EP0823223B1 - Pretensioner-proof buckle for seatbelts - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a pretensioner-fastener for Seat belts, with a load-bearing frame on which a latch is movably mounted, which in its closed position on a Tongue attacks with a release button, by pressing the Bolt can be moved into the open position to release the tongue is, and with a multi-arm locking lever mounted on the frame to prevent the automatic release of the release button, a first arm of the locking lever is articulated on the release button and on the locking lever from the outside acting inertia forces own moment of inertia a total moment of inertia around its swivel axis result in an automatic movement of the release button abrupt change in speed of the fastener during a belt tensioning process prevented.

A generic closure is known from EP 0 557 983 A1.
The locking lever provided in this closure is articulated on an arm on the release button and limits the movement of a locking pin with a claw-shaped end of the second arm, which holds the bolt in the closed position. The automatic closure of the lock when using a belt tensioner at the beginning or at the end of the backstroke stroke, if the inertia of the parts can lead to the opening of the release button, is to be prevented in the known closure as follows: To open the release button in the event of an abrupt deceleration at the end of the back tensioning stroke To avoid, the center of gravity of the locking lever is arranged to its pivot axis so that the sum of the torques about the pivot axis presses the locking lever into its closed position. Opening during abrupt acceleration at the beginning of the backlash stroke should be precluded by the fact that the moment of inertia of the locking lever is so great that a rotary movement is avoided or that it only leads to a small movement which does not open the lock. Theoretically, however, it can never be ruled out that in certain exceptional situations acceleration forces will occur which are large enough to cause the locking lever to move sufficiently large to open the release button. Even small opening movements can therefore be excluded.

The invention provides a belt-fastener fastener in which the automatic movement of the release button when accelerating strongly as well as in the event of severe deceleration even in exceptional situations is excluded. This is the case of a closure of the beginning mentioned type according to the invention by a on a second arm of the Locking lever so movably mounted mass body that the Mass body with an abrupt change in speed in one Movement device transmits an inertial force to the second arm and that in the opposite direction by movement relative to the arm Power transmission from the mass body to the locking lever at least in is essentially interrupted. The invention lies in the Based on the knowledge that the moment of inertia of the locking lever to Lock the release button only when changing speed in one Contributes to locking the release button in the opposite direction however, can even help open the release button. While at that known closure of the locking lever integrally formed on it Has extension that is used to shift the center of gravity in the closure according to the invention a locking lever with its own Mass body provided, which is movably mounted on the locking lever. This is the total moment of inertia around the pivot axis of the locking lever when accelerating and decelerating different sizes, which the automatic movement of the release button can be excluded.

The mass body is preferably in one direction of movement coupled with the second arm and in the opposite direction through the Relative movement to the second arm decoupled from it, so that it only some or preferably no inertia at all second arm of the locking lever exercises. Uncoupling in one direction can, for example, through an elongated hole provided in the mass body into which the second arm extends and the one Allows relative movement in one direction. By suitable Locking mechanisms, e.g. Latches is the mass body in the other Direction coupled with the second arm.

The interruption of the power transmission from the mass body to the locking lever preferably takes place in that the mass body at a strong speed change in the opposite direction due to its Relative movement to the second arm hits a frame-fixed stop and at least partially, preferably completely supports. Through the support at the stop, the mass body initiates one little or preferably no inertia in the locking lever.

The mass body can be moved in translation on the second arm be stored. In the preferred embodiment, however, it is rotatable and positioned eccentrically to his center of gravity on the second arm, the frame-fixed stop a first rotary stop for the Mass body forms. An opposite to the first rotation stop Direction of rotation of the mass body acting second rotation stop is formed by a section of the second arm itself on which the mass body can strike. In the closed position of the locking lever is the mass body at the second rotation stop or has only a short distance from this, so that the inertia of the Mass body with an abrupt change in speed in a corresponding Direction is immediately initiated in the locking lever.

In the preferred embodiment, one or both lie Rotary stops, seen parallel to the actuation direction of the release button, at the center of gravity of the mass body. For the first one Rotary stop means that the mass body attaches itself completely supports him and the mass body therefore no inertia on the Lock lever exerts. This is the power transmission path to initiate an inertia force in the locking lever completely interrupted.

The power transmission is preferably interrupted by the Mass body on the locking lever when accelerating the lock. The inertial force of the mass body to prevent displacement the release button is therefore only effective when decelerating at the end of the Back tension stroke.

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung, mit teilweise weggeschnittenen Teilen, des erfindungsgemäßen Verschlusses gemäß einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform;
• Figur 2 eine schematische Seitenansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Verschlusses in der Schließstellung, anhand der das Wirkprinzip des Verschlusses erläutert werden soll;
• Figuren 3 und 4 den in Figur 2 dargestellten Verschluß bei teilweise bzw. vollständig gedrückter Lösetaste;
• Figur 5 den Verschluß nach Figur 2 bei abrupter Beschleunigung zu Beginn des Rückstrammhubes; und
• Figur 6 den Verschluß nach Figur 2 bei abrupter Verzögerung am Ende des Rückstrammhubes.

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description and from the following drawings, to which reference is made. The drawings show:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts cut away, of the closure according to the invention according to a preferred embodiment;
• FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the closure according to the invention in the closed position, on the basis of which the principle of operation of the closure is to be explained;
• Figures 3 and 4 the closure shown in Figure 2 with the release button partially or fully depressed;
• 5 shows the closure according to FIG. 2 with abrupt acceleration at the beginning of the back tightening stroke; and
• Figure 6 shows the closure of Figure 2 with an abrupt delay at the end of the tightening stroke.

In Figure 1 is a pretensioner fastener 1 for seat belts shown, the on a fitting part, not shown, with a connected to it, also not shown belt tensioners is attached. The closure 1 has a housing plate 3 with a attached to it, load-bearing frame 5. The frame 5 is made Functionally speaking, from five different parts, namely one Guide block 7, a right and a not shown mirror-image left side member 9 and a left and one Right first rotation stop 11. The hollow interior of the guide block 7 serves as a guide for a movable perpendicular to the housing plate 3 Bolt 13, in the closed position shown in Figure 1 down is pressed. One between the side members 9 and through the Guide block 7 leading parallel to the longitudinal axis of the Housing plate 3 slidably on its release button 15 instructs at its end on the guide block side, two parallel longitudinal webs 17, between which an insertion path 19 for a tongue (not shown) is formed. The release button 15 serves to lock the latch 13 in to move its open position. When locked in the lock 1 The tongue 13 engages the latch 13 against which it engages in its The open position releases the tongue. Ramp surfaces 21 on the Inside of each longitudinal web 17 engage corresponding surfaces of the Latch 13 to this up in its open position move.

The release button 15 has two lateral, opposite one another Scenery guides, of which only the right scenery guide 23 is shown is. The link guide 23 is closed, wherein in Figure 1 the upper part for better visibility of parts behind has broken away. In the guide 23 this is on the side cranked, free end 25 of a first arm 27 of a two-armed Locking lever 29, which can be seen better in Figures 2 to 6, stored. The locking lever 29 is a protruding pin-like Section 31 at its two lateral ends rotatably on the Supported longitudinal beams 9 and extends almost over the entire Width of the closure 1. An opposite to the first arm 27, second arm 33 can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 2 to 6. Its free end 35 extends across the width of the Closure 1 and serves as a pivot bearing for a mass body 37 Mass body 37 consists of two opposing partial masses 39 and a connecting web 41. Each partial mass 39 has in essentially the shape of a half cylinder, the Axis of curvature of the cylindrical outer surface with the pivot axis 46 of the locking lever 29 coincides. The first rotary stops 11 have a concavely curved one adapted to the cylindrical outer surface Surface whose axis of curvature also with the pivot axis 46 of the Locking lever 29 coincides. The distance between the concave surface 43 of each first rotary stop 11 to the associated partial mass 39, as can be seen in Figure 2, very small, so that only a narrow Gap is formed between these parts. Each partial mass 39 has in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis 46 of the locking lever 29 a Guide groove 45 into which the corresponding longitudinal member 9 of the frame 5 penetrates so that there is a lateral guide for the partial mass 39th results.

The further structure of the closure 1 is described below with reference to Figure 2 explained in more detail, with individual parts compared to the illustration are shown in simplified form in FIG. 1. In figure 2, in particular, the articulation of the locking lever 29 is better detect. The free end 25 of the first arm protrudes into the Link guide 23 in the release button 15. The link guide 23 has two sections, namely a section 47 that is rectangular extends to the housing plate 3, and a section 49 which is parallel runs to the housing plate 3 and merges into section 47. In the The closed position shown in FIG. 2, in which the locking lever 29 is approximately at right angles to the housing plate 3, the end 25 is in Section 47 is located and is only a short distance from the Wall.

The mass body 37 has a receiving opening for its rotary bearing 51, which extends deep inside. The deepest The location of the receiving opening 51 is the shape of the end 35 of the second Arms 33 rounded accordingly, so that the end 35 is a pivot bearing for forms the mass body 37. The center of gravity 54 of the mass body 37 lies between the pivot axis 46 and the axis of rotation 53 by the End 35 is formed. Two opposite sections of the Receiving opening 51 are designed differently. One of the first Rotating stop 11 facing section 55 runs obliquely outside that the receiving opening 51 is a rotation of the mass body 37 the axis of rotation 53 allowed in a counterclockwise direction. The opposite Section, on the other hand, has an inward protrusion that is in the Closed position touches the arm 33 so that the arm 33 in this Area forms a second rotary stop 57 for the mass body 37. The second rotary stop 57 acts in comparison to the first Rotation stop 11 in the opposite direction of rotation.

To move the bolt 13 in its open position, the Release button 15 are pressed in the direction of the arrow according to FIG. 2. Because of the small lateral distance of the end 25 from the wall in Area of section 47 is already with a slight actuation of the Release button 15 the locking lever 29 pivoted clockwise until it as shown in Figure 3, is relatively oblique and finally, 4, the end 25 at the end of section 49 of Link guide 23 is located. Because of its 53 eccentric center of gravity 54 will be the mass body 37 turn slightly counterclockwise so that it is surface 43 touched, however, the cylindrical outer surface of the mass body 37 slide on the correspondingly shaped surface 43.

In Figure 5, the movements of the parts to each other when accelerating shown in the direction of the arrow at the beginning of a backlash stroke. The Release button 15 presses due to their inert mass with a Lever arm L1 from the pivot axis 46 to the right. The focus of the Locking lever 39 is approximately at the level of the pivot axis 46, so that it itself generates no torque due to its own inertia. The relatively heavy mass body 37, however, has an inert mass, the one Force F2 generated. This force would be a torque in the locking lever 29 generate that would be large enough to release button 15 to the left in the To press the open position. However, since the mass body 37 is eccentric is pivoted, it pivots relative to its axis of rotation 53 counterclockwise and immediately bumps with its outer surface second rotary stop 11. Since the area of the Stop 11 is located approximately at the level of the center of gravity 54, is supported the mass body 37 completely on the second rotary stop 11, so that he does not apply force to the locking lever 29. The release button 15 can so that are not set in motion by the locking lever 29. On alternatively provided minimum idle stroke between the first arm and the left wall of section 47 can rule out that at Start of the rotation of the mass body 37 a little in the locking lever 39 force introduced to move the release button 15 leads. The Mass body 37 is also on its cylindrical outer surface Folded height of the center of gravity. This results in a Locking edge 59, which is parallel to the pivot axis 46 and the Axis of rotation 53 extends. If this locking edge 59 as relative sharp edge is formed and the mass body 37 at 5 strikes the surface 43, the Locking edge 59 slides off the surface of the mass body 37 on the surface 43 when the surfaces hit prevent.

Figure 6 shows the balance of forces at the closure 1 at the end of Rückstrammhubes when the closure 1 is suddenly braked, so that there is a delay in the direction of the arrow. The first Rotary stop 11 does not work with this delay, only the second rotary stop 57. Due to its inertia, the Mass body 37 clockwise and beats if it is not already in the closed position on the second rotary stop 57, after minimal Swivel path on this (see the area marked with Y). Mass body 37 and locking lever 29 are in this direction of movement strength connected. With a lever arm L2 a force F2 is introduced into the locking lever 29. The corresponding Torque due to the heavy mass body 37 about the pivot axis 46 is much larger than that due to the inertia of the release button 15 initiated in the locking lever 29 torque by the Mass body 37 is overcompensated. This prevents the mass body 37 always an automatic movement of the release button 15.

The closure shown is due to displacement of the release button 15 abrupt changes in speed when tightening the belt in the secured in opposite directions of movement.

Claims (17)

1. A safety belt buckle designed to resist the action of a belt pretensioner, comprising a load bearing frame (5) with a catch bolt (13) slidingly mounted thereon and adapted in a locking position thereof to engage a male lug, a release button (15) adapted to be operated to slide the catch bolt (13) into an unlocked position for release of the male lug, and a multiple-arm locking lever (29) for preventing unintentional displacement of the release button (15), said locking lever (29) being mounted on the frame (5) for pivoting about a pivot axis (46), a first arm (27) of the locking lever (29) being pivotally coupled to the release button (15) and the inertial forces acting on the locking lever (29) from the outside together with its inherent moment of inertia producing a sum moment of inertia about its pivot axis (46), which moment prevents an unintentional sliding of the release button (15) during an abrupt change in velocity of the buckle (1) during belt pretensioning, characterized by an inertial mass body (37) so mounted in a moving manner on a second arm (33) of the locking lever (29) that during an abrupt change in velocity in one direction of movement the inertial mass body (37) transmits an inertial force to the second arm (33) and that the transmission of force from the inertial mass body (37) to the locking lever (29) is at least substantially interrupted in the opposite direction owing to a movement in relation to the second arm (33).
2. The buckle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) is coupled with the second arm (33) in the one direction of movement on such abrupt change in the velocity and is uncoupled from same in the opposite direction owing to motion in relation to the second arm (33) and only transmits a part or none of the inertial force to the locking lever (29).
3. The buckle as claimed in claim 1 or in claim 2, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) abuts against a stopper fixed to the frame upon a great change in velocity owing to its motion in relation to the second arm (33) and is at least partially supported by the stopper with the result that the path of force transmission to the second arm (33) is at least substantially interrupted.
4. The buckle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) is mounted in a rotatable manner on the second arm (33) eccentrically to its center (54) of gravity and the stopper fixed to the frame constitutes a first rotary stopper (11).
5. The buckle as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a second rotary stopper (57), acting relatively to the first one in the opposite direction of rotation of the inertial mass body (37), is formed by a section of the second arm (33), against which the inertial mass body (37) may strike.
6. The buckle as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) abuts the second rotary stopper (57) or is at only a small distance therefrom in the locking position of the locking lever (29).
7. The buckle as claimed in claim 5 or in claim 6, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) has a receiving opening (51) for movingly mounting it and at the deepest point thereof abuts against the free end (35) of the second arm (33), one section of the receiving opening (51) being able to strike against the second rotary stopper (57).
8. The buckle as claimed in any one of the claims 5 through 7, characterized in that one or both rotary stoppers (11, 57), as seen looking in a direction parallel to the actuation direction of the release button (15), is at the same level as the center (54) of gravity of the inertial mass body (37).
9. The buckle as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) has a locking edge (59) on its outer surface at the level of its center (54) of gravity for engagement of said inertial mass body (37) on the first rotary stopper (11).
10. The buckle as claimed in any one of the claims 4 through 9, characterized in that the surface (43), serving for stopping the inertial mass body (37), of the first rotary stopper (11) has a circular arc, concave cross section, the center of curvature being on the pivot axis (46) of the locking lever (29).
11. The buckle as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) has in part an outer surface which in section is circularly arcuate and convex, such surface being a small distance from the surface (43) of the first rotary stopper (11) and having its center of curvature on the pivot axis (46) of the locking lever (29).
12. The buckle as claimed in any one of the claims 4 through 11, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) has at least one guide groove (45) extending in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis (46) of the locking lever (29), a longitudinal support bar (9) of the frame (5) extending in such guide groove.
13. The buckle as claimed in any one of the claims 4 through 12, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) comprises two mass parts (39) arranged laterally on the buckle (1) and a connecting rib (41) and in that each mass part (39) has rotary stoppers (11, 57) associated with it.
14. The buckle as claimed in any one of the claims 1 through 3, characterized in that the inertial mass body (37) is slidingly mounted on the second arm (33) for movement in translation.
15. The buckle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interruption of force transmission from the inertial mass body (37) to the locking lever (25) takes place on acceleration of the buckle (1) at the beginning of a belt pretensioning stroke.
16. The buckle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the catch bolt (13) is guided for movement at a right angle to a push-in path (19) for the male lug in the frame (5).
17. The buckle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first arm (27) of the locking lever (29) is pivotally connected to the release button (15) by a guideway (23).

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