

a lock member attached to the upper track and sliding freely along the bar during adjusting movement of the seat and locking with the bar upon canting movement of the lock member relative to the bar,

a seat belt connected to the lock member,

said cantilevered portion of the upper track yielding and bending in response to a moment of force imposed thereon by the forward momentum of the seat during vehicle deceleration so that the lock member attached to the upper track is canted relative the bar causing locking of the lock member with the bar to transmit loads imposed on the seat belt through the lock member and bar to the vehicle floor.

4. A seat belt anchoring device for a vehicle comprising:

a seat adjuster having an upper track carrying a vehicle seat and slidably inter-engaged with a lower track, said upper track having a portion thereof cantilevered rearwardly from the lower track at least when the seat is adjusted rearwardly,

yieldable legs connecting the lower track to the vehicle so that the forward momentum of the seat bends the legs and induces forward canting of the seat during vehicle deceleration,

a bar extending alongside the upper track and having a rearward end pivotally mounted on the vehicle,

a lock member attached to the upper track and sliding freely along the bar during adjusting movement and locking with the bar upon canting movement of the lock member relative to the bar,

a seat belt connected to the lock member,

said cantilevered portion of the upper track and said yieldable legs yielding and bending in response to a moment of force imposed thereon by the forward momentum of the seat during vehicle deceleration thereby causing the lock member attached to the upper track to be canted relative the bar so that the lock member locks with the bar to transmit loads imposed on the seat belt through the lock member and bar to the vehicle floor.