FR3064570A1 - SECURITY BELT BUCKLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for attaching a seat belt buckle, to be mounted on a seat comprising a support (101) and a backrest (300) which is mounted to pivot on said support via a set of connecting rods. . According to the invention, the attachment device comprises: - a securing part (10) of said loop, and - a mounting means (20) of the securing part on a fixing pin (150) which is coupled to this fixing pin, this fixing pin being itself coupled to a first of said connecting rods so as to rotate the securing part by tilting the seat back.

Description

Technical field to which the invention relates

The present invention relates generally to the safety of the occupants of a motor vehicle.

It relates more particularly to a device for attaching a seat belt buckle (also called a “strand-buckle”), to be mounted on a seat which includes a support, a seat mounted on the support, and a backrest mounted to tilt on the support. thanks to a set of connecting rods.

The invention relates more particularly to a strand-loop comprising:

- a part for securing a seat belt buckle (commonly known as a "tulip"),

- a fixing axis, and

- a means of mounting the tulip on the fixing axis, which is designed so as to rotate the tulip relative to the seat support by virtue of the tilting of the backrest relative to this support.

The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in “Parere” seats, that is to say in seats whose seats are adapted to tilt forward and whose backrests are adapted to tilt forward, in place and place of the seat.

The invention also relates to a seat equipped with such a strand, and a motor vehicle equipped with such a seat.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Motor vehicles generally comprise at least two seats each equipped with a seat belt and with a buckle-loop making it possible to lock the buckle of the seat belt.

The strand loop is generally fixed to the vehicle chassis or the seat structure, so that it can withstand great efforts, especially in the event of an accident.

To offer great modularity to vehicles, it is known to be able to fold some of the seats so as to free up cargo space.

When the seat is in the use position, the buckle must be easily accessible to the user, so that the user can easily lock the buckle of their seat belt. The risk is then that when the seat is in the folded position, the strand-loop protrudes from the seat and forms an obstacle when loading the vehicle.

It is then known from document FR2932733 to mount the strand-loop so that it pivots during the tilting of the backrest, so as not to hinder the loading of the vehicle. The solution disclosed in this document then consists in stretching a “bungee cord” between the strand-loop and the hinge of the backrest, so that the strand-loop can be erased under the action of its own weight when the backrest is tilted forward and it can be pulled by the "bungee cord" into a position accessible to the user when the backrest is returned to the position of use.

The use of a bungee cord, however, is not very durable and inconvenient, especially when it comes to assembling the vehicle. This solution also has a space requirement which proves to be incompatible with seats of the Parere type. Finally, the own weight of the strand does not always ensure the tilting of the latter, especially when an object hinders this tilting.

Object of the invention

In order to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a new type of strand-loop capable of tilting due to the folding of the seat.

More particularly, there is proposed according to the invention a hooking device (or "strand-loop") as defined in the introduction, in which the mounting means of the tulip is coupled to the fixing axis and in which there is provided a means of coupling the fixing axis to a first of the back links.

Thus, thanks to the invention, the tilting of the backrest causes the tilting of the connecting rods, and therefore the tilting of the fixing axis, and thus the tilting of the strand-loop.

The tilting of the strand-loop in the erased position under the seat when the backrest is folded, or in the accessible position above the seat when the backrest is unfolded, is thus achieved by means of a particularly simple, robust and presenting system. a minor bulk since it is located on the axis of attachment of the strand-loop to the seat.

It is further understood that this solution makes it possible to install this buckle easily and on any type of seat.

Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the strand-loop according to the invention are as follows:

- Said fixing axis comprises a shaft which extends along a longitudinal geometric axis, and a lever which rises radially projecting from said shaft and to which the coupling means is secured;

- The coupling means comprises a connecting rod, one end of which is articulated on said lever and the other end of which is adapted to be articulated on said first connecting rod; or

- The coupling means comprises an inextensible cable, one end of which is fixed to said lever and the other end of which is adapted to be fixed to said first connecting rod; or

- Said coupling means comprises a first toothed wheel which is fixed or which has just formed with said fixing axis, and which is adapted to mesh another toothed wheel, which other toothed wheel is fixed or has just formed with said first connecting rod.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle seat comprising:

- a support,

- a seat mounted on the support,

- a backrest mounted on the support with tilting mobility via a set of connecting rods, and

- An attachment device as mentioned above, the fixing axis of which is pivotally mounted on said support and is coupled to a first of said connecting rods.

Preferably, the backrest is mounted on the support by means of two pairs of connecting rods, each connecting rod being connected, on one side, to the backrest, and on the other, to the support.

Preferably also, during the tilting of the file relative to the support, the securing part travels an angular arc of angle less than that traversed by the file.

Also preferably, the seat having a rear edge and a front edge which, in the seat use position, is located opposite the backrest, the seat is mounted on the support with tilting mobility around a axis located closer to the front edge than the rear edge of the seat.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising:

- a chassis,

- a steering wheel steering system, which includes a steering wheel,

- a driver's seat mounted on the chassis opposite the steering wheel, and

- a passenger seat as mentioned above, which is mounted on the chassis next to the driver's seat, the hooking device of which is located on the side opposite the driver's seat.

Detailed description of an exemplary embodiment

The description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be carried out.

In the accompanying drawings:

- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of two seats of a motor vehicle, shown in the position of use;

- Figure 2 is a counterpart view of that of Figure 1, on which a first of the two seats is in the folded position;

- Figures 3 and 4 are schematic detailed perspective views of the elements necessary for mounting a strand-loop according to the invention on the first seat of Figure 2, these elements being respectively represented from two different angles;

- Figure 5 is a sectional view of the elements shown in Figures 3 and 4;

- Figure 6 is a schematic side view of part of the first seat of Figure 2, shown in the position of use;

- Figure 7 is a counterpart view of that of Figure 5, in which the first seat is shown in the folded position;

- Figures 8A to 8C are schematic views of the elements shown in Figures 3 and 4, to illustrate the movement of these elements during the tilting of the seat back;

- Figures 9 and 10 are schematic views of two alternative embodiments of the elements necessary for mounting a strand-loop according to the invention on the first seat of Figure 2.

In Figure 1, there is shown a part of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

In the description, the terms “front” and “rear” will be used with respect to this motor vehicle, the front of an element designating the side of this element which faces the hood of the vehicle and the rear designating the side of this element which is turned towards the trunk.

Similarly, the terms “lower” and “upper” will be used with respect to this motor vehicle, the lower part of an element designating the part of this element which is located on the side of the floor of the vehicle and the upper part designating the part of this element which is located on the roof side.

The term "coupled" will be used to characterize the way in which two elements are made integral with one another. In this case, two elements will be said to be “coupled” when the pivoting of one element will necessarily cause the pivoting of the other, and vice versa (except possibly in the case where an obstacle prevents one of the elements from pivoting) .

We will consider here that the motor vehicle is a "utility vehicle", that is to say a vehicle having only one row of seats. However, it does not have a rear seat or bench, since the entire rear area of the vehicle constitutes a cargo box.

Here, the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle is separated from this cargo box by a solid or screened partition 503.

If the invention will apply more particularly to such a utility vehicle, it will not however be limited to this type of vehicle, but may also be applied to any other type of motor vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1, the motor vehicle conventionally comprises a chassis (which in particular forms the floor 500 of the vehicle), a powertrain (not shown) and a steering wheel steering system (which in particular comprises a steering wheel 501).

This motor vehicle here has exactly two seats, including a driver seat 502 located opposite the steering wheel 501, and a passenger seat 100 located next to the driver seat 502. As shown here in the figures, the passenger seat 100 is located to the right of driver's seat 502.

The present invention therefore relates more specifically to this passenger seat

100.

This passenger seat 100 is retractable, that is to say that it can pass from a position of use (represented in FIG. 1) to a folded position (also called "Parere position", represented in FIG. 2 ) in order to free up cargo space in the vehicle.

As shown schematically in Figure 1, this passenger seat 100 has a seat 200 and a backrest 300 supported by a support structure

101.

The supporting structure 101 could take various forms. In the embodiment shown, it has two parallel sidewalls 102 which are fixed together by structural tubes 103 (FIG. 2) and which are slidably mounted on the floor 500 of the vehicle (by rails not visible in the figures) .

In the invention, the backrest 300 is mounted on the supporting structure 101 so as to be able to tilt.

Here, the seat 200 is also mounted on the supporting structure 101 so that it can tilt.

In the position of use, the seat 200 extends substantially horizontally (to within 20 degrees) and it has a front edge 201 and a rear edge 202.

In this position of use, the backrest 300 is slightly inclined towards the rear (at an angle of between 5 and 45 degrees relative to the vertical).

The seat 200 is mounted movable in tilting on the supporting structure 101 around a front geometric axis A2 (see FIG. 2). This front geometric axis A2 is generally located at the height of the front edge 201 of the seat 200, below it. It extends orthogonally to the longitudinal geometric axis of the motor vehicle. Thus, the seat 200 can tilt from its position of use (see FIG. 1) to a raised position towards the front, substantially vertical, pressing against the dashboard of the vehicle (see FIG. 2).

The backrest 300 is itself mounted on the supporting structure 100 so as to be able to tilt from its position of use (see FIG. 1) to a position folded forward, in place of the seat 200 (see figure 2).

As shown in Figure 6, to ensure this tilting mobility, the backrest 300 is preferably connected to the support structure

101 by four connecting rods 160, 170.

These connecting rods 160, 170 are distributed in pairs on either side of the backrest 300. Each pair of connecting rods comprises a front connecting rod 160 and a rear connecting rod 170, which are each connected, on one side, to the backrest 300, and, on the other, to the supporting structure 101, by pivot axes

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 1, the passenger seat 100 is equipped with a seat belt 400 which includes a strap 402 and a buckle 401 threaded on this strap 402.

The passenger seat 100 is then equipped with a hooking device, hereinafter called strand-loop 1, allowing the passenger to easily and quickly lock the buckle 401 of his seat belt 400.

Here, the strand-loop 1 is located, not conventionally between the two seats, but on the contrary to the right of the passenger seat 100 (on the side opposite to the driver's seat 502).

However, as shown in FIG. 1, the partition 503 is partially open, in the axis of the passenger seat 100, so that objects of great length can be loaded partly into the vehicle's boot and partly in the passenger compartment, passing through this opening.

When the passenger seat 100 is in the position of use, it is necessary that the strand 1 is in the raised position (Figure 5) so as to be accessible to the passenger.

When the passenger seat 100 is in the folded position to allow the loading of objects of great length, there would be a risk that the buckle 1 would form an obstacle to the loading of these objects if it remained in the raised position.

This is the reason why the loop 1 is intended to retract automatically when the backrest 300 is folded forward.

We can then describe in more detail the architecture of this strand 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the strand-loop 1 comprises a part for securing the buckle 401 of a seat belt, more generally known under the name of "keeper" or "tulip 10". This tulip 10 has a conventional shape since it defines a slot for inserting the loop 401 and that it houses a hook to lock the loop 401 and a push button to control the unlocking and extraction of the loop 401.

The strand-loop 1 also comprises a fixing pin 150 to be secured to the support 101 of the passenger seat 100, and a mounting means 20 of the tulip 10 on this fixing pin 150.

This mounting means 20 comprises an elongated rod 21 which is fixed, on one side, to the tulip 10, and which, on the other, forms a washer 22 delimiting an eyelet threaded on the fixing axis 150 (see figure 3).

According to a particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention, the washer 22 is coupled to the fixing axis 150 and there is provided a coupling means 120, 130, 140 making it possible to couple this fixing axis 150 to a first of the connecting rods 160, 170.

Thus, the tilting of the backrest 300 results in the tilting of the connecting rods 160, 170, which in turn cause the pivoting of the fixing pin 150 and, consequently, the tilting of the strand-loop 1.

The advantage of coupling the strand-loop 1 to the first connecting rod 170 is that when, the angular travel of the backrest between its position of use and its position folded forward is more than 90 degrees, the angular travel of l 'fixing axis 150 (and therefore of the strand-loop 1 between its raised position and its retracted position) is much less than 90 degrees (here of the order of 45 degrees). In this way, the raised and retracted positions of the strand-loop are moved by a desired angle of about 45 degrees (see Figures 6 and 7).

We can now focus in more detail on the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 8C.

As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the fixing axis 150 mainly comprises a shaft 151 which extends along a longitudinal geometric axis A1 and which passes through a first opening 104 provided correspondingly in one of the sides 102 of the support 101 of the passenger seat 100 and a second opening 105 provided in correspondence in a tab 103 welded to the external face of this sidewall 102.

These two openings 104, 105 are coaxial and have diameters corresponding to those of the fixing shaft 150, apart from the operating clearance, so that the fixing shaft 150 remains free to pivot in these openings 104, 105 around the longitudinal geometric axis A1.

To block the sliding of the fixing axis 150 along the longitudinal geometric axis A1, the fixing axis 150 has two parts of different diameters, which form at their junction a shoulder adapted to come to bear against the internal face of the side 102.

The fixing pin 150 is also crossed by a tapped hole, so that it is possible to screw a locking screw 159 therein so that the head of this screw bears against the external face of the tab. 103.

In order not to impede the pivoting mobility of the fixing axis 150 around the longitudinal geometric axis A1, it is provided that the head of the locking screw 159 comes to bear against the external end of the fixing axis 150 before pressing against the tab 103 (there thus remains a slight sliding clearance of the fixing pin 150 relative to the support 101).

To ensure the coupling of the washer 22 of the rod 21 of the strand-loop 1 to the fixing axis 150, the latter has a flat on its external face, located in the space delimited between the side 102 and the tab 103. The washer 22 also has a flat of corresponding shape, which is engaged on that of the fixing axis 150, which makes it possible to block any rotation of the rod 21 relative to the fixing axis 150.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the end of the fixing shaft 150 which is located opposite the head of the locking screw 159 projecting from its outer face a lever 155 which extends radially with respect to the longitudinal geometric axis A1.

This lever 155 is intended to be coupled to the first connecting rod 170 (the rear connecting rod located on the side of the strand-loop 1).

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8C, the coupling means 120 of this lever 155 to the first connecting rod 160 is a connecting rod 120.

This link 120 is here curved in an arc. It is articulated on the lever 155 by a first of its ends, and on the first connecting rod 170 by its other end.

For this, the two ends of the rod 120 are pierced with openings which are mounted with rotational mobility on lugs provided projecting from the lever 150 and the first connecting rod 170. These two lugs are cylindrical of revolution around axes geometric parallel to the longitudinal geometric axis A1.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, when the backrest 300 of the passenger seat 100 swings forward, the connecting rods 160, 170 all swing back. Thanks to the location of the lever 155 above the shaft 151 of the fixing axis 150, this movement of the connecting rods causes, via the link 120, the pivoting of the lever 155 towards the front and therefore the tilting of the strand. loop 1 forwards (in the position shown in Figure 7).

Conversely, when the backrest 300 of the passenger seat 100 is returned to the position of use, the connecting rods 160, 170 all tilt forward, which causes the pivoting of the lever 155 rearward and therefore the tilting of the loop 1 backward (in the position shown in Figure 6).

In Figure 9, there is shown a first alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the coupling means used to couple the lever of the fixing pin 150 to the first connecting rod 170 is not a rod, but a sheathed cable 130.

This sheathed cable 130 comprises a sheath 132, the two ends of which are fixed to the side 102 of the support 101 of the passenger seat 100. It also includes an inextensible cable 131 of metal which is threaded into the sheath 132 so that it can slide there freely, and whose one end is fixed to the lever 155 while its other end is fixed to the first connecting rod 170.

This sheathed cable 130 thus has exactly the same function as the link 120 shown in the previous figures.

In FIG. 10, a second variant embodiment of the invention has been shown, in which the fixing pin 150 is devoid of lever but comprises, in place of the latter, a first toothed wheel 142.

This first toothed wheel 142 here comes in formation with the rest of the fixing axis 150, but it could alternatively be simply attached and coupled thereto.

This first toothed wheel 142 here has teeth on only part of its circular contour, which is centered on the longitudinal geometric axis A1.

This first wheel 142 meshes with a second toothed wheel 141 which here comes from formation with the first connecting rod 170 but which could, as a variant, be simply attached and coupled thereto.

This second toothed wheel 141 here has teeth on only part of its circular contour, which is centered on the geometric axis around which the first connecting rod 107 pivots relative to the sidewall 102.

It is thus understood that when the backrest tilts backwards and the connecting rods 160, 170 pivot backwards, the second toothed wheel 141 forces the first toothed wheel 142 to pivot, which makes it possible to tilt the strand-loop

1.

The present invention is in no way limited to the variant embodiments described and shown, but a person skilled in the art will be able to bring there any other variant in accordance with the invention.

Thus, one could have foreseen that the seat of the backrest is not designed to tilt and that the backrest is then designed to tilt on the seat.

It would also have been possible to provide declutching means allowing, in the event of an obstacle being in the path of the strand-loop, to decouple the rod 21 from the fixing shaft 150 or to decouple the fixing axis 150 from the first connecting rod 170.

Claims (10)

1. A hooking device (1) for a buckle (401) of a seat belt (400), to be mounted on a seat (100) comprising a support (101), a seat (200) and a backrest (300) which is mounted movable in tilting on said support (101) via a set of connecting rods (160, 170), said attachment device (1) comprising: - a securing part (10) of said loop (401), - a fixing pin (150), and - a mounting means (20) of the securing part (10) on said fixing pin (150), which is adapted to pivot the securing part (10) relative to said support (101) in favor tilting the backrest (300), characterized in that the mounting means (20) is coupled to said fixing pin (150) and in that there is provided a coupling means (120, 130, 140) adapted to couple said fixing pin (150) to a first of said connecting rods (170). 2. An attachment device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said fixing axis (150) comprises a shaft (151) which extends along a longitudinal geometric axis (A1), and a lever (155) which s pupil radially projecting from said shaft (151) and to which the coupling means (120,130) is secured. 3. attachment device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the coupling means comprises a link (120) one end of which is articulated on said lever (155) and of which another end is adapted to be articulated on said first connecting rod (170). 4. An attachment device (1) according to claim 2, in which the coupling means comprises an inextensible cable (131) one end of which is fixed to said lever (155) and the other end of which is adapted to be fixed to said first connecting rod (170). 5. An attachment device (1) according to claim 1, in which said coupling means (140) comprises a first toothed wheel (142) which is fixed or which has just formed with said fixing axis (150), and which is adapted to mesh another toothed wheel (141), which other toothed wheel (141) is fixed or just formed with said first connecting rod (170). 6. Motor vehicle seat (100) comprising: - a support (101), - a seat (200) mounted on the support (101), and - A backrest (300) mounted on the support (101) with tilting mobility via a set of connecting rods (160, 170), characterized in that it comprises a hooking device (1) conforming to one of the previous claims, the fixing axis (150) of which is pivotally mounted on said support (101) and is coupled to a first of said connecting rods (160, 170). 7. Seat (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the backrest (300) is mounted on the support (101) by means of two pairs of connecting rods (160, 170), each connecting rod (160, 170) being connected, d 'one side, the backrest (300), and the other, the support (101). 8. Seat (100) according to one of the two preceding claims, in which, during the tilting of the backrest (300) relative to the support (101), the securing part (10) traverses an angular arc of lower angle to that traversed by the file (300). 9. Seat (100) according to one of the three preceding claims, in which the seat (200) having a rear edge (202) and a front edge (201) which, in the position of use of the seat (100), is located opposite the backrest (300), the seat (200) is mounted on the support (101) with tilting mobility around an axis (A2) located closer to the front edge (201) than the rear edge (202) of the seat (200). 10. Motor vehicle comprising: - a chassis (500), - a steering wheel steering system, which includes a steering wheel (501), - a driver's seat (502) mounted on the chassis (500) opposite the steering wheel (501), and - a passenger seat (100) mounted on the chassis (500) next to the driver's seat (502), characterized in that the passenger seat (100) conforms to one of the four preceding claims and in that the device d hooking (1) of the passenger seat (100) is located on the side opposite the driver's seat (502). 1/4 500 2/4 140 EPO FORM 1503 12.99 (P04C14)