Device for tightening a seat belt

• US 20060175890A1
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTS Hans Torgersen & Sonn AS
• Original Assignee: HTS Hans Torgersen & Sonn AS
• Inventors: Rikhof, Johannes Hendrikus
• Granted Patent: US 7,195,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle

Abstract

A device for tightening a seat belt (1) such as, for example, a three-point seat belt comprising a lap belt part (2) and a diagonal belt part (3), bill where the seat belt is used to fix a child car seat in a passenger seat. A portion of the seat belt preferably the lap belt part (2) is arranged in connection with the child car seat'"'"'s lower portion (4). The device is characterised in that the lower portion (4) is designed with an abutment portion (4a) for placing a portion of the seat belt, preferably the lap belt part (2). Furthermore, a tightening unit (5) is rotatably mounted in at least one mounting point (6) in connection with the child car seat'"'"'s lower portion (4). The lap belt part (2) is arranged in such manner that it abuts against portions of the abutment portion (4a) and the tightening unit (5) when the tightening unit (5) is located in an initial position. The tightening unit (5) is brought into a tightening position by rotating the tightening unit (5) about the mounting point (6), thus causing the distance between portions of the lap belt part (2) and the child car seat'"'"'s lower portion (4) to increase, while contact is maintained between portions of the lap belt part (2) and the tightening unit (5). A tightening is thereby obtained of the lap belt part (2) and the child car seat is thereby pressed further in towards the passenger seat.

Claims

1. A device for tightening a seat belt (1) preferably a three-point seat belt comprising a lap belt part (2) and a diagonal belt part (3), where the seat belt is employed for fixing a child car seat in a passenger seat and a portion of the seat belt, preferably the lap belt part (2), is arranged in connection with the child car seat'"'"'s lower portion (4),

characterised in that

the lower portion (4) is designed with an abutment portion (4a) for placing a portion of the seat belt, preferably the lap belt part (2),

a tightening unit (5) is rotatably mounted in at least one mounting point (6) in connection with the child car seat'"'"'s lower portion (4), the lap belt part (2) being arranged in such a manner that it abuts against portions of the abutment portion (4a) and the tightening unit (5) respectively, when the tightening unit (5) is located in a initial position,

the tightening unit (5) is brought into a tightening position by rotating the tightening unit (5) about the mounting point (6), thus increasing the distance between portions of the lap belt part (2) and the child car seat'"'"'s lower portion (4), while at the same time contact is maintained between portions of the lap belt part (2) and the tightening unit (5), and a tightening is obtained of the lap belt part (2), thus causing the child car seat to be pressed further in towards the passenger seat.

2. A device according to claim 1,

characterised in that the child car seat'"'"'s lower portion (4) is composed of a base that supports the child car seat'"'"'s remaining seat structure such as, for example, back structure and sitting structure, the base being designed with a raised portion (7) with sides (7a) which have a height that at least corresponds to the width of the lap belt part (2), where portions of the sides (7a) form the abutment portion (4a).

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2,

characterised in that the tightening unit (5) is composed of a three-dimensional structure, the three-dimensional structure possibly having a height corresponding to the height of the raised portion'"'"'s sides (7a), and the tightening unit (5) possibly having a uniform cross section in the height direction, and the cross section may be oval-shaped, triangular with rounded corners, wedge-shaped with rounded corners, drop-shaped, etc.

4. A device according to one of claims 1-3,

characterised in that the tightening unit (5) is eccentrically mounted, the tightening unit'"'"'s mounting point (6) being located at a distance from the tightening unit'"'"'s central point.

5. A device according to one of claims 1-4,

characterised in that the abutment portion (4a) is designed with a recess (8) for placing the tightening unit (5), where the recess (8) may have a shape substantially corresponding to portions of the tightening unit'"'"'s sides (5a), and where other portions of the tightening unit'"'"'s sides are located on a level with the abutment portion (4a).

6. A device according to one of claims 1-5,

characterised in that a lever or a handle (9) is connected with the tightening unit (5), thus enabling the tightening unit (5) to be moved between a initial position and a tightening position by moving the handle or lever (9).

7. A device according to one of claims 1-6,

characterised in that the tightening unit (5) has an angle of rotation of approximately 90°

.

8. A device according to one of claims 1-7,

characterised in that by rotating the tightening unit (5) from initial position to tightening position, the lap belt part is moved along portions of the tightening unit'"'"'s circumference in abutment with the tightening unit'"'"'s sides (5a), with the result that in the tightening position the lap belt part abuts against a portion of the tightening unit (5), which, viewed in the tightening unit'"'"'s cross section, is located furthest away from the mounting point (6).