Seat belt anchor device and method

• US 7,540,536 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Seat Belts Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Seat Belts Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hall, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth; Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US11/298,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 297/468, 297/482, 297/463.1, 280/801.1
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/24 secured to the side, door, or roof of the vehicle

Abstract

A seat belt anchor device and method are provided for anchoring a seat belt to a stud. The device includes a plate member having a keyhole opening into which the stud is fit with the plate member pulled upwardly to bring the stud to the installed position relative to the plate member. A spring retainer member keeps the stud and plate member in their installed position. A stop is provided to limit pivoting of the spring retainer member relative to the plate member. In some forms, the spring retainer includes resilient clamping portions for clamping engagement with the stud head therebetween in the installed portion.

Claims

1. A seat belt anchor device for anchoring a seat belt to a stud having a shank and an enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:

a plate member having a body thereof;

a seat belt opening in the plate body sized to receive a seat belt extending therethrough;

a keyhole opening in the plate body having an enlarged portion for fitting the stud head therethrough and a narrower portion for sliding the plate body to an installed position relative to the stud;

a spring retainer arranged to extend in overlying relation to the keyhole opening and configured to keep the plate body and stud in the installed position thereof;

an end portion of the spring retainer connected to the plate body; and

a stop that limits pivoting of the end portion to keep the spring retainer extending in overlying relation to the keyhole opening,

wherein the spring retainer has a portion of an indicator portion that extends over the keyhole opening enlarged portion spaced by a predetermined amount from the plate body that is less than a thickness of the stud head.

2. The seat belt anchor device of claim 1 wherein the stop comprises interfering portions of the spring retainer and the plate member body.

3. The seat belt anchor device of claim 1 wherein the stop comprises a flange that extends about the seat belt opening with the spring retainer end portion connected to the body adjacent to the seat belt opening.

4. The seat belt anchor device of claim 1 including a single fastener that connects the spring retainer end portion to the plate body.

5. The seat belt anchor device of claim 4 wherein the single fastener is a rivet and the stop is integral with the plate body so that the anchor device has only three distinct components with the components being the plate member, the spring retainer and the rivet.

6. The seat belt anchor device of claim 1 wherein the plate body has an elongate configuration with opposite sides extending lengthwise along the plate body between opposite ends thereof, the seat belt opening extends transversely between the plate body sides adjacent one end of the plate body, the keyhole opening has the enlarged portion adjacent the seat belt opening, and

a connection area between the keyhole opening and the seat belt opening that is sized sufficiently large to allow the spring retainer end portion to be connected to the plate body in the connection area.

7. The seat belt anchor device of claim 6 wherein the plate body has a central longitudinal axis, and

a single fastener connecting the spring retainer end portion to the plate body in the connection area aligned along the central longitudinal axis.

8. The seat belt anchor device of claim 7 wherein the single fastener is a rivet about which pivoting of the spring retainer is permitted and the stop extends transversely along the belt opening adjacent the connection area to limit spring retainer pivoting.

9. The seat belt anchor device of claim 1 wherein the indicator portion extends generally parallel to the plate body and has a window opening formed therein so that sections of the indicator portion extend entirely about the window opening.

10. A seat belt anchor device for anchoring a seat belt to a stud having a shank and an enlarged head, the seat belt anchor device comprising:

a plate member having a body thereof;

a keyhole opening having an enlarged portion sized for receiving the stud head therethrough and a narrower portion sized for receiving the stud shank therein for positioning the anchor device in an installed position relative to the stud;

a spring retainer arranged to extend in overlying relation to the keyhole opening and configured to maintain the plate body and stud in the installed position thereof; and

an indicator portion of the spring retainer for engaging the stud head when the stud head is generally aligned with the enlarged portion of the keyhole opening and prior to full receipt of the stud head therethrough,

wherein a portion of the indicator portion extends over the keyhole opening enlarged portion spaced by a predetermined amount from the plate body that is less than a thickness of the stud head.

11. The seat belt anchor device of claim 10 wherein the indicator portion is raised from and extends either parallel to or toward the plate body at least partially overlying the enlarged opening so as to be aligned with the stud head as the plate member is being advanced over the stud so that the stud head is received in the enlarged opening.