Buckle structure for vehicle seat

• US 8,215,716 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Akaike, Fumitoshi, Takahashi, Akari
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/814,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20100314930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 297/468, 297/481
• US Class Current: 297/481
• 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: A44B 11/2546 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/021 Means for holding the tongue or buckle in a non-use position, e.g. for easy access by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/02 Semi-passive restraint systems, e.g. systems applied or removed automatically but not both ; Manual restraint systems knee, leg or head belts B60R22/001; devices for releasing in an emergency, remote or automatic unbuckling devices B60R22/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45241 Slot and tab or tongue

Abstract

A buckle structure of a vehicle seat includes: a seat belt that restrains an occupant; a tongue member that is provided at the seat belt; and a buckle member that is configured to lock the tongue member. The buckle member is disposed at a restraint position of the vehicle seat so that a protruding unit provided at the buckle member protrudes from the restraint position due to a pushing member, and when the tongue member is inserted into the buckle member, the tongue member is locked to the buckle member after the protruding unit returns to the restraint position against pushing forces of the pushing member.

Claims

1. A buckle structure of a vehicle seat comprising:

a seat belt that restrains an occupant;

a tongue member that is provided at the seat belt; and

a buckle member that is configured to lock the tongue member,

wherein

the buckle member is disposed at a restraint position on the vehicle seat so that a protruding unit provided on the buckle member at a mounting position protrudes from the buckle member a predetermined distance from the restraint position due to a pushing member, and

when the tongue member is inserted into the buckle member, the tongue member is locked to the buckle member after the protruding unit moves toward the buckle member to the restraint position against pushing forces of the pushing member.

2. The buckle structure of a vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein

the protruding unit is a cover member that is configured to cover the entire or a part of the buckle member, and

the tongue member is guided to an insertion part of the buckle member by a guide part provided at the cover member.

3. The buckle structure of a vehicle seat according to claim 2,

wherein

when the cover member is disposed in the restraint position against pushing forces of the pushing member, the cover member is disposed below a surface of the vehicle seat.

4. A buckle comprising:

a buckle member that is configured to lock and release a tongue member that is attached on an end of a seat belt;

a cover member that is configured to cover the buckle member, the cover member configured to be movable between a first position and a second position, the first position in which the cover member is protruded from a surface of a seat, the second position in which the cover member is disposed in a position closer to the surface of the seat than the first position;

a pushing member that is disposed between the buckle member and the cover member,

wherein when the tongue member is not locked with the buckle member, the cover member is disposed in the first position, and

wherein when the tongue member is locked with the buckle member, the cover member is disposed in the second position.

5. The buckle according to claim 4,

wherein when the cover member disposed in the second position is pushed toward the buckle member, the tongue member is released from the buckle member.