Buckle tensioner

• US 6,039,352 A
• Filed: 11/17/1997
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Wier, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/971,449
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 280/806, 297/472
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1952 Transmission of tensioning power by cable; Return motion locking means therefor

Abstract

A buckle tensioner for a vehicle comprises a belt buckle and a linear drive connected to the belt buckle via a traction member. The traction member has a first end connected to the belt buckle and a second end connected to the linear drive. The buckle tensioner further comprises a deflection member adapted to deflect the traction member between the first and the second ends of the traction member. The deflection member comprises a holding section for the linear drive and an attachment section. The attachment section is adapted for fixing the deflection member in a vehicle-fixed manner.

Claims

1. A buckle tensioner for a vehicle, comprising a belt buckle, a linear drive connected to said belt buckle via a traction member, said traction member having a first end connected to said belt buckle and a second end connected to said linear drive, and a deflection member adapted to deflect said traction member between said first and said second ends, said deflection member comprising a holding section for said drive and an attachment section, said attachment section being adapted for fixing said deflection member in a vehicle-fixed manner, said attachment section being arranged clear of an angle included between said first and second ends, said deflection member possessing an elongated deflection section extending over an angular range of approximately 90°

, said attachment section being constituted by two strips of material, said strips extending parallel to each other and being each connected with a longitudinal edge of said deflection section.

2. The buckle tensioner of claim 1, wherein said deflection section is open along said traction member and on the side outside said angle included by said first and second ends of said traction member.

3. A buckle tensioner for a vehicle, comprising a belt buckle, a linear drive connected to said belt buckle via a traction member, said traction member having a first end connected to said belt buckle and a second end connected to said linear drive, and a deflection member adapted to deflect said traction member between said first and said second ends, said deflection member comprising a holding section for said linear drive and an attachment section, said attachment section being adapted for fixing said deflection member in a vehicle-fixed manner, said attachment section being arranged within an angle included between said first and said second ends of said traction member, said deflection member possessing an elongated guide section extending over an angular range of approximately 90°

, said attachment section being constituted by an extension of said deflection section at an end thereof facing said belt buckle.

4. The buckle tensioner of claim 3, wherein said extension of said deflection section is spiral in shape and wherein said attachment section is constituted by the innermost turn of said spiral-shaped extension.

5. A buckle tensioner for a vehicle, comprising a belt buckle, a linear drive connected to said belt buckle via a traction member, said traction member having a first end connected to said belt buckle and a second end connected to said linear drive, and a deflection member adapted to deflect said traction member between said first and said second ends, said deflection member comprising a holding section for said linear drive and an attachment section, said attachment section being adapted for fixing said deflection member in a vehicle-fixed manner, said linear drive possessing a cylinder tube and a piston adapted to move in translation in said cylinder tube, said holding section encircling said cylinder tube in a circumferential direction for an angle less than 360°

.

6. The buckle tensioner of claim 5 wherein said holding section encompasses said cylinder tube in the circumferential direction along an angle larger than 90°

and wherein said cylinder tube is clamped to said holding section when said buckle tensioner is mounted vehicle-fixed.

7. The buckle tensioner of claim 5, wherein said holding section encircles said cylinder tube in the circumferential direction over an angle of more than 180°

.

8. The buckle tensioner of claim 5, wherein said holding section encompasses said cylinder tube by means of a plurality of holding lugs.

9. The buckle tensioner of claim 8, wherein said holding lugs have free ends which are arranged opposite each other in a distance which is at least equal to the diameter of said traction member.

10. A buckle tensioner for a vehicle, comprising a belt buckle, a linear drive connected to said belt buckle via a traction member, said traction member having a first end connected to said belt buckle and a second end connected to said linear drive, and a deflection member adapted to deflect said traction member between said first and said second ends, said deflection member comprising a holding section for said linear drive and an attachment section, said attachment section being adapted for fixing said deflection member in a vehicle-fixed manner, said deflection member being a bent sheet metal component.

11. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said deflection member is quenched and tempered.

12. The buckle tensioner of claim 10 wherein a holding strip is provided at one of the longitudinal edges of said deflection section, said holding strip being so bent over said deflection section that a guide adapted to the cross section of said traction member is formed together with said deflection section.

13. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said attachment section possesses a screw bolt.

14. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said attachment section has a hole for an attachment screw.

15. The buckle tensioner of claim 13, wherein said screw bolt has a center axis extending parallel to a plane defined by said traction member.

16. The buckle tensioner of claim 14, wherein said attachment screw has a center axis extending parallel to a plane defined by said traction member.

17. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said screw bolt has a center axis extending perpendicularly to a plane defined by said traction member.

18. The buckle tensioner of claim 14, wherein said attachment screw has a center axis extending perpendicularly to a plane defined by said traction member.

19. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said attachment section is arranged clear of an angle included between said first and second ends.

20. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said attachment section is arranged within an angle included between said first and said second ends of said traction member.

21. The buckle tensioner of claim 10 wherein said deflection member is a cast part.

22. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said traction member is a traction cable.

23. The buckle tensioner of claim 10, wherein said deflection member is formed integrally with said holding section and with said attachment section.