Seat belt configuration having individual belt retractors for the shoulder belt and the lap belt

• US 6,623,037 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Möker, Carsten, Ritters, Ernst-Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US09/970,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 280/808, 280/801.1, 280/807, 297/468, 297/472, 297/483, 246/33, 245/791.1, 242/65.BC, 241/98, 242/00
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/026 at least two ends of the belt being retractable after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1812 Connections between seat belt and buckle tongue
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/30 Coupling devices other than buckles, including length-adjusting fittings or anti-slip devices adaptations of manual three-point seat belt systems for use by small passengers using other means than belt anti-slip devices B60R22/024; buckles A44B11/00; releasable fastenings in general F16B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45084 for safety belt buckle, strap, harness, etc.

Abstract

A seat belt configuration includes a shoulder belt, a lap belt, a belt lock, and belt retractors. A release mechanism is assigned to the shoulder belt and/or the lap belt so that the first belt retractor can be separated from the second belt retractor. The release mechanism includes web-shaped or bolt-holding elements for securing respective belt ends of the shoulder belt and the lap belt or respective belt ends of two sections of the shoulder belt or of the lap belt. At least one of the holding elements has a retaining structure and is releasable when the retaining structure is inactivated.

Claims

1. A seat belt configuration, comprising:

a shoulder belt;

a lap belt;

a belt lock provided jointly for said shoulder belt and said lap belt and configured to be connected to said shoulder belt and to said lap belt;

a first belt retractor assigned to said shoulder belt;

a second belt retractor assigned to said lap belt, said first belt retractor and said second belt retractor being connected via said shoulder belt and said lap belt;

a release mechanism, assigned to at least one of said shoulder belt and said lap belt, for deliberately separating said first belt retractor from said second belt retractor;

said release mechanism including holding elements for securing respective belt ends selected from the group consisting of respective ends of said shoulder belt and said lap belt and respective ends of two sections of one of said shoulder belt and said lap belt;

each of said holding elements being selected from the group consisting of a web-shaped element and a bolt-shaped element; and

at least one of said holding elements securing a given one of said belt ends and having a retaining structure associated therewith, said at least one of said holding elements being releasable when said retaining structure is inactivated, such that said given one of said belt ends is separated from said at least one of said holding elements.

2. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein:

said belt lock includes a belt-side component; and

said holding elements are provided at said belt-side component of said belt lock.

3. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said holding elements with said retaining structure is a threaded bolt.

4. The configuration according to claim 2, wherein said belt-side component of said belt lock is a plug-in tongue.

5. The configuration according to claim 4, wherein said holding elements are disposed one behind another on said plug-in tongue.

6. The configuration according to claim 1, including:

a coupling device for providing a separable connection between said ends of said two sections of said one of said shoulder belt and said lap belt; and

said holding elements of said release mechanism being disposed at said coupling device.

7. The configuration according to claim 6, wherein:

said coupling device includes two coupling parts; and

said two coupling parts are separable from one another for providing the separable connection and each of said two coupling parts is connected to a respective one of said ends of said two sections of said one of said shoulder belt and said lap belt.

8. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein said retaining structure is configured to be destroyed when being inactivated.

9. The configuration according to claim 8, wherein said retaining structure is a structure selected from the group consisting of a flange, a crimp, and a bead.