End release seat belt buckle

• US 5,438,492 A
• Filed: 11/01/1993
• Issued: 08/01/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Schulz, Kurt W., Collins, Cecil A., Durbin, Gerald F., Butchko, Tammy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raab, Sara Sachie
• Application Number:
  US08/146,219
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 362/800, 362/253, 362/83.3, 362/108, 24/633, 24/640, 24/641
• US Class Current: 362/108
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2523 acting parallel to the main plane of the buckle and in the same direction as the fastening action
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2565 Illuminated buckles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45623 and operator therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45665 for shifting pivotally connected interlocking component

Abstract

An end release type belt buckle for releasably latching a tongue plate of a safety belt system in a latched position. The belt buckle has a base, a release mechanism and an actuator supported for sliding movement on the base. The base has a stationary latch portion adapted to releasably lock the tongue plate in the latched position. The actuator includes a first surface for urging the tongue plate into the latched position, a second surface for retaining the tongue plate in the latched position, and a third surface for actuating the release mechanism to urge the tongue plate from the latched position into a released position. In addition, the end release belt buckle includes an illumination device affixed to the actuator for illuminating selected portions thereof, and an electrically conductive coupling arrangement for maintaining an electrical circuit during sliding movement of the actuator.

Claims

1. An illuminated end release buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system, comprising:

a base having a latch portion for releasably locking a tongue plate retained on a vehicular safety belt such that said tongue plate is maintained in a held relationship with respect to said base when operatively engaged therewith;

an actuator supported for movement on said base for selectively disengaging said tongue plate from said latch portion of said base such that said tongue plate can be selectively released from said held relationship;

an illumination mechanism at least partially disposed with said actuator for illuminating portions thereof; and

an electrical circuit having a pair of wires secured to said base and a pair of electrically conductive coupling members extending between, and in electrical contact with, said wires and said illumination mechanism, said coupling members permitting said actuator to slide with respect to said base while maintaining continuous electrical contact between said wires and said illumination mechanism.

2. The illuminated end release buckle of claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive coupling members are a pair of coil springs which compress and relax as said actuator is slid with respect to said base.

3. The illuminated end release buckle of claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive coupling members are a pair of flexible strips which flex and relax as said actuator is slid with respect to said base.

4. The illuminated end release buckle of claim 1 where said electrically conductive coupling members are a pair of sliding contact strips, each of said contact strips comprising a cantilevered wiper member that slidingly engages a strip affixed to said actuator such that as said actuator is slid with respect to said base, said cantilevered wiper member slides along and maintains contact with said strip.

5. The illuminated end release buckle of claim 1 wherein said illumination mechanism is a light emitting diode.

6. An electrical circuit for providing electrical current to a device retained on a sliding actuator member of a safety belt buckle, said electrical circuit comprising:

a pair of current conducting members at least partially disposed within said buckle, each of said current conducting members having a terminal end; and

a pair of electrically conductive coupling members interconnecting said terminal ends of said current conducting members to said device such that said conductive coupling members span a gap defined between said buckle and said actuator member, said conductive coupling member being adapted to permit said actuator member to slide with respect to said buckle while maintaining electrical contact between said current conducting members and said device.

7. The electrical circuit of claim 6 wherein said conductive coupling members are a pair of coil springs which compress and relax as said actuator member is slid with respect to said buckle.

8. The electrical circuit of claim 7 wherein one end of each of said coil springs surrounds spring post that extends from said buckle and another end of each of said coil springs passes through a counterbore formed in said actuator member such that said spring flexes and relaxes along a single axis.

9. The electrical circuit of claim 6 wherein said conductive coupling members are a pair of flexible strips which flex and relax as said actuator member is slid with respect to said buckle.

10. The electrical circuit of claim 6 wherein said conductive coupling members are a pair of sliding contact strips, each of said contact strips comprising a cantilevered wiper member that extends from said buckle and slidingly engages a strip affixed to said actuator member such that as said actuator member is slid with respect to said buckle, said cantilevered wiper member slides along and maintains contact with said strip.

11. An illuminated belt buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system comprising:

a base having a latch portion for releasably locking a tongue plate retained on a vehicular safety belt such that tongue plate is maintained in a held relationship with respect to said base when operatively engaged therewith;

an actuator supported for movement on said base for selectively disengaging said tongue plate from said latch portion of said base such that said tongue plate can be selectively released from said held relationship;

an illumination mechanism affixed to said actuator for longitudinal movement therewith;

an electrical current source including a harness assembly having a pair of wires connected to a remote line current; and

a pair of electrically conductive coil springs extending between, and in electrical contact with, said wires and said illumination mechanism for maintaining an electrical connection therebetween during movement of said actuator for illuminating portions of said actuator.

12. An illuminated belt buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system comprising:

a base having a latch portion for releasably locking a tongue plate retained on a vehicular safety belt such that tongue plate is maintained in a held relationship with respect to said base when operatively engaged therewith;

an actuator supported for movement on said base for selectively disengaging said tongue plate from said latch portion of said base such that said tongue plate can be selectively released from said held relationship;

an illumination mechanism affixed to said actuator for longitudinal movement therewith;

an electrical current source including a harness assembly having a pair of wires connected to a remote line current; and

a pair of electrically conductive flexible strips extending between, and in electrical contact with, said wires and said illumination mechanism for maintaining an electrical connection therebetween during movement of said actuator for illuminating portions of said actuator.

13. An illuminated belt buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system comprising:

a base having a latched portion for releasably locking a tongue plate retained on a vehicular safety belt such that said tongue plate is maintained in a held relationship with respect to said base when operatively engaged therewith;

an actuator supported for movement on said base for selectively disengaging said tongue plate from said latch portion of said base such that said tongue plate can be selectively released from said held relationship;

an illumination mechanism affixed to said actuator;

an electrical current source including a harness assembly having a pair of wires connected to a remote current line; and

a pair of sliding electrically conductive contact strips, each of said contact strips including a cantilevered wiper member that slidingly engages a strip affixed to said actuator such that as said actuator is slid with respect to said base said cantilevered wiper member slides along and maintains electrical contact with said strip for illuminating portion of said actuator.