Buckle guide

• US 9,974,365 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spahn, Brian Robert, Yilma, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): San, Jason W
• Application Number:
  US14/535,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20160129877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• 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: A44B 11/2592 fastening by sliding in the main plane or a plane parallel to the main plane of the buckle A44B11/2503, A44B11/2584 take precedence

Abstract

A guide mechanism may be provided in a buckle assembly including an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. The guide mechanism in one example includes notches in the outer sleeve mateable to notches in a tongue piece. In another example, the guide mechanism includes ribs formed on an interior of the outer sleeve, that together with a wall of an outer button included in the outer sleeve, form a slot for receiving a tongue piece. In yet another example, the guide mechanism includes a pair of leaf springs having openings therein forming a slot for receiving a tongue piece.

Claims

1. A buckle system, comprising:

an inner sleeve having four sides forming a completely enclosed shape;

an outer sleeve fittable over the inner sleeve;

an inner release button secured to the inner sleeve, the inner release button including an inner button descending portion, the inner button descending portion having a slot extending toward a seatbelt anchor; and

an outer release button secured to the outer sleeve, the outer release button including an outer button descending portion receivable in the slot of the inner button descending portion;

wherein the outer button descending portion is arranged to move the inner release button toward the seatbelt anchor when the outer button descending portion is received in the slot of the inner button descending portion.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tongue piece including a tongue latch plate, wherein the inner sleeve further includes a buckle slot, the tongue latch plate being receivable by the buckle slot.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the tongue latch plate is arranged to disengage from the buckle slot when the slot receives the outer button descending portion.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tensioning mechanism arranged to urge a top side of the outer sleeve away from a top side of the inner sleeve.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the tensioning mechanism includes a damping mechanism.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tongue piece and a seat belt connected to the tongue piece.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer release button is slidably mounted on the outer sleeve.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer release button is fixedly mounted on the outer sleeve.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer release button is pivotably mounted on the outer sleeve.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer release button includes a lateral portion, the descending portion extending transverse to the lateral portion.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner release button includes a lateral portion, the descending portion extending transverse to the lateral portion.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one rib disposed on the outer sleeve.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the rib is arranged to guide a tongue piece into a buckle slot disposed in the inner sleeve.