End release seat belt buckle
First Claim
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.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An illuminated end release buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An illuminated belt buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system comprising:
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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.
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12. An illuminated belt buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system comprising:
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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.
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13. An illuminated belt buckle for a vehicular safety belt restraint system comprising:
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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.
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Specification