Belt latch for a safety belt

• US 8,382,160 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Skarin, Ingmar, Disley, Jonathan, Nilsson, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker, Robert A
• Application Number:
  US13/084,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801.1, 280/806, 280/808
• US Class Current: 280/808
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2553 Attachment of buckle to strap
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2561 Tongue elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4019 Sliding part or wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4079 Sliding part of wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45241 Slot and tab or tongue
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4736 Buckle connected

Abstract

A belt latch including a connection plate, for connecting it to a buckle, and a latch main body rigidly connected thereto. The latch main body may have a cut-open hollow cylindrical portion housing a bending and clamping element arranged to rotate in relation thereto from a deflecting position to a clamping position if the force in an associated belt exceeds a defined force. A lid may be arranged to cover the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion.

Claims

1. A belt latch for a safety belt comprising:

a connection plate for connecting the belt latch to a buckle;

a latch main body being rigidly connected to the connection plate and having a cut-open hollow cylindrical portion with a concave inner surface, two side elevations disposed at opposite ends of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion to terminate the concave inner surface, and an upper eye and a lower eye for receiving the belt into the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion;

a bending and clamping element with a bending edge and a clamping edge and a convex outer surface is slidingly arranged on the concave inner surface of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion via its convex outer surface to rotate around a rotation axis in relation to the latch main body from a first deflecting position to a second clamping position if the force in the belt exceeds a defined force; and

a lid removably attached to the latch main body such that it covers the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion;

the lid having a leading edge and a trailing edge engaging the latch main body and two opposing edge covering portions in overlapping engagement with the respective side elevations to cover the opposite ends of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion, the edge covering portions provided with first fixing means arranged to engage corresponding second fixing means provided at the respective side elevations.

2. The belt latch according to claim 1 wherein surrounding edges of the lid are recessed into one of a cut-out and chamfer at least partially encircling the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion of the latch main body.

3. The belt latch according to claim 1 wherein the trailing edge of the lid is provided with first guiding means arranged to engage corresponding second guiding means provided at the latch main body.

4. The belt latch according to claim 3 wherein the first guiding means are provided as at least one protruding element arranged to engage corresponding second guiding means provided as at least one cut-out.

5. The belt latch according to claim 1 wherein the first fixing means are provided as fixing pins protruding from the opposing edge covering portions and arranged to engage corresponding second fixing means provided as fixing holes in the opposing side elevations.

6. The belt latch according to claim 1 wherein the lid further comprises a protruding member extending from the trailing edge and positioned such that the bending and clamping element when rotated to the second clamping position contacts the protruding member to push against the trailing edge and thereby cause the trailing edge of the lid to deflect outwardly of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion, said outward deflection of the trailing edge causing the lid to bend such that the two opposing edge covering portions pinch inwardly on the respective opposing side elevations and urge the first fixing means into firmer engagement with the second fixing means.

7. A belt latch for a safety belt comprising:

a connection plate for connecting the belt latch to a buckle;

a latch main body connected to the connection plate, the latch main body having a cut-open hollow portion, two side elevations disposed at opposite ends of the cut-open hollow portion to terminate an inner surface thereof, and an upper eye and a lower eye for receiving the belt into the cut-open hollow portion;

a bending and clamping element configured to rotate around a rotation axis in relation to the latch main body from a first deflecting position to a second clamping position if the force in the belt exceeds a defined force; and

a lid removably attached to the latch main body such that it covers the cut-open hollow portion and a portion of the belt therein, the lid having two opposing edge covering portions in overlapping engagement with the respective side elevations to cover the opposite ends of the cut-open hollow portion, the edge covering portions provided with first fixing means arranged to engage corresponding second fixing means provided at the respective side elevations.

8. The belt latch of claim 7 wherein the lid has a leading edge and a trailing edge and two opposing edge covering portions each provided with first fixing element arranged to engage corresponding second fixing element provided at two opposing side elevations of the cut-open hollow portion.

9. The belt latch of claim 8 wherein the first and second fixing elements are configured to permit the lid to rotate when the bending and clamping element rotates from the first deflecting position to the second deflecting position.

10. The belt latch of claim 9 wherein the first fixing element is a pin and the second fixing element is a hole.

11. The belt latch of claim 8 wherein the lid is sufficiently elastic such that the trailing edge of the lid is allowed to deflect outwardly of the cut-open hollow portion as the bending and clamping element pushes on the lid in the second clamping position.

12. The belt latch of claim 11 wherein the lid is arranged such that as the trailing edge of the lid deflects outwardly of the cut-open hollow portion the lid will bend slightly causing the two opposing edge covering portions to pinch the opposing side elevations of the cut-open hollow portion, such that the first fixing element is brought into a firmer grip of the second fixing element, ensuring that the lid remains attached to the latch main body, even as the bending and clamping element pushes thereupon.

13. The belt latch of claim 8 wherein the leading edge of the lid is supported by the latch main body.

14. The belt latch of claim 7 wherein surrounding edges of the lid are recessed into a cut-out that at least partially encircles the cut-open hollow portion.

15. The belt latch of claim 7 wherein the belt is slidable through the upper and lower eyes when the bending and clamping element is in the first deflecting position.

16. The belt latch of claim 7 wherein the belt is clamped within the upper and lower eyes when the bending and clamping element is in the second clamping position.

17. The belt latch of claim 7 wherein the latch main body includes a breaking nose operable with the bending and clamping element to set the defined force.

18. A belt latch for a safety belt comprising:

a connection plate for connecting the belt latch to a buckle;

a latch main body being rigidly connected to the connection plate and having a cut-open hollow cylindrical portion with a concave inner surface, two side elevations disposed at opposite ends of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion to terminate the concave inner surface, and an upper eye and a lower eye for receiving the belt into the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion;

a bending and clamping element with a bending edge and a clamping edge and a convex outer surface is slidingly arranged on the concave inner surface of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion via its convex outer surface to rotate around a rotation axis in relation to the latch main body from a first deflecting position to a second clamping position if the force in the belt exceeds a defined force; and

a lid removably attached to the latch main body such that it covers the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion and having a leading edge and a trailing edge engaging the latch main body and two opposing edge covering portions in overlapping engagement with the respective side elevations to cover the opposite ends of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion, the edge covering portions provided with first fixing means arranged to engage corresponding second fixing means provided at the respective side elevations, and the lid further comprising a protruding member extending from the trailing edge and positioned such that the bending and clamping element when rotated to the second clamping position contacts the protruding member to push against the trailing edge and thereby cause the trailing edge of the lid to deflect outwardly of the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion, said outward deflection of the trailing edge causing the lid to bend such that the two opposing edge covering portions pinch inwardly on the respective opposing side elevations and urge the first fixing means into firmer engagement with the second fixing means.