Belt clamp for a vehicle passenger restraint belt system

• US 4,208,770 A
• Filed: 04/10/1979
• Issued: 06/24/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Juiiro Takada
• Original Assignee: Juiiro Takada
• Inventors: Takada, Juiiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US06/028,906
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 24/136 K, 24/136 R, 24/136 L, 24/136 A, 24/171, 24/194, 24/195, 24/196, 297/476, 297/478, 297/479, 280/806, 280/807
• US Class Current: 24/136.00K
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1855 the means being sensitive to belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3971 Rope looped about movable member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4079 Sliding part of wedge

Abstract

A seat belt clamp comprises a clamp member which clamps the belt against a frame base when an abnormally high pull-out force is exerted on the belt. The clamp member is forced toward the belt by the combined effects of the wedging action of a roll around which the belt turns against a wedging surface of the clamp member and oblique guides on the frame which cam the clamp member toward the base and away from the roller. Springs urge both the roller and the clamp member toward released positions for easy, smooth release of the belt when the high pull-out force ceases.

Claims

1. A belt clamp for a vehicle passenger restraint belt system comprising a frame having a pair of spaced-apart sides and a base;

a roller slidably received in a pair of slots in the frame sides for movement between a releasing position and a clamping position;

a clamp member mounted between the frame sides adjacent the roller and having a wedge surface engaged by the roller and coacting therewith such that the clamp member is wedged toward the frame base by the roller upon movement of the roller toward the clamping position;

cooperating guide means on the clamp member and the frame for guiding the clamp member toward and away from the base in a direction oblique to the base, the clamp member moving in a direction toward the release position of the roller at the same time that it moves away from the base;

a spring urging the roller toward the release position; and

a spring urging the clamp member in a direction toward the roller, whereby both the clamp and roller are normally urged toward releasing positions such that a belt led between the base and the clamp member and thence around the roller and away from the roller in a direction exerting a force on the roller in a direction toward the clamping position is free to move through the belt clamp and whereby an abnormally high pull-out force on the belt shifts the roller toward the clamping position and clamps the belt between the clamping member and the frame base by a combination of the wedging action of the roller on the wedge surface of the clamp member and the guiding action of the guide means.

2. A belt clamp according to claim 1 wherein the clamping member has a corrugated belt gripping surface facing the frame base.

3. A belt clamp according to claim 1 wherein the guide means includes a pair of slots in the frame side members oriented obliquely to the frame base and corresponding lugs on the clamping member received in the respective slots.