Buckle assembly

• US 6,216,323 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NSK Autoliv Co., Ltd. (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Oyamada, Ayaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANDY, ROBERT JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/470,979
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 246/36--42, 246/33, 246/51
• US Class Current: 24/641
• 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: Y10T 24/45644 for shifting pivotally connected interlocking component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4566 including slidably connected and guided element on receiving member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45665 for shifting pivotally connected interlocking component

Abstract

A buckle assembly is provided with a latch plate for latching or unlatching a tongue plate, a holder member arranged movably in response to a movement of the latch plate, slots formed as guide paths in a buckle base, support apertures formed as a cam portion in a holder member, and an auxiliary lock member supported movably in said slots and support apertures for controlling a movement of the latch plate. In response to a movement of the holder member, the support apertures produce cam action in association with the slots such that the auxiliary member is movable between a position, in which the auxiliary lock member restricts the latch plate to a latching position, and another position, in which the auxiliary lock member restricts the latch plate to an unlatching position.

Claims

1. A buckle assembly comprising a tongue plate and a buckle main body for releasably holding said tongue plate, wherein said buckle main body is provided with:

a base;

a lock control member supported on said base;

a latch plate supported on said base movably between a latching position, in which said latch plate is in latching engagement with said tongue plate, an unlatching position, in which said latch plate is out of latching engagement with said tongue plate;

an auxiliary lock member supported on said base movably between a retaining position, in which said auxiliary lock member retains said latch plate in said latching position, and a non-retaining position, in which said auxiliary lock member does not retain said latch plate in said latching position; and

a holder member held on said latch plate movably relative to said latch plate and provided with a cam portion for controlling a motion of said auxiliary lock member, said holder member being capable of assuming a first position, in which said holder member is in contact with said lock control member on a side of a leading edge of said lock control member as viewed in a direction of insertion of said tongue plate such that under biasing force of a biasing member, said latch plate is retained in said unlatching position and said auxiliary lock member is brought to said non-retaining position, and a second position, in which said holder member is located on a side of said lock control member, where said tongue plate to be inserted is positioned, such that said auxiliary lock member is brought to said retaining position.

2. A buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said base is provided with guide paths for supporting said auxiliary lock member, and said guide paths extend substantially in parallel with said direction of insertion of said tongue plate.

3. A buckle assembly according to claim 2, wherein said cam portion is provided with slots, which permit extension of said auxiliary lock member therethrough and which, when said holder member has assumed said first position, extend in intersecting directions relative to the corresponding guide paths in said base.

4. A buckle assembly according to claim 3, wherein said slots are formed such that said slots intersect the corresponding guide paths in said base irrespective of the position of said holder member.

5. A buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary lock member is a pin.

6. A buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said holder member is held movably relative to said latch plate in said latched position thereof in a direction substantially parallel with said direction of insertion of said tongue plate.

7. A buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said buckle base is provided with a bottom wall and a pair of side walls extending upright from said bottom wall;

and said buckle assembly is provided further with a release button for bringing said holder member from said second position to said first position when pressed and also with a control portion for controlling said release button at a leading end thereof, as viewed in a pressing direction of said release button, in a direction away from said bottom wall of said buckle base when a pressed stroke of said release button has increased.

8. A buckle assembly according to claim 7, wherein said control portion is formed in said buckle base.

9. A buckle assembly according to claim 8, wherein said control portion comprises slots formed in said side walls of said buckle base, respectively, such that said slots are maintained in engagement with engaging portions arranged on a leading end of said release button as viewed in a pressing direction of said release button.

10. A buckle assembly according to claim 9, wherein each of said slots comprises a first part extending in said pressing direction of said release button, a second part extending substantially in parallel with said first part at a position more apart from said bottom wall of said buckle base on a still inner side of an inner end of said first part as viewed in said pressing direction of said release button, and a connecting part connecting said first part and said second part together.

11. A buckle assembly according to claim 9, wherein each of said slots comprises a first part extending in said pressing direction of said release button and a second part extending from an inner end of said first part in said pressing direction of said release button and in a direction away from said bottom wall of said buckle base.

12. A buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said assembly is provided further with a release button for bringing said holder member from said second position to said first position, a biasing member for biasing said release button and a spring holder arranged on said buckle base for supporting said biasing means thereon, and said lock control member is formed at a part of said spring holder.