Seat belt latch plate assembly

• US 8,474,106 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company), GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Richter, Steven J., Strnad, George J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavinder, Jack W.
• Application Number:
  US13/020,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20120198660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 24/265.BC
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2526 with an operating lever
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/021 Means for holding the tongue or buckle in a non-use position, e.g. for easy access by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1812 Connections between seat belt and buckle tongue
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/023 Three-point seat belt systems comprising two side lower and one side upper anchoring devices B60R22/022, B60R22/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/12 Construction of belts or harnesses B60R21/18 takes precedence ; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4016 Pivoted part or lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4019 Sliding part or wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4084 Looped strap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4736 Buckle connected

Abstract

A seat belt has an upper end mounted at the occupant shoulder and a lower end mounted adjacent the occupant lap. A latch plate assembly carried by the belt engages a buckle. The latch plate assembly includes a housing having a pair of flanges and a depression extending laterally between the flanges. A lock bar pivotally mounted on the flanges has a clamping surface moving toward and away from the depression upon pivoting movement of the lock bar. The belt wraps around the lock bar so that a force applied to the belt pivots the lock bar and the clamping surface of the lock bar clamps the belt into the depression to lock the belt against movement through the latch plate assembly. The lock bar pivot axis is closer to the clamping surface than the opposite side edge around which the belt wraps to increase the clamping force.

Claims

1. In a seat belt system with a continuous length of belt having an upper end mounted adjacent the occupant shoulder and a lower end mounted adjacent the occupant lap, and a latch plate assembly carried by the belt for engagement with a buckle, said latch plate assembly comprising:

a housing having a tongue projecting from one end thereof for latching engagement by the buckle, a pair of flanges integral with the base wall and extending perpendicularly therefrom at a lateral spacing somewhat greater than the width of the belt, and a molded plastic cover having a depression extending laterally between the flanges;

a lock bar pivotally mounted on the flanges by pivot pins extending from ends of the lock bar into openings provided in the flanges to define a pivot axis, said lock bar being a one-piece rectangular metal shape and having a clamping surface on one side edge thereof moving toward and away from the depression upon pivoting movement of the lock bar and having the belt wrapped around an opposite side edge opposite the one side edge so that a force applied to the belt pivots the lock bar and the clamping surface of the lock bar clamps the belt into the depression of the housing to lock the belt against movement through the latch plate assembly;

the lock bar having the pivot axis closer to the one side edge of the lock bar having the clamping surface and further from the opposite side to provide a mechanical advantage which increases the clamping force on the belt;

the lock bar being deformable and bending under the force applied to the opposite side edge of the lock bar, and the bending permitting the clamping surface of the lock bar to move further into the depression and increase the clamping force on the belt;

and, a spring acting on the lock bar to pivot the lock bar to a normal position in which the clamping surface is moved away from clamping the belt into the depression so that the belt is allowed to freely transfer through the latch plate assembly when a force is not applied to the lock bar.

2. The combination of claim 1 further comprising the clamping surface of the lock bar being a rounded surface and the depression of the housing being a rounded surface so that upon clamping of the belt the belt is clamped between the rounded surface of the lock bar and the rounded surface of the depression.

5. The combination of claim 1 further comprising the deformation occurring along the entire length of the lock bar.

6. The combination of claim 5 further comprising the clamping surface of the lock bar being a rounded surface and the depression of the housing being a rounded surface so that upon clamping of the belt the belt is clamped between the rounded surface of the lock bar and the rounded surface of the depression.

3. The combination of 1 further comprising the deformation occurring by a bending of the pivot pins of the lock bar.

4. The combination of claim 3 further comprising the clamping surface of the lock bar being a rounded surface and the depression of the housing being a rounded surface so that upon clamping of the belt the belt is clamped between the rounded surface of the lock bar and the rounded surface of the depression.

7. The combination of 1 further comprising the deformation occurring by both a bending of the pivot pins of the lock bar and a deformation occurring along the entire length of the lock bar.

8. The combination of claim 7 further comprising the clamping surface of the lock bar being a rounded surface and the depression of the housing being a rounded surface so that upon clamping of the belt the belt is clamped between the rounded surface of the lock bar and the rounded surface of the depression.