Seat belt buckle

• US 6,725,509 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems Sungwoo Corp. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Lee, Jae-ho, Lee, Jong-hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Application Number:
  US09/634,485
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 246/40--42, 246/33
• 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 24/45665 for shifting pivotally connected interlocking component

Abstract

Disclosed is a seat belt buckle. The seat belt buckle comprises a body frame; a release button slidably coupled to the body frame for unlatching a seat belt tongue from the seat belt buckle; a locking lever capable of being pivotally rotated about wings by a predetermined angle; a slider for supporting and fixing the locking lever; and an ejector for pushing the tongue in a longitudinal direction which is a lengthwise direction of the body frame. The body frame has an arch-shaped supporting beam which is integrally formed with the body frame in a manner such that the supporting beam is erected in a vertical direction. The supporting beam serves to limit movement of the slider and increase structural rigidity of the seat belt buckle. The slider has a width which is greater than that of the body frame and possesses shock-absorbing means for increasing durability of the seat belt buckle. The slider is formed with inclined projections. The release button has at least two release projections which are formed with inclined surfaces which are in turn brought into contact with the inclined projections of the slider.

Claims

1. A seat belt buckle comprising:

a body frame including a base plate and a pair of upstanding side walls;

a release button slidably coupled to the body frame for unlatching a seat belt tongue from the seatbelt buckle;

a locking lever capable of being pivotally rotated about wings by a predetermined angle;

a slider for supporting and fixing the locking lever; and

an ejector for pushing the tongue in a longitudinal direction which is a lengthwise direction of the body frame;

the body frame having an arch-shaped supporting beam which is integrally formed with the body frame in a manner such that the supporting beam is erected in a vertical direction, the supporting beam serving to limit movement of the slider and increase structural rigidity of the seat belt buckle;

the slider having a width which is greater than that of the body frame and possessing shock-absorbing means for increasing durability of the seat belt buckle, the slider being formed with inclined projections; and

the release button having at least two release projections which are formed with inclined surfaces which are in turn brought into contact with the inclined projections of the slider, wherein the upstanding side walls of the body frame are formed with release-preventing pieces for preventing the ejector from being released out of the body frame while the ejector slides on the base plate of the body frame.

2. A seat belt buckle comprising:

a body frame;

a release button slidably coupled to the body frame for unlatching a seat belt tongue from the seatbelt buckle;

a locking lever capable of being pivotally rotated about wings by a predetermined angle;

a slider for supporting and fixing the locking lever; and

an ejector for pushing the tongue in a longitudinal direction which is a lengthwise direction of the body frame;

the body frame having an arch-shaped supporting beam which is integrally formed with the body frame in a manner such that the supporting beam is erected in a vertical direction, the supporting beam serving to limit movement of the slider and increase structural rigidity of the seat belt buckle;

the slider having a width which is greater than that of the body frame and possessing shock-absorbing means for increasing durability of the seat belt buckle, the slider being formed with inclined projections; and

the release button having at least two release projections which are formed with inclined surfaces which are in turn brought into contact with the inclined projections of the slider, wherein a crescent-shaped groove is defined in the release button, the crescent-shaped groove allowing one end of a spring to be inserted into a spring seating portion and to be secured therein.

3. A seat belt buckle comprising:

a body frame;

a release button slidably coupled to the body frame for unlatching a seat belt tongue from the seatbelt buckle;

a locking lever capable of being pivotally rotated about wings by a predetermined angle;

a slider for supporting and fixing the locking lever; and

an ejector for pushing the tongue in a longitudinal direction which is a lengthwise direction of the body frame;

the body frame having an arch-shaped supporting beam which is integrally formed with the body frame in a manner such that the supporting beam is erected in a vertical direction, the supporting beam serving to limit movement of the slider and increase structural rigidity of the seat belt buckle;

the slider having a width which is greater than that of the body frame and possessing shock-absorbing means for increasing durability of the seat belt buckle, the slider being formed with inclined projections; and

the release button having at least two release projections which are formed with inclined surfaces which are in turn brought into contact with the inclined projections of the slider, wherein at least two shock-absorbing projections for absorbing shock which is transmitted from the ejector, are formed on an inner surface of the release button.

4. A seat belt buckle comprising:

a body frame including a base plate and a pair of upstanding side walls;

a release button slidably coupled to the body frame for unlatching a seat belt tongue from the seatbelt buckle;

a locking lever capable of being pivotally rotated about wings by a predetermined angle;

a slider for supporting and fixing the locking lever; and

an ejector for pushing the tongue in a longitudinal direction which is a lengthwise direction of the body frame;

the body frame having an arch-shaped supporting beam which is integrally formed with the body frame in a manner such that the supporting beam is erected in a vertical direction, the supporting beam serving to limit movement of the slider and increase structural rigidity of the seat belt buckle;

the slider having a width which is greater than that of the body frame and possessing shock-absorbing means for increasing durability of the seat belt buckle, the slider being formed with inclined projections; and

the release button having at least two release projections which are formed with inclined surfaces which are in turn brought into contact with the inclined projections of the slider, wherein guiding portions for the release button are integrally formed with the body frame adjacent to a front end and both widthwise ends of a base plate of the body frame in a manner such that the guiding portions extend in the longitudinal direction, the guiding portions serving to minimize fluctuation of the release button upon sliding movement of the release button and, both upstanding side walls of the body frame are formed with release-preventing pieces for preventing the ejector from being released out of the body frame while the ejector slides on the base plate of the body frame.

5. A seat belt buckle comprising:

a body frame;

a release button slidably coupled to the body frame for unlatching a seat belt tongue from the seatbelt buckle;

a locking lever capable of being pivotally rotated about wings by a predetermined angle;

a slider for supporting and fixing the locking lever; and

an ejector for pushing the tongue in a longitudinal direction which is a lengthwise direction of the body frame;

the body frame having an arch-shaped supporting beam which is integrally formed with the body frame in a manner such that the supporting beam is erected in a vertical direction, the supporting beam serving to limit movement of the slider and increase structural rigidity of the seat belt buckle;

the slider having a width which is greater than that of the body frame and possessing shock-absorbing means for increasing durability of the seat belt buckle, the slider being formed with inclined projections; and

the release button having at least two release projections which are formed with inclined surfaces which are in turn brought into contact with the inclined projections of the slider, wherein guiding portions for the release button are integrally formed with the body frame adjacent to a front end and both widthwise ends of a base plate of the body frame in a manner such that the guiding portions extend in the longitudinal direction, the guiding portions serving to minimize fluctuation of the release button upon sliding movement of the release button and, a crescent-shaped groove is defined in the release button, the crescent-shaped groove allowing one end of a spring to be inserted into a spring seating portion to be secured therein.