US3631571A

US3631571A - Seat belt buckle assembly

Info

Publication number: US3631571A
Application number: US867574A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert W Stoffel
Original assignee: Jim Robbins Seat Belt Co
Current assignee: Jim Robbins Seat Belt Co
Priority date: 1969-10-20
Filing date: 1969-10-20
Publication date: 1972-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-04
Also published as: US3648333A

Abstract

A seatbelt assembly including a support means with a pair of latch members rotatably supported by the support means for movement between latched and unlatched positions. Each latch member includes a pair of interconnected parallel and spaced plates with a catch post extending between the plates of each latch member. A tongue plate having slots extending laterally into each side thereof to define cam edges for engaging the catch posts to move the latch members toward the latched position in response to insertion of the tongue plate and shoulders engageable with the catch post for retaining the tongue plate in position when the latch members are in the latched position. Each of the latch members include a hook portion and a pair of cylindrical roller elements are disposed in the hook portions to retain the latch members in the latched position. A positioning plate with elongated slots therein is in rolling engagement with the outward extremities of the cylindrical roller elements whereas the inward extremity of cylindrical roller elements are in rolling engagement with the hook portions of the latch members so that upon movement of the positioning plate the cylindrical roller element may be rolled along and out of engagement with the hook portions to allow the latch members to move from the latch position to the unlatched position whereby the tongue plate may be removed.

Description

States Patent [72] Inventor RobertW.Stofiel Ferndale, Mich. [21 AppLNo. 867,574 [22] Filed 0ct.20,1969 [45] Patented Jan. 4, 1972 [7 3] Assignee Jim Robbins Seat Belt Company Mount Clemens, Mich.

Primary ExaminerBernard A. Gelak Attorneys-Marvin Bressler and Jonathan Plaut ABSTRACT: A seatbelt assembly including a support means with a pair of latch members rotatably supported by the support means for movement between latched and unlatched positions. Each latch member includes a pair of interconnected parallel and spaced plates with a catch post extending between the plates of each latch member. A tongue plate having slots extending laterally into each side thereof to define cam edges for engaging the catch posts to move the latch members toward the latched position in response to insertion of the tongue plate and shoulders engageable with the catch post for retaining the tongue plate in position when the latch members are in the latched position. Each of the latch members include a hook portion and a pair of cylindrical roller elements are disposed in the hook portions to retain the latch members in the latched position. A positioning plate with elongated slots therein is in rolling engagement with the outward extremities of the cylindrical roller elements whereas the inward extremity of cylindrical roller elements are in rolling engagement with the hook portions of the latch members so that upon movement of the positioning plate the cylindrical roller element may be rolled along and out of engagement with the hook portions to allow the latch members to move from the latch position to the unlatched position whereby the tongue plate may be removed.

PATENTED JAN 4 I972 SHEET 1 0F 3 ,%19 m/ ATTORI'JEYS PATENTEU JAN 41972 SHEET 2 [IF 3 I rmr/ ATTORNEYS SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY This invention relates to seatbelt assemblies and more specifically to a buckle assembly for connecting two seatbelts; as for example, the two seatbelts utilized in making up a lap belt of the well-known type utilized in automobiles. Such buckle assemblies include a buckle attached to one seatbelt and connector means or tongue plate connected to the other seatbelt and insertable into the buckle.

Normally, the tongue plate is inserted into the buckle and is engaged by a latch member so as to be retained in the buckle. The latch member is usually retained in the latched position to engage the tongue plate by an actuation means which is moved from a locked position in engagement with the latch member to an unlocked position out of engagement member, such movement resulting in sliding engagement between the actuation means and the latch member. Typical of such assemblies are those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,970,796; 3,262,169; and 3,3l 1,188.

The problem with such assemblies is the sliding engagement which occurs during operation of the buckle to release the tongue plate so that it may be removed from the buckle. It does not infrequently occur, as a result of an automobile accident, that an occupant having the lap belt disposed about his lower torso is suspended in a position where his entire weight is supported by the seatbelt. For example, as a result of an accident an automobile may be over turned so that the occupant thereof is suspended by the lap belt. In such a situation the resulting forces transferred through the buckle assembly can be sufficient that the occupant finds it very difficult or is unable to manually release the buckle because of the high-frictional forces resulting between the sliding surfaces which must move relative to one another in releasing the tongue plate from the buckle.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a seatbelt buckle assembly wherein the high-frictional forces associated with relatively sliding surfaces are eliminated.

In correlation with the foregoing object and feature it is another object and feature of this invention to provide a seatbelt buckle assembly which utilizes a rolling motion in the releasing or unlatching mode thereby to eliminate the disadvantages associated with surfaces which are in sliding engagement with one another during the release or unlatching mode.

In correlation with the foregoing objects and features, it is another object and feature of this invention to provide a buckle assembly including latch means movable between latched and unlatched positions for retaining a connector means when in the latch position and including roller means in rolling engagement with the latch means when in the locked position with actuation means in rolling engagement with the opposite extremity of the roller means when the latter is in the locked position and being movable to roll the roller means from the locked position to the unlocked position allowing the latch means to move from the latched position to the unlatched position.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment and showing the latch means in the unlatched position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken immediately above the latch means of the preferred embodiment and showing the latch means in an intermediate position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the latch means in the latched position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the assembly in the release position; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views a seatbelt assembly is generally shown at 10.

The assembly 10 includes a buckle assembly as generally indicated at 12 in FIG. 1 and a connector means or tongue plate, as generally indicated at 14 in FIG. 1.

The buckle assembly 12 includes latch means. generally shown at 16, movable between latched and unlatched positions for retaining the tongue plate 14 when in the latched position, as shown in FIG. 4, and for allowing reception and removal of the tongue plate 14 when in the unlatched position, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The buckle assembly 12 also includes locking means, generally shown at 18, engaging the latch means 16 in the locked position, as illustrated in FIG. 4, to retain the latch means 16 in the latched position and movable to an unlocked position by rolling engagement with the latch means 16 for allowing the latch means 16 to move to the unlatched position, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The locking means 18 includes roller means comprising the cylindrical roller elements 20 which are in rolling engagement with the latch means 16 when in the locked position illustrated in FIG. 4. The components and elements, other than the roller elements 20, which make up the locking means 18 comprise actuation means in rolling engagement with the opposite extremities of the roller elements 20 when the roller elements are in the locked position illustrated in FIG. 4. The actuation means is movable to roll the roller elements 20 from the locked position shown in FIG. 4 to the unlocked position allowing the latch means 16 to move to the unlatched position.

The buckle assembly 12 also includes a support means generally indicated at 22. The support means 22 includes a base plate 24 with upstanding sidewalls 26 and an end wall 28 at a first end thereof through which the tongue plate 14 may be inserted. An intermediate plate 30 is secured to the sidewalls 26 and end wall 28.

The latch means 16 includes a pair of latch members, as generally indicated at 31, rotatably connected adjacent a first end thereof between the base plate 24 and the intermediate plate 30 for rotational movement between the latched position illustrated in FIG. 4 and the unlatched position illustrated in FIG. 2. Each latch member comprises a pair of spaced parallel interconnected plates 32. As illustrated, the plates 32 are integrally connected by the wall portion 33. The latch members 31 are rotatably supported by the upsets 34 which extend upwardly from the base plate 24 and into openings 36 in the lower latch plate 32 and the pins 38 which are disposed in the holes 40 in the upper latch plate 32 and extend upwardly through the holes 42 in the intermediate plate 30. Each latch member 31 also includes a catch means or post 44 secured to and extending between the latch plates 32 for coacting with the tongue plate 14 to rotate the latch members 31 from the unlatched position shown in FIG. 2 toward the latch position shown in FIG. 4 upon insertion or reception of the tongue plate 14. The catch posts 44 retain the tongue plate 14 in the buckle assembly 12 when the latch members 31 are in the latched position illustrated in FIG. 4.

Each of the latch plates 32 of the latch members 31 has a cam surface 46 for engaging and moving the roller elements 20 as the latch members 31 move from the unlatched position toward the latched position and to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 3. Each of the latch plates 32 also has a surface defining a hook portion 48 receding from the adjacent cam surface 46 for receiving the roller elements 20 so as to be retained in the latched position as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The actuation means includes a movable positioning member or plate 50 having elongated slots 52 extending therethrough with the roller elements 20 movably disposed in the slots 52. As will become more clear hereinafter, when the roller elements 20 are in the latched position illustrated in FIG. 4, the inward extremities thereof are in rolling engagement with the hook portions 48 and the outer extremities thereof are in rolling engagement with the outer extremities of the elongated slots 52, there being a slight clearance between the inward extremities of the roller elements and the inward extremity of the elongated slots 52 when in the position illustrated in FIG. 4.

The actuation means also includes a biasing means comprising the band or leaf spring 54 for urging the positioning plate 50 in a first direction to urge the roller elements 20 against the cam surfaces 46 and into the hook portions 48. The ends of the spring 54 have bifurcated ends which overlap and engage the positioning plate 50.

There is also included a second biasing means comprising the spring 56 for urging the latch members 31 to rotate or pivot toward the unlatched position shown in FIG. 2. The spring 56 is disposed above the intermediate plate 30 and has downwardly extending ends 58 which extend through slots 60 in the intermediate plate 30 to engage the holes 62 in the upper plates 32 of each latch member 31. The spring 56 includes loops which extend about the pins 38 above the intermediate plate 30.

The cam surfaces 46 and the hook portions 48 are disposed on the second end of the latch members 31 and the latch members 31 are oppositely disposed so that the cam surfaces 46 are disposed adjacent or juxtaposed to one another and inwardly of the roller elements 20 when the latch members 31 are in the latched position illustrated in FIG. 4. The cam surfaces 46 are disposed outwardly of the roller elements 20 when the latch members 31 are in the unlatched position illustrated in FIG. 2.

The positioning plate 50 is slidably disposed between the plates 32 of each of the latch members 31. Similarly, the tongue plate 14 is insertable into the buckle assembly 12 between the plates 32 of the latch members 31. The latch members 31 are identical but are disposed oppositely to one another and include gear teeth generally indicated at 64 for operatively interconnecting the latch members 31 so that the latch members rotate in unison.

The actuation means further includes operative means for moving the positioning plate 50 in a second direction opposite to the direction in which the plate 50 is biased by the spring 54 to roll the roller elements 20 from the locked position illustrated in FIG. 4 to the unlocked position allowing the latch members 31 to move to the unlatched position shown in FIG. 2. The operative means includes a pushbutton 66 and link means generally indicated at 68 interconnecting the pushbutton 66 and the positioning plate 50 for moving the positioning plate 50 upon depression of the button 66. Concave saddle members 70 extend upwardly from the intermediate plate 30. The link means 68 includes convex portions 72 movably disposed in the saddle members 70. The link means 68 includes a first arm 74 extending downwardly through an opening 75 in the intermediate plate 30 to operatively engage a hole 76 in the positioning plate 50. The link means 68 includes a second arm 77 extending over the intermediate plate 30 to engage the pushbutton 66.

Pushbutton 66 includes a rearward extension 80 pivotally supported in the openings 82 of the intermediate plate 30. Pushbutton 66 also includes a forward extension 84 which engages the second arm 77 of the link means 68.

A cover 88 is disposed over the button 66 and the intermediate plate 30 and engages the sidewalls 26. The cover 88 has an opening 90 therethrough under which the pushbutton 66 is disposed. The cover 88 defines or includes a second end wall 92 which extends upwardly from the second end of the base plate 24. The spring 54 is disposed so as to react between the end wall 92 and the positioning plate 50.

A third biasing means comprising the coil spring 94 is disposed between the pushbutton 66 and the intermediate plate 30 for urging the pushbutton into engagement with the cover 88.

The base plate 24 has a slot 96 therethrough through which a seatbelt 98 is disposed so as to be attached to the buckle assembly l2.

The connector means to tongue plate 14 has a slot 100 therethrough by which a seat belt 102 is attached thereto. The tongue plate 14 is symmetrical and has inwardly directed slots on each side to define inwardly inclined cam edges 104 which extend beneath or rearwardly of the shoulders 106. The shoulders 106 are disposed inwardly from the outward extremities of the cam edges 104 and are in mechanical interlocking engagement with the posts 44 in the latched position illustrated in FIG. 4 to prevent the removal of the tongue plate 14.

In operation, the tongue plate 14 is inserted into the buckle assembly 12 to the position shown in FIG. 2 where the latch members 31 are in the unlatched position. When in the position as illustrated in FIG. 2, the cam edges 104 of the tongue plate 14 engage the catch posts into the buckle assembly, the latch members 31 are pivoted from the unlatched position shown in FIG. 2 toward the intermediate position shown in FIG. 3. When in the intermediate position shown in FIG. 3, the roller elements 20 force the positioning plate 50 against the biasing action of the spring 54 and once the latch members 31 have moved to the latched position, the positioning plate 50 moves the roller elements 20 into the hook portions 48 of the latch members 31. Thus, the assembly reaches the latched position illustrated in FIG. 4 where the latch members 31 are prevented from rotating outwardly past the roller elements 20 thereby maintaining the catch posts 44 in mechanical interlocking engagement with the shoulders 106 of the tongue plate 14. If it is desired to unlatch or release the assembly, the pushbutton 66 is depressed to rotate the link means 68 thereby moving the positioning plate 50 to the left as illustrated in FIG. 4. As alluded to hereinbefore, when the assembly is in the position illustrated in FIG. 4 the spring 56 urges the latch members 31 to rotate outwardly toward the unlatched position. Consequently, the hook portions 48 urge the roller elements 20 outwardly and into engagement with the outer extremities of the elongated slots 52 in the positioning plate 50. Thus, upon movement of the positioning plate 50 to the left as illustrated in FIG. 4, the roller elements 20 roll along the outer extremities of the elongated slots 52 and roll along the hook portions 48 thereby eliminating any sliding action during the releasing or unlatching mode. Once the roller elements 20 have rolled past the hook portions 48, the spring 56 moves the latch members to the unlatched position illustrated in FIG. 2 whereby the tongue plate 14 may be removed from the buckle assembly 12.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A seatbelt buckle assembly comprising: latch means movable between latched and unlatched positions for retaining connector means when in said latched position and for allowing reception and removal of the connector means when in said unlatched position; and locking means including roller means having one extremity in rolling engagement with said latch having one extremity in rolling engagement with said latch means when in said locked position, and actuation means in rolling engagement with the opposite extremity of said roller means when the latter is in said locked position, said actuation means being movable to roll said roller means from said locked position to said unlocked position, said actuation means including a movable positioning member having at least one elongated slot extending therethrough and said roller means includes at least one rolling element movably disposed in said slot.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including support means and wherein said latch means includes at least one latch member rotatably connected adjacent a first end thereof to said support means for movement between said latched and unlatched positions.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said latch member has a cam surface for engaging and moving said roller element as said latch member moves from said unlatched position toward said latched position, and said latch member has a surface defining a hook portion receding from said cam surface for receiving said roller element so as to be retained in said latched position.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said actuation means includes biasing means for urging said positioning member in a first direction to urge said roller element against said cam surface and into said hook portion.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 including a second biasing means for urging said latch member to pivot toward said unlatched position.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said latch member includes catch means for coacting with the connector means to rotate said latch member from said unlatched position toward said latched position upon reception of the connector means and to retain the latter as said latch member is in said latched position.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said actuation means includes operative means for moving said positioning member in a second direction opposite to said first direction to roll said roller element from said locked position to said unlocked position.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said latch means includes two of said latch members rotatably connected to said support means with each including one of said cam surfaces, a hook portion and a catch means; and said roller means includes two of said roller elements with each roller element coacting with one of said latch members.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cam surfaces and said hook portions are disposed on the second ends of said latch members and said latch members are oppositely disposed so that said cam surfaces thereof are disposed adjacent one another and inwardly of said roller elements when said latch members are in said latched positions, said cam surfaces being disposed outwardly of said roller elements when said latch members are in said unlatched positions.

it). An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein each latch member comprises a pair of spaced parallel interconnected plates, and said positioning member comprises a positioning plate with a portion thereof slidably disposed between the plates of each of said latch members, the second ends of said plates being similarly shaped to define said cam surfaces and said hook portions, each of said roller elements being cylindrical and engageable with the plates of one of said latch members.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said catch means comprises a post secured to and extending between the plates of each of said latch members.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 including gear teeth means operatively interconnecting said latch members so that said latch members rotate in unison.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said operative means includes a pushbutton and link means interconnecting said button and said positioning plate for moving said positioning plate in said second direction.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said support means includes a base plate with upstanding sidewalls and an end wall at a first end thereof through which said connector means may be inserted and guided between the plates of each of said latch members, an intermediate plate disposed above said latch members, said second biasing means comprising a spring disposed above said intermediate plate with the ends thereof extending downwardly through slots in said intermediate plate to engage said latch members.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 including concave saddle means extending upwardly from said intermediate plate, said link means includes a convex portion movably disposed in said saddle means and a first arm extending downwardly through an opening in said intermediate plate to operatively engage said positioning plate and a second arm ex tending laterally from said saddle means over said intermediate plate to engage said pushbutton.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said pushbutton includes a rearward extension pivotally supported by said intermediate plate and a forward extension engaging said second arm of said link means, a cover disposed over said button and said intermediatepiate and engaging said sidewalls, said cover having an opening therein under which said pushbutton is disposed, said cover defining a second end wall extending upwardly from the second end of said base plate, said first biasing means being disposed to react between said second end wall and said positioning plate, and third biasing means disposed between said pushbutton and said intermediate plate for urging said pushbutton into engagement with said cover.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 including the connector means, said connector means comprising a tongue plate which is symmetrical and has an inwardly directed slot on each side to define an inwardly inclined cam edge extending beneath a shoulder which is disposed inwardly from the outward extremity of the cam edge, said shoulders being in mechanical interlocking engagement with said posts in said latched position to prevent removal of said tongue plate.

18. A seatbelt assembly comprising; support means, a pair of latch members rotatably supported by said support means for movement between latched and unlatched positions, catch posts attached to each of said latch members, a tongue plate having cam edges for engaging said catch posts to move said latch members from said unlatched position to said latched position in response to movement of said tongue plate in a first direction, said tongue plate including shoulders engageable with said catch posts when said latch members are in said latched position to prevent movement of said tongue plate in a second direction opposite to said first direction, each of said latch members including a hook portion, a pair of roller elements disposed in said hook portions to retain said latch membars in said latched positions, and actuation means to roll said roller elements along said hook positions and out of engagement therewith to allow movement of said latch members to said unlatched positions whereby said tongue plate may be moved in said second direction.

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 including biasing means for urging said latch members from said latched position toward said unlatched position.

qgyggy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3'63l'57l Dated January 72 Inventor(s) ROBERT STOFFEL It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent: and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

IN THE SPECIFICATION Column 1, line 8, insert a after "and".

Column 1, line 15, after "engagement" insert with the latch I Column 4, line 1, delete "to" and insert therefor or Column 4, line 14, after "posts" insert 44 and as the tongue plate 14 is moved IN THE CLAIMS Column 4, claim 1, line 54, delete whole line beginning with "latch" and ending with "said" I Signed and sealed this 6th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD MJLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOI'TSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. A seatbelt buckle assembly comprising: latch means movable between latched and unlatched positions for retaining connector means when in said latched position and for allowing reception and removal of the connector means when in said unlatched position; and locking means including roller means having one extremity in rolling engagement with said latch means when in said locked position, and actuation means in rolling engagement with the opposite extremity of said roller means when the latter is in said locked position, said actuation means being movable to roll said roller means from said locked position to said unlocked position, said actuation means including a movable positioning member having at least one elongated slot extending therethrough and said roller means includes at least one rolling element movably disposed in said slot.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein each latch member comprises a pair of spaced parallel interconnected plates, and said positioning member comprises a positioning plate with a portion thereof slidably disposed between the plates of each of said latch members, the second ends of said plates being similarly shaped to define said cam surfaces and said hook portions, each of said roller elements being cylindrical and engageable with the plates of one of said latch members.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 including concave saddle means extending upwardly from said intermediate plate, said link means includes a convex portion movably disposed in said saddle means and a first arm extending downwardly through an opening in said intermediate plate to operatively engage said positioning plate and a second arm extending laterally from said saddle means over said intermediate plate to engage said pushbutton.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said pushbutton includes a rearward extension pivotally supported by said intermediate plate and a forward extension engaging said second arm of said link means, a cover disposed over said button and said intermediate plate and engaging said sidewalls, said cover having an opening therein under which said pushbutton is disposed, said cover defining a second end wall extending upwardly from the second end of said base plate, said first biasing means being disposed to react between said second end wall and said positioning plate, and third biasing means disposed between said pushbutton and said intermediate plate for urging said pushbutton into engagement with said cover.

18. A seatbelt assembly comprising; support means, a pair of latch members rotatably supported by said support means for movement between latched and unlatched positions, catch posts attached to each of said latch members, a tongue plate having cam edges for engaging said catch posts to move said latch members from said unlatched position to said latched position in response to movement of said tongue plate in a first direction, said tongue plate including shoulders engageable with said catch posts when said latch members are in sAid latched position to prevent movement of said tongue plate in a second direction opposite to said first direction, each of said latch members including a hook portion, a pair of roller elements disposed in said hook portions to retain said latch members in said latched positions, and actuation means to roll said roller elements along said hook positions and out of engagement therewith to allow movement of said latch members to said unlatched positions whereby said tongue plate may be moved in said second direction.