Tongue assembly for use in a seat belt device

• US 5,309,606 A
• Filed: 11/30/1992
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1991
• 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: Kawamura, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US03/483,486
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 24/196, 24/194, 24/197, 24/685 B, 24/171, 280/801, 280/802, 280/808
• US Class Current: 24/196
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/10 sliding wedge
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2557 with strap length adjustment
• 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 seat belt device is formed of a tongue main body engaging a buckle and a slider slidably disposed over the main body. A first slit is situated in a middle portion of the main body to extend in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the main body relative to the buckle. A first wall portion is fixed to the main body to project upwardly from an upper surface of the main body along the first slit at a side of a rear portion. A second wall portion is formed in an upper side of the slider and has a surface opposing to the first wall portion. A second slit is formed at a lower side of the slider so that a rear edge of the second slit at a side of a rear portion of the main body is situated close to an insertion portion of the main body with respect to the surface of the second wall. A third slit is further formed in the rear portion of the main body. A seat belt extends between the first and second wall portions, through the first and second slits, under the lower side of the slider and through the third slit so that when a tension is applied from the side of the third slit, the slider is pulled toward the rear portion of the main body to urge the second wall portion of the slider to the first wall portion to thereby strongly hold the seat belt between the first and second wall portions.

Claims

1. A tongue assembly for use in a seat belt device adapted to be attached to a seat belt and to engage a buckle, comprising:

a tongue main body having a rear portion, an insertion portion at a side opposite to the rear portion and adapted to engage the buckle, a middle portion between the rear portion and the insertion portion, and upper and lower surfaces,

a first slit situated in the middle portion of the main body and extending in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the main body relative to the buckle,

a first wall portion fixed to the main body, said first wall portion projecting upwardly from the upper surface of the main body and extending along the first slit at a side of the rear portion,

a slider slidably disposed over the middle portion of the main body and having upper and lower sides,

a second wall portion formed in the upper side of the slider, said second wall portion extending parallel to the first slit at a side of the insertion portion and having a surface opposing to the first wall portion,

a second slit formed at the lower side of the slider, said second slit extending parallel to the first slit and disposed under the second wall portion so that a rear edge of the second slit at a side of the rear portion of the main body is situated close to the insertion portion of the main body with respect to the surface of the second wall, and

a third slit formed in the rear portion of the main body and extending parallel to the first slit, said seat belt extending between the first and second wall portions, through the first and second slits, under the lower side of the slider and through the third slit so that when a tension is applied from the side of the third slit, the slider is pulled toward the rear portion of the main body to urge the second wall portion of the slider to the first wall portion to thereby strongly hold the seat belt between the first and second wall portions.

2. A tongue assembly according to claim 1, wherein said tongue main body includes a recess at the third slit to communicate the third slit with an outside of the main body.

3. A tongue assembly according to claim 1, wherein said seat belt includes a lap belt and a shoulder belt, said shoulder belt extending from the first slit and the lap belt extending from the third slit.

4. A tongue assembly according to claim 3, wherein the second slit is positioned relative to the first wall portion such that when the lap belt is pulled, the rear edge of the second slit is moved toward the rear portion of the main body to firmly hold the seat belt between the first and second wall portions.

5. A tongue assembly according to claim 4, wherein the second wall portion extends downwardly from the slider and located inside the first slit.

6. A combination of a tongue assembly and a seat belt for use in a seat belt device adapted to engage a buckle, comprising:

said tongue assembly including;

a tongue main body having a rear portion, an insertion portion at a side opposite to the rear portion and adapted to engage the buckle, a middle portion between the rear portion and the insertion portion, and upper and lower surfaces,

a first slit situated in the middle portion of the main body and extending in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the main body relative to the buckle,

a first wall portion fixed to the main body, said first wall portion projecting upwardly from the upper surface of the main body and extending along the first slit at a side of the rear portion,

a slider slidably disposed over the middle portion of the main body and having upper and lower sides,

a second wall portion formed in the upper side of the slider, said second wall portion extending parallel to the first slit at a side of the insertion portion and having a surface opposing to the first wall portion,

a second slit formed at the lower side of the slider, said second slit extending parallel to the first slit and disposed under the second wall portion so that a rear edge of the second slit at a side of the rear portion of the main body is situated close to the insertion portion of the main body with respect to the surface of the second wall, and

a third slit formed in the rear portion of the main body and extending parallel to the first slit,

said seat belt extending between the first and second wall portions, through the first and second slits, under the lower side of the slider and through the third slit so that when a tension is applied from the side of the third slit, the slider is pulled toward the rear portion of the main body to urge the second wall portion of the slider to the first wall portion to thereby strongly hold the seat belt between the first and second wall portions.

7. A combination according to claim 6, wherein said seat belt includes a lap belt and a shoulder belt, said shoulder belt extending from the first slit and the lap belt extending from the third slit.