Buckle apparatus and seat belt apparatus
First Claim
1. A buckle apparatus comprising:
- a base;
a cover extending about the base and having a forward opening portion at one side thereof;
a buckle portion including a latch member pivotally mounted to the base in the cover for being operatively engaged with a tongue of a seat belt inserted in an insertion direction through the opening portion into the cover;
an operating member slidably mounted to the base for being engaged by a user to release the latch member from engagement with the tongue;
a light source for illuminating the opening portion;
a holding board mounted to the cover such that at least a light source holding portion of the holding board for holding the light source is arranged to extend in a predetermined direction that is generally transverse to the insertion direction of the tongue.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A buckle apparatus capable of easily securing mounting space of a holding board preventing the buckle apparatus from bulking and realizing easiness for securing internal space of the buckle apparatus is provided. In one form, the buckle apparatus is provided with covers including an opening portion at one side, a buckle portion being provided in the covers and being engaged with a tongue of a seat belt inserted through the opening portion, a slimline LED light source provided in the vicinity of the opening portion, holding boards, provided in the covers, in a standing manner such that at least a light source holding portion for holding an LED light source is arranged in a direction to intersect with an inserting direction of the tongue.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A buckle apparatus comprising:
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a base; a cover extending about the base and having a forward opening portion at one side thereof; a buckle portion including a latch member pivotally mounted to the base in the cover for being operatively engaged with a tongue of a seat belt inserted in an insertion direction through the opening portion into the cover; an operating member slidably mounted to the base for being engaged by a user to release the latch member from engagement with the tongue; a light source for illuminating the opening portion; a holding board mounted to the cover such that at least a light source holding portion of the holding board for holding the light source is arranged to extend in a predetermined direction that is generally transverse to the insertion direction of the tongue. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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2. A buckle apparatus comprising:
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a cover having a forward opening portion at one side thereof; a buckle portion provided in the cover for being operatively engaged with a tongue of a seat belt inserted in an insertion direction through the opening portion into the cover; a light source for illuminating the opening portion; and a holding board mounted in the cover such that at least a light source holding portion of the holding board for holding the light source is arranged to extend in a predetermined direction that is generally transverse to the insertion direction of the tongue, wherein the holding board is mounted such that the predetermined direction at which the light source holding portion extends is approximately 45°
in relation to the insertion direction of the tongue.
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3. A buckle apparatus comprising:
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a cover having a forward opening portion at one side thereof; a buckle portion provided in the cover for being operatively engaged with a tongue of a seat belt inserted in an insertion direction through the opening portion into the cover; a light source for illuminating the opening portion; and a holding board mounted in the cover such that at least a light source holding portion of the holding board for holding the light source is arranged to extend in a predetermined direction that is generally transverse to the insertion direction of the tongue, wherein the holding board is mounted such that the predetermined direction at which the light source holding portion extends is approximately 60°
in relation to the insertion direction of the tongue.
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8. A seat belt apparatus including a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant in a seat, the seat belt apparatus comprising:
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a buckle housing having an interior space, a tongue carried on the seat belt; a forward insertion opening of the buckle housing; a latching mechanism in the buckle housing for releasably securing the tongue inserted in a forward to rearward insertion direction into the interior space through the insertion opening with the insertion direction lying in a generally horizontal place in the interior space generally aligned with the insertion opening; a light source for illuminating the forward insertion opening; a mounting board for the light source mounted in the buckle housing to extend in a predetermined transverse direction to the horizontal plane adjacent the insertion opening; and a reflector mounted in the buckle housing between the light source and the insertion opening.
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9. A seat belt apparatus including a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant in a seat, the seat belt apparatus comprising:
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a buckle housing having an interior space, a tongue carried on the seat belt; a forward insertion opening of the buckle housing; a latching mechanism in the buckle housing for releasably securing the tongue inserted in a forward to rearward insertion direction into the interior space through the insertion opening with the insertion direction lying in a generally horizontal place in the interior space generally aligned with the insertion opening; a light source for illuminating the forward insertion opening; and a mounting board for the light source that extends in a predetermined transverse direction to the horizontal plane, wherein the mounting board is oriented to extend orthogonal to the horizontal plane adjacent the forward insert opening to maximize size of the interior space for the latching mechanism rearward of the mounting board.
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10. A seat belt apparatus including a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant in a seat, the seat belt apparatus comprising:
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a buckle housing having an interior space, a tongue carried on the seat belt; a forward insertion opening of the buckle housing; a latching mechanism in the buckle housing for releasably securing the tongue inserted in a forward to rearward insertion direction into the interior space through the insertion opening with the insertion direction lying in a generally horizontal place in the interior space generally aligned with the insertion opening; a light source for illuminating the forward insertion opening; and a mounting board for the light source that extends in a predetermined transverse direction to the horizontal plane, wherein the mounting board comprises a pair of mounting boards, and the light source comprises a pair of light sources with each one of the pair of light sources mounted to a respective one of the pair of mounting boards arranged on either side of the insertion opening. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A seat belt apparatus including a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant in a seat, the seat belt apparatus comprising:
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a buckle housing having an interior space, a tongue carried on the seat belt; a forward insertion opening of the buckle housing; a latching mechanism in the buckle housing for releasably securing the tongue inserted in a forward to rearward insertion direction into the interior space through the insertion opening with the insertion direction lying in a generally horizontal place in the interior space generally aligned with the insertion opening; a light source for illuminating the forward insertion opening; and a mounting board for the light source that extends in a predetermined transverse direction to the horizontal plane, wherein the predetermined transverse direction in which the mounting board extends is at an angle of approximately 45°
to the horizontal plane to divide the forward and rearward adjacent areas about the mounting board equally in the buckle interior space.
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13. A seat belt apparatus including a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant in a seat, the seat belt apparatus comprising:
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a buckle housing having an interior space, a tongue carried on the seat belt; a forward insertion opening of the buckle housing; a latching mechanism in the buckle housing for releasably securing the tongue inserted in a forward to rearward insertion direction into the interior space through the insertion opening with the insertion direction lying in a generally horizontal place in the interior space generally aligned with the insertion opening; a light source for illuminating the forward insertion opening; and a mounting board for the light source that extends in a predetermined transverse direction to the horizontal plane, wherein the predetermined transverse direction in which the mounting board extends is at an angle of approximately 60°
to the horizontal plane to increase size of the interior space adjacent the mounting board rearwardly therefrom.
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14. A seat belt apparatus including a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant in a seat, the seat belt apparatus comprising:
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a buckle housing having an interior space, a tongue carried on the seat belt; a forward insertion opening of the buckle housing; a latching mechanism in the buckle housing for releasably securing the tongue inserted in a forward to rearward insertion direction into the interior space through the insertion opening with the insertion direction lying in a generally horizontal place in the interior space generally aligned with the insertion opening; a light source for illuminating the forward insertion opening; and a mounting board for the light source that extends in a predetermined transverse direction to the horizontal plane, wherein the mounting board has portions that extend transversely to each other and one of the portions comprises a mounting portion to which the light source is secured with the mounting portion extending transverse to the horizontal plane.
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15. A lighted buckle apparatus comprising:
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a buckle housing having an interior space in which buckle operating components are disposed; a forward insertion opening of the buckle housing for receiving a tongue inserted in a predetermined forward to rearward insertion direction therein and into the interior space; a light source for illuminating the forward insertion opening; a mounting member in the interior space; at least a portion of the mounting member having a generally flat, planar configuration with the light source mounted thereto; and opposite ends of the mounting member portion with the mounting member being oriented in the interior space so that the opposite ends of the mounting member portion are spaced from each other in a substantially linear, predetermined direction that extends transverse to the insertion direction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification