Attachment construction for seat belt system provided with pretensioner mechanism

• US 7,618,064 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2006
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Kuroki, Yohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECK, KAREN JANE AMORES
• Application Number:
  US11/453,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20070029774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 280/806, 280/803, 280/802, 280/801.1, 280/808
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1955 Linear actuators

Abstract

The present invention provides an attachment construction for a seat belt system provided with a pretensioner mechanism, in which a lap anchor in a locking portion for fixing one end of a seat belt to a vehicle body has a gas generator and a tubular cylinder portion. The cylinder portion or the cylinder portion and the gas generator are arranged between a pillar and a pillar trim covering the cabin side of the pillar.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having a cabin and a central pillar, the pillar having a vehicle-side portion and a cabin-side portion, an attachment construction for a seat belt system comprising:

a pretensioner mechanism having a gas generator and a tubular cylinder portion connected to the gas generator; and

a lap anchor having a wire and a pulley for fixing one end of a seat belt to a vehicle body, the lap anchor being connected to the pretensioner mechanism; and

an interior member covering the cabin-side portion of the pillar, the lap anchor, and the cylinder portion;

wherein the cylinder portion or the cylinder portion and the gas generator are arranged between the vehicle-side portion and the cabin-side portion;

wherein the cylinder portion is arranged so as to extend substantially along an up-and-down direction of the pillar.

2. The attachment construction of claim 1 wherein the cylinder portion includes a tip end portion, and wherein the lap anchor includes a fixing means that connects the tip end portion to the pillar.

3. The attachment construction of claim 1 further comprising a retractor mounting hole, wherein the cylinder portion is arranged across the retractor mounting hole.

4. The attachment construction of claim 1 wherein the lap anchor is fixed to the pillar.

5. The attachment construction of claim 3 further comprising a retractor and a reinforcing member disposed on the pillar for fixing the retractor, wherein the lap anchor is fixed in a range in which the reinforcing member is installed.

6. The attachment construction of claim 1 wherein the interior member includes a lower part and a slit portion having an open end and being disposed in the lower part, wherein the seat belt connected to the lap anchor is guided to a cabin through the slit portion, and a connection range of the seat belt is arranged so as to be exposed to the cabin.

7. The attachment construction of claim 6 wherein the interior member further includes a concave portion having a bottom surface being disposed in the lower part and facing toward the vehicle-side portion of the pillar;

wherein the slit portion is disposed on the concave portion.

8. The attachment construction of claim 6 wherein the wire has a wire diameter;

wherein the slit portion further includes a slit tip end portion, an upper edge, a lower edge, and a terminal edge opposite the open end;

wherein the terminal edge is disposed on a line on which the wire passes when the wire is connected to the lap anchor in a state in which the seat belt system is not in use; and

wherein the slit tip end portion forms an arcuate shape having a slit diameter at least larger than the wire diameter.

9. The attachment construction of claim 6 wherein the wire has a wire diameter;

wherein the slit portion further includes an upper edge, a lower edge having a convex portion having a convex tip end portion, and a terminal edge opposite the open end;

wherein the convex portion is disposed on a rear side of the lower edge with respect to a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle, the convex portion being further disposed on a line on which the wire passes when it is connected to the lap anchor in a state in which the seat belt system is in use; and

wherein the convex tip end portion forms an arcuate shape having a convex diameter at least larger than the wire diameter.

10. The attachment construction of claim 9 wherein at least any one of a line between the open end and the terminal edge, a line between the terminal edge and the convex portion, and a line between the convex portion and the open end forms an arcuate shape so as to be oriented in a convex manner with respect to the area between the upper edge and the lower edge.

11. The attachment construction of claim 1 wherein the gas generator includes an insertion port, a harness, and a connector, the insertion port connecting the harness and the connector for inputting detection signals from a sensor for detecting the collision of a vehicle.

12. The attachment construction of claim 11 wherein a signal from a sensor for detecting the collision of a vehicle is inputted via the harness and the connector, whereby the gas generator generates a gas that causes the seat belt to be pulled by the pressure of the generated gas.

13. The attachment construction of claim 1 further comprising a retractor for fixing the other end of a seat belt to a vehicle body.

14. The attachment construction of claim 1 wherein the cylinder portion is externally mounted on the gas generator.

15. The attachment construction of claim 1 further comprising a bracket, wherein the cylinder portion includes an upper part, and wherein the bracket connects the upper part to the pillar.

16. The attachment construction of claim 1 wherein the cylinder portion includes a cylindrical inner surface and a cylindrical outer surface.

17. The attachment construction of claim 1 further comprising an anchor plate for fixing the lap anchor and pretensioner mechanism to the vehicle body, the anchor plate having an attachment end portion and a support end portion, the attachment end portion extending in a substantially vertical direction, and the support end portion extending in a slantwise direction that is nonparallel to a substantially vertical direction.

18. The attachment construction of claim 17 wherein the gas generator is mounted on the attachment end portion of the anchor plate and the cylinder portion is mounted on the gas generator.

19. In a vehicle having a cabin and a central pillar, the pillar having a vehicle-side portion and a cabin-side portion, an attachment construction for a seat belt system comprising:

a pretensioner mechanism having a gas generator and a tubular cylinder portion connected to the gas generator; and

a lap anchor having a wire and a pulley for fixing one end of a seat belt to a vehicle body, the lap anchor being connected to the pretensioner mechanism;

wherein the cylinder portion or the cylinder portion and the gas generator are arranged between the vehicle-side portion and the cabin-side portion;

wherein the cylinder portion is arranged along the pillar in a substantially vertical orientation.