DE1918494A1 - Push button lock for seat belts - Google Patents

Description

Push button lock for seat belts.

The invention relates to a lock for seat belts and particularly to a push button lock and tongue arrangement in which the push button moves at right angles to the base of the lock is mounted and is connected by a linkage to a hold-down plate, which for movement parallel to the base between a first position where it separates the tongue from its locking position Prevented at the base of the lock, and a second position is supported in which the tongue from the base through a movement perpendicular to this can be separated.

Brackish button locks for seat belts have become very popular, because "the push button is not subjected to random forces, the one Effect release of the lock locking mechanism. Previously known Push button locks are generally provided with a lock locking mechanism provided in which a pivotally mounted pawl in the lock housing engages an opening in the tongue comes when this is inserted through a corresponding opening in the housing. A spring loaded lever that is in the housing

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is arranged, provides a motion-transmitting connection between the push button and the pawl so that the user can pivot the pawl into a tongue release position by pressing it down of the push button.

Another type of lock interlocking mechanism is shown in the 3,127,55 patent and can be characterized as a sliding action locking mechanism. In this form of the mechanism, once inserted into the lock housing, the tongue engages a fixed bearing in the base which prevents movement of the tongue parallel to the base in contrast to a movable pawl member which engages the tongue in conventional locks . To maintain engagement of the tongue with the base of the lock, a slidably mounted pawl or hold-down plate is mounted in the lock for movement "parallel to the base between a first position in which it overlaps the locking position of the tongue to separate the tongue from the base and a second position in which it allows separation of the tongue from the base This type of locking mechanism has several advantages in that it provides a very compact lock and is very reliable in operation, but it has not yet been a loop for seat belts "

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known in which a push button release member with a sliding action locking mechanism cooperates.

The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a seat belt buckle which has a snap release member has this with a sliding action locking mechanism is coupled to make a lock available that is more stocky than conventional push button locks and that. the reliability and simplicity of a slide locking mechanism having.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention has a lock assembly that includes a slide locking mechanism receives, in which a hold-down plate is mounted for movement parallel to the base in the lock between a hold-down position and a release position. The push button is above the hold-down plate mounted for movement at right angles to the base and with the hold-down plate by a combination of a parallelogram linkage and a rotatably mounted crank part. The parallelogram linkage is mounted on the underside of the push button in such a way that that a depression of the push button pivots the linkage so that it moves components parallel and at right angles to the

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Base owns. The crank link connects the parallelogram linkage with the hold-down plate and is mounted so that the movement of the linkage to the base of the crank link in relation to the Linkage pivoted so that it also has a movement component parallel to the base. Thus, the whole movement brings the by the hold-down plate in response to a depression of the push button as the sum of the movement components parallel to the Covered the base of the parallelogram linkage and the crank link will have various advantages with it. All of the depression required on the push button to release the tongue loosening is decreased so that the overall height of the lock is extremely thin compared to conventional push button locks. Second, very little release effort is required to release the tongue from the lock with the push button enable.

Another feature of the present invention is a new adjustment bolt for connecting the seat belt to the buckle housing. The adjustment bolt has a novel shape that allows the user to easily adjust the length of the strap and then establish a non-resilient connection between the lock housing and the strap. The bolt has a longitudinal groove with a con -

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kaven belt clamping surface that cooperates with a convex belt clamping surface on the lock to secure the belt to the lock to connect, but a slight loosening of the belt is possible in order to carry out an adjustment.

Another feature of the present invention is construction the hold-down plate and the lock housing. The housing is preferably formed from a steel plate that has a flat Base and a pair of upwardly curved sides defining a pair of inwardly curved flanges to form a channel-like Form section for receiving the tongue and for mounting the hold-down plate. The hold-down plate is on and under the flanges and has a pair of round head rivets that come into contact with the underside of the flanges, the flanges have such depressions that they form a pair of bulges in the direction of the hold-down plate. When the hold-down plate is moved into their hold-down position, the rivets on the plate come into contact with the bulges on the flanges, so that the hold-down plate is guided towards the base of the lock in such a way that the hold-down plate and the Locking tabs are keyed between the base and the flanges. In addition, there is a better connection between the tongue

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BAD ORJGJNAt

and the lock made with the bulges on the splash Allow larger manufacturing tolerances and reduce the sliding friction of the hold-down plate.

The invention essentially consists of a lock for seat belts, in which the tongue dis base of the lock housing in the Locking position overlaps, wherein the tongue comes into engagement with a locking device, the movement of the Prevents tongue parallel to the base. The locking device between the tongue and the base sits separable by the movement of the Tongue perpendicular to the base. A spring loaded hold-down plate in the housing is slidably mounted between a Never the holding position where it prevents a movement of the tongue at right angles to the base and a loosening position where such a movement allowed is. A push button mounted for movement towards and away from the base is by virtue of a linkage with the hold-down plate connected and designed so that a depression of the push button the hold-down plate parallel to the base in its release position moved out of the hold-down position.

In detail, the invention is based on the embodiment? Fc> -; i ϊ IsI-l with reference to the accompanying drawings, in denes .ilei ^ he

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BATH ORIGINAL

Reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views relate to be explained. In the drawings show:

1 is a perspective view into a vehicle showing a user of the seat belt; who with a inventive lock is equipped;

2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the belt lock according to Fig. 1;

3 shows a sectional view through a lock, showing the tongue in its locked position in the barrel;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the lock;

5 is an enlarged view of the glass rod showing the movement of the parallelogram linkage on the CJiitar side of the push button shows;

6 is an enlarged schematic illustration showing the crank member in engagement with the hold-down plate, when the push button is in the raised position;

FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to that of FIG. 6, with the push button depressed and the holding plate in the release position is located;

FIG. 8 shows an enlarged view of the bulges on FIG Bottom of the flange of the lock base and its

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Position to the rivet head on the hold-down plate; 9 shows a sectional view through a modified embodiment of the lock according to the invention without a retaining bolt.

In FIG. 1, a user 10 of a vehicle 12 is on a seat shown, which is provided with a seat belt system 16. The seat belt system 16 comprises a pair of belt sections 18 and 20. The lower end of the belt portion 18 is connected to the floor of the vehicle 12 in a suitable manner, for example by a Retracting device 22 connected and that lower end of the belt portion 20 is anchored to the ground in a manner not shown.

The preferred lock assembly 24 includes a tongue member 26, which sits at the free end of the belt section 18 and a lock generally designated 28, which is at the free end of the belt section 20 seated. The user 10 surrounds himself with the seat belt system 16 by connecting the tongue 26 to the buckle 28, which has an internally mounted locking mechanism.

The tongue 26 is preferably designed with a plate-like design made of metal a leading edge 30 and a pair of beveled side edges

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and 34, which are rearward in a pair of laterally extending shoulders36 and 38 expire. The tongue 26 has a semicircular locking opening 39 which is arranged centrally behind the leading edge 30th

The lock 28 includes a metal base 40 and a plastic cover 42, which is mounted on the base 40 to form a lock receiving opening 43. The base 40 is made of a plate-like Steel piece cut into a flat base from 44 and a pair of upwardly curved sides 46 and 48 formed on their upper ones Edges terminate in a pair of inwardly curved flanges 50 and 52. These flanges are spaced from the base portion 44 arranged and run parallel to this. The base section 44 has a stroke-guiding bearing 54 which cooperates with the opening 3 9, when the tongue 26 is brought into its locking position resting on the base 44. It can thus be seen that the opening 3 9 in the tongue and the support 54 on the base a form cooperating locking devices which, in engagement with one another, prevent the tongue 26 from being removed from the base part 40 is moved in the direction parallel to the base portion 44. The opening 3 9 and the seat 54 are brought into engagement and separated from each other by the movement of the tongue 26 in the perpendicular direction to the base.

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The base part 40 also has an upwardly bent side portion 56, which forms a pressure bracket and extends over the flanges 50 and 52. The base part 40 also has a bent back Stiffening part 58 which, with the upwardly bent part 56, forms the transverse edge of an opening in the base 44 for receiving the Seat belt section 20 forms.

The cover 42 is on the base part 40 in a suitable manner, for example by lugs 60 and 62, which under the flanges of the Snap the base part, fastened. The cover 42 also has an opening 64 in which a slidable push button 66 is arranged. The push button has a pair of lugs 68 (only one shown) that sit in bearings 70 in the cover portion that the push button for movement in the direction perpendicular to the base section 44 leads.

On the base from section 44, a guide plate 72 is mounted and has a contour 74 which is complementary to the contour of the tongue, so that the tongue 26 is held in its locking position. The guide plate has approximately the same thickness as the tongue and is provided with a pair of downwardly depending lugs 76, which in corresponding openings in the base 44 on the

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opposite sides of the upwardly bent portions 56 sit and a pair of shoulders 78 is in support with the after upward curved portion 56. The central portion 80 of the guide plate is spaced from the upwardly curved portion 56 to form a seat for a leaf spring 82, the ends of which are in contact with the upwardly bent portion 56 and having a downwardly bent central portion extending toward the central portion 80 of the guide plate.

A hold-down plate 84 is displaceable on the guide plate 72 mounted for movement parallel to base 44 with spring 82 resting on trailing edge 86. The spring 82 urges the hold-down plate 84 to the opening 43 so that it is normally located in a hold-down position where the central portion 88 of their front edge overlaps the leading edge 3 0 of the tongue when it is in its locked position. The front one The edge of the hold-down plate also has a pair of sloping side edges 90 and 92 which do not overlap the tongue 26 and a pair of end edges 94 and 96 which extend below the leading edge of the guide plate 72 and the shoulders 36 and 38 of FIGS Overlap the tongue.

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Thus, when the hold-down plate is in its locking position, it overlaps the leading edge of the tongue and likewise a pair of dots on the side edges of the tongue separated by the non-overlapping parts of the tongue. The tongue will gripped by the hold-down plate in front of and behind the interlocking of the opening 38 of the tongue with the support 54 of the base. This point contact is achieved by moving the hold-down plate in a very short stroke of about 3mm (1/8 inch) from their hold-down position to their release position.

The hold-down plate 84 also has a pair of openings 98 nearby the rear edge to accommodate the downwardly depending webs of a bracket 100, which is connected to the rear edge of the guide plate 72 is in contact in order to limit the movement of the hold-down plate to the opening 43. Near the side edges a pair of rivets 102 is mounted on the hold-down plate 84 under the flanges 50 and 52 of the base part. When the lock mechanism is assembled, the hold-down plate is inserted into the base and then the rivets are inserted through a pair of openings 104 in the flanges and in their position between two bulges 106 screwed into the flanges.

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In Fig. 8, the hold-down plate 84 is shown in its release position. When the hold-down plate moves into its locking position, it approaches a bulge 108 which is formed on the lower side of the flange 52 by a counterbore 106. If the When rivet 102 comes into contact with bulge 108, hold-down plate 84 is wedged onto base section 44 so that it and tongue 26 firmly in place between flanges 52 and the base from section 44 are held. It goes without saying an equal bulge 108 is formed under each of the countersunk depressions 106. The curvilinear one formed by the head of the rivet 102 Construction can also be made in other ways. This construction allows greater manufacturing tolerances and can be assembled more easily, as well as sliding friction is avoided, as in conventional constructions between the hold-down plate 84 and the flanges of the base part 40 consists.

The downward movement of the push button 42 becomes the hold-down plate 84 is transmitted by a parallelogram linkage, generally with 110 and by a crank member 112. The linkage 110 comprises a pair of identically shaped levers 114 and 116, the end of which can pivot the cover 42 for rotation about an axis are mounted parallel to the base 44. The two levers 114 and 116

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have eccentric parts 118 and 120, respectively, which are slidable with the Engage the lower surface of the push button, as best shown in FIG. 3.

As best seen in Fig. 5, the depression effect of the push button 66 to the base that the eccentric parts 118 and 120 of the lever linkage pivot about their ends so that they have a first component of movement perpendicular to the base and a second component of movement parallel to the base in the direction away from the opening 43. The upper end of the crank member 122 is connected to the eccentric part 120 of the lever linkage 116 and its lower end is seated in a recess 124 of the hold-down plate. Thus it can be seen that the upper end of the Crank member 112 moves with the eccentric portion 120 of the lever linkage.

As best seen in Figures 6 and 7, the downward movement causes the eccentric portion 120 of the lever 116 to the base, that the crank member 112 pivots in such a way that its lower end has a movement component parallel to the base 44 having. Thus, there is a displacement of the hold-down plate from its locking position, which is shown in Fig. 6, wherein

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ι «

it overlaps the tongue 26, in its release position as the sum of the movement components of the eccentric part 120 parallel to the Base with respect to the push button 66 and the component of movement of the lower end of the crank member 112 parallel to the base with respect on the eccentric part 120. When the compressive force acting on the push button ceases, the spring 82 gives the hold-down plate 84 forward bias to its normal hold-down position shown in FIG. As best seen in FIG. 3 is, a spring 126, which is mounted on the eccentric part, acts between the connecting lever 122 to the crank member 112 away from the connecting lever to hold it in its seat in the recess 124 in the hold-down plate.

It should be noted that the front edge of the hold-down plate has a chamfer 128 that coincides with the leading edge 30 of the tongue comes into contact when it is inserted into the lock housing and the tongue guides down until the locking opening 3 in the tongue comes into contact with the support 54, so that the tongue is in the locking position resting on the base 44 snaps.

In FIG. 3, a belt 20 is shown which is wrapped around a retaining bolt 130

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is drawn, which is arranged behind the upwardly bent portion and has a generally teardrop-shaped cross-section with a concave belt clamping groove 132. The concave groove 132 extends the full length of the central portion of the bolt 130 opposite a bent-back transverse edge 58, which is a convex Forms belt clamping surface opposite the bolt. When a force is applied to the belt 12, the bolt 130 to the transverse edge 58 moved, the belt is moved between the convex part formed by the rearwardly bent portion 58 and the concave part Section 132 clamped. A change in the direction of the force on the belt to keep the bolt 130 from the edge Moving away, loosens the strap for an adjustment. A pair of side ears 134 formed on the ends of the bolt 130, are disposed between the flanges 50 and 52 and the base 44. A bracket 136 inserted through the rear end of the base is, has a pair of longitudinal webs 138 and 140 on which slide along the ears 134 of the retaining bolt. Thus, the bolt toward and away from the bent back portion 58 is parallel to the base movable and is held against rotation about its longitudinal axis. The edges of the webs 138 and 140 have cutouts which engage the trailing edge of the guide plate adjacent the feet 76.

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Fig. 1 shows a modified embodiment of the lock which has the same internal locking mechanism as the one described Has embodiment, but has a shortened base part 44 with an opening 138 through which the belt 20 is pulled is without a retaining bolt. This modified embodiment of the invention shows how the lock mechanism continues in its Large compared to conventional locks can be reduced, the seat belt adjustment by one device is reached that does not belong to the lock mechanism. The Pig embodiment. 9 also has a shortened cover part 140, to adapt to the modified base part.

Thus, an improved lock for seat belts is described which includes the advantages of a push button release as well as a sliding locking mechanism. That became possible by the novel shape of the lever device, which connects the push button 66 with the hold-down plate 84 in such a way that depressing the push button towards the base of the hold-down plate moves parallel to the base.

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Claims (9)

19134ÖA Ht Claims 1 / Push button lock for seat belts into which a tongue can be inserted and which has a housing with an opening for inserting the tongue in a locking position, wherein a locking device is provided which fixes the tongue against movement in the direction parallel to the base and which by a Movement perpendicular to the base is releasable, characterized in that a never holding member in the lock housing for movement is arranged parallel to the base between a locking position and a release position that a spring is the hold-down member pushes into its locking position, and that a push button for a movement perpendicular to the base is provided in the lock housing which is connected to the hold-down member so that pressing the push button to the base parallel the hold-down member moved to the base from the locking position to the release position. 2. Lock according to claim 1, characterized in that _t the tongue with a sleeve holder is provided and that the base comprises a support, which with the sleeve version zni perpendicular? Surface of the base engages " 1913434 3. Lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connection of the push button with the hold-down member is a Includes lever which is pivotably mounted on the housing for movement about an axis parallel to the base that the lever has an eccentric portion spaced from the axis and engages the push button in such a manner that movement of the push button to the base the lever is pivoted so that the eccentric part has a movement component parallel to the base and that the movement of the eccentric part gives the hold-down member a movement parallel to the base. 4. Lock according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the connection between the push button and hold-down member Includes crank part, the ends of which are connected to the push button and the hold-down member so that this is parallel to the base is moved when the push button is pushed towards the base. 5. Lock according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the connecting lever between the push button and hold-down plate comprises an eccentric part, the motion component is parallel and perpendicular to the base and a crank member with one end on the hold-down member also has a parallel movement 909846/0025 19134-94 executes, the displacement of the hold-down member parallel to the base when the push button is pressed, the sum of the parallel Components of the movement of the eccentric part in relation to the push button and the crank link end on the hold-down part in FIG Is related to the exirentric lever part. 6. Lock according to one of claims 1 - 5, characterized in that that the connection between the push button and hold-down member has two identically designed, pivotably mounted levers for movement around a pair of different axes, each axis being arranged parallel to the base, that each lever has a eccentric part at a distance from the axis of movement that a connecting lever that connects the eccentric parts, a parallelogram linkage forms that the connecting lever engages the push button in such a way that depressing the push button is a parallel component of motion triggers and that a crank member with one end movable to the connecting lever with the opposite end at the Hold-down part rests, so that the movement of the lever to the base is parallel to the crank link end on the hold-down part with respect to the other end moved, so that when the push button is depressed, the hold-down part is moved by a distance equal to the sum 909SA6 / Ü025 of the parallel components of movement of the link lever with respect to the push button and the crank link end with respect to the Connecting lever is. 7. Lock according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that that the tongue is designed like a plate with a predetermined contour, a guide plate with a complementary shape Is assigned contour in the lock housing to lead the tongue in its locking position. 8. Lock according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that that the base has a support which is provided for a plate-like tongue with a locking opening, and that the hold-down part the leading edge of the tongue in the locked position overlaps as well as in places between the locking opening and the following tongue part. 9. Lock according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the lock housing is fixed with respect to the base Has flange and that the hold-down part and the tongue are designed plate-like and movable between the base and the flange are, the flange and hold-down part with curvilinear surfaces 9098 U 6/0025 1913494 are provided which come into engagement when the hold-down part approaches the locking position, so that hold-down part and Tongue can be distributed between the flange and the base. 10. Lock according to claim 9, characterized in that the curved parts consist of bulges. 11. Lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the tongue engages the hold-down part when it is inserted into the housing to move it into its release position. 12. Lock according to one of claims 1 - 11, characterized in that that the tongue can be released from the locking position by a movement at right angles to the base. 13. Lock according to one of claims 1-12 with a device for adjustable fastening of the belt on the lock housing, characterized characterized in that the base of the lock housing has an opening for the belt, that a transverse edge with a convexly curved one Belt clamping surface is provided that an anchoring pin mounted in the lock housing with a longitudinal groove which is a concave arched one Has belt clamping surface is provided, and that the 909846 / 0Ö2S 19 78-48-4 Bolt can be moved towards and away from the transverse edge, so that the belt can be pulled through the opening when the Bolt is at a distance from the transverse edge and otherwise a force exerted on the belt moves the bolt towards the transverse edge, whereby clamping of the belt takes place. 14. Lock according to claim 13, characterized in that the bolt is fixed against rotation about its longitudinal axis and can move parallel to the base of the lock. 15. Lock according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that a lip bent back in the housing from the base Transverse edge forms. 9 0 9 8 4 6 / C- 0 2 5 Blank page