Device for adjusting shoulder anchor height

• US 6,336,663 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Ando, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US09/629,056
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801.1, 280/801.2, 280/808, 297/483
• US Class Current: 280/801.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/203 the locking means being movably mounted on the slider

Abstract

A device for adjusting height of a shoulder anchor that forms a seat belt device of a vehicle. A buffer member is provided between a slider to which a shoulder anchor is attached, and a guide rail secured to a vehicle body. A pin for restricting the movement in a vertical direction of the slider, is guided by a guide wall to move from one recess portion in the buffer member to the other. The guide wall has ribs as reinforcing members on a lower side and the ribs prevent deformation of the guide wall.

Claims

1. A device for adjusting shoulder anchor height of a seat belt assembly in a vehicle, the device comprising:

a guide member securable to a vehicle having a seat belt assembly with a shoulder anchor;

a slider adapted for connection to the shoulder anchor, the slider being engaged with the guide member and slidable therealong;

an engaging member that fixes a position of the slider and the guide member relative to one another;

a buffer member having a main body, the main body being mounted on the guide member, and having an inclined surface with a lower side, the buffer member being interposed between the engaging member and the guide member; and

a reinforcing rib integrally provided at the main body on the lower side of the inclined surface wherein said inclined surface guides the engaging member in a direction opposite to an engaging direction of the engaging member when the slider moves.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main body includes a recess portion which receives the engaging member thereinside for engagement, and the inclined surface portion is continuous with the recess portion.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the engaging member is attached to the slider, and the main body is attached to the guide member.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the guide member includes at least one lock hole which receives the recess portion and the inclined surface portion of the main body.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing rib enables partial contact of the buffer member with an inner periphery of the lock hole.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the engaging member is biased against a bottom surface of the recess portion of the main body by a spring.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the recess portion has an engaging piece for the guide member.

8. The device according to claim 4, wherein the inclined surface portion has a plurality of reinforcing ribs acting as reinforcing protrusions on the lower side of the inclined surface portion, and said ribs intersect one another.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the reinforcing ribs are orthogonal to the main body.

10. A device for adjusting shoulder anchor height of a seat belt assembly in a vehicle, the device comprising:

a guide member securable to a vehicle having a seat belt assembly with a shoulder anchor;

a slider adapted for connection to the shoulder anchor, the slider being engaged with the guide member and slidable therealong;

an engaging member attached to the slider which engages with the guide member to thereby fix a position of the slider and the guide member relative to one another;

a buffer member having a main body attached to the guide member and interposed between the engaging member and the guide member, the main body having an inclined surface portion with a lower side;

reinforcing ribs integrally provided at the main body on the lower side of the inclined surface wherein said inclined surface guides the engaging member in a direction opposite to an engaging direction of the engaging member when the slider moves; and

a recess portion provided continuously from the inclined surface of the main body for allowing the engaging member to enter thereinside for providing engagement, the engaging member being urged toward a bottom surface of the recess portion of the main body by a spring.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the guide member includes at least one lock hole which receives the recess portion and the inclined surface portion of the main body.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the lock hole includes an inner circumference, part of which inner circumference contacts at least part of the reinforcing rib.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the main body is formed from a synthetic resin material, and has a plurality of cylindrical recess portions which are comprised of the inclined surface portion and the recess portion, and are provided along the longitudinal direction of the guide member.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the main body in the vicinity of a projective portion has an engaging piece for the guide member.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein the reinforcing ribs are provided in a plurality and intersect one another.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the reinforcing ribs are orthogonal to the main body.

17. A device for adjusting shoulder anchor height of a seat belt assembly in a vehicle, the device comprising:

a slider on which is mounted a shoulder anchor;

a guide member for guiding the shoulder anchor;

a lock pin in the slider, which lock pin engages with a lock hole which is formed along the longitudinal direction of the guide member;

a buffer member which is disposed at the inner perimeter of the lock hole;

a recess portion and an inclined surface portion which are provided on the buffer member; and

a reinforcing section which is integrally provided with the buffer member on a lower surface of the inclined surface portion.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the reinforcing section comprises ribs which project from the buffer member.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein at least some of the ribs intersect one another.

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein there are a plurality of hole portions in said buffer member and a plurality of lock holes, each hole portion being received in a lock hole, with the lock holes extending along the guide member.